I bought the “Hooked on Phonics” package when my Daughter was 2 years old.
I wanted to get ahead of the curve.
Opened the box and quickly realized that a “structured” learning tool was not going to work.
Thankfully, her mother, my ex, had in her nature to talk/speak constantly. Thankfully for my girl but it drove me crazy. When I say constantly I really mean virtually every second of the day she was talking.
I attribute this to my daughters extraordinary verbal and reading skills. She always tested 2 or 3 grades ahead.
While I always read to her at night, she never went through any structured program on “How to read”.
Young children are sponges for new information and IMHO, they will learn as long as their parents engage them directly.
When so-called “parenting” books hit the shelves and were all the rage I was immediately skeptical. There was however one book, I forget the author and think it was titled “Touch points”. He outlined certain stages of a child’s development as they grew up. IIRC, the book wasn’t about “do this or do that”, but about what a parent can expect from their child at these “Touch Points”, transitions if you will.
Agreed. I have been a “room mom” for many, many years. I was amazed (and saddened if truth be told) that some kids entered kindergarten NOT knowing their colors, basic shapes, or letters. The parents “assumed” the school would do it. They probably didn’t realize (or care) that the kids were already behind.
The Hooked on Phonics worked for us but I didn’t start it till they were around 4. I never used the CD”s/tapes but only the flash cards (initially) and the workbooks. I think the major point with kids (IMHO) is the interaction. For example, “What color is that sign? What letter is that? The plate is a circle and the table is a rectangle” Easy, peasy stuff and they soak it up like sponges. Each child is different but I never liked the see and say. I would “cringe” when the kids wouldn’t have their spelling corrected in kindergarten and first grade (leftover residue from Sister Mary Katherine.. I believe).