Every parent at some point worries if their child is reading at the level he or she should. The below list provides a general milestone about each stage of reading and writing a child should be – from toddler to 13 years of age. However, bear in mind that every child develops at a different pace in different stages.
Early reading is influenced by lots of external factors including the exposure the child has to a reading environment and guidance among many other things. If you have any concerns, please contact your child’s educator, reading specialist, or doctor. They should be able to assess a child’s growth and point out any concern in a much accurate manner.
Table of contents
Up to Age 1:

- learns to understand few words
- likes to see the big bright clear pictures
- responds to language, music, sound
- can point to a picture when asked to
- like the experience of touch and feel books
- watches and tries to imitate simple words as you speak
- tries to turn the pages with adult help
//Tip: Check recommended list of Board books, touch and feel books, Cloth books for babies here.
Also Read: When to Start Reading to Baby
Age 1 to 2 years:
- can speak simple words
- points to the direction of the object when asked
- sits attentively for fewer more minutes when told stories or shown pictures
- able to name favorite pictures or books
- likes repetition of the same words and favorite stories
- able to turn pages
- gets you his or her favorite book to read aloud
- can participate in small pretend game
- can recite 2-3 lines of nursery rhymes
Also Read: Turn Your Baby from Book Eater to Book Reader
Age 2 to 3 years:

- can recite multiple nursery rhymes more accurately
- can recite few lines from a story from memory and correct you when told wrong
- sits for a longer time in the read-aloud session
- starts enjoying stories with more characters
- can sing the alphabet song with little help
- starts to differentiate between writings and drawing
- learns to scribble
- can recognize few alphabets visually
Also Read: How to Make Bedtime Story for a Child
Age 3 – Early preschool:
- can recognize most of the Capital letters of the alphabet
- starts holding the pen with a stronger grip and learns to write Capital letters
- can be taught the spelling of their names
- understand that words are read left to right
- can match some letters to sound
- can recognize known prints and logos
- can retell small complete stories
- learns to hold a book and tries to see pictures and familiar alphabets
Also Read: 7 Reasons to Read Aloud to your Kid
Age 4 – Late preschool:
- learns letter names and sounds
- writes own names
- develops awareness of syllables
- finds rhyming words
- understand bigger storyline
- can retell stories independently
- learns to read and write numbers
//Tip: Check recommended books for this age group here.
Age 5 – Kindergarten:
- can identify beginning ending and middle sound in spoken 3 letter words ‘cat’
- can make up rhyming words like rat, cat, hat
- can read simple words
- understands the meaning of some words
- understands the concept of sentence and words
- tries to reason the sequence of events in stories
- starts to ask questions during storytelling – how, why, what
- can retell bigger stories
- uses stories during pretend play
Also Read: How to Develop Reading Habit in Children
Age 6 and 7 – First and 2nd grade:
- can read simple sentences
- tries to figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words using pictures and contexts
- understands punctuation, capitalization
- learns spelling rules
- can read aloud more confidently and correct themselves when made mistakes
- can draw a storyline in pictures
- by the beginning of 2nd grade, a child can structure and write simple sentences independently
//Tip: Check recommended books for this age group here.
Ages 8 and 9 years:

- learns to read in mind without making sound
- can read aloud with correct emphasis on settings and expressions
- understands humor while reading, Starts reading for enjoyment
- can correctly spell many complex words and write sentences independently
- understands and uses new words, phrases, a figure of speech
- can retell bigger stories with much confidence and appropriate expressions
- starts reading chapter books
- expands their vocabulary by more and more reading
- tries to make meaningful and sequential stories
Ages 10 to 13:

- can read voraciously on different topics and expanding vocabulary
- understands stories and inner meaning with much depth
- develops individual thinking and interpretation process
- leans to understand how to use evidence to support an argument
- understands different types of literature – like biographies, fiction, poetry, satire
- learns to extract specific information in a comprehensive manner
- some children develop a style of writing, para-phrasing
- becomes more self-aware about the preference and topics of individual choice and can select book accordingly