Reading & Writing

Reading is the school skill parents worry about most, and the one with the widest normal range. These articles walk through how it actually develops: the listening skills that come before letters, phonics and sight words, why invented spelling is progress, and when a slow start is worth a conversation with the teacher. Writing gets its own share, from scribbles to paragraphs, including the kid who says they hate it. You'll also find the practical side: how to listen to your child read without correcting every word, what to do with a reluctant reader, and why audiobooks and graphic novels count.

All articles School Life & Milestones 40 Math, Time & Money 38

Girl sitting on a school library rug reading aloud from a picture book to a golden retriever lying beside her

Reading fluency: why speed and expression matter more than you'd think

6 min read Oct 26, 2026

Girl in pajamas reading in bed at night with a stack of matching chapter books on the nightstand under a lamp

Series books: why reading 40 Magic Tree Houses in a row is fine

5 min read Oct 25, 2026

Dad and his six-year-old on the edge of a bed with an open picture book, the girl pointing at a word on the page

'Sound it out' isn't always the answer: what to say when they're stuck on a word

6 min read Oct 21, 2026

Second grader writing with her left hand at a classroom table, her paper tilted with the top-right corner raised

Left-handed writers: what to watch, what to ignore

7 min read Oct 19, 2026

Close-up of a child's hand practicing rows of connected cursive loops in pencil on lined handwriting paper

Cursive: does anyone still teach it, and does it matter?

6 min read Oct 16, 2026

Girl on porch steps writing a card with a purple marker while her mother sits a step above with a mug

Reversed letters: when b and d confusion is normal (and when to mention it)

6 min read Oct 15, 2026

Second grader at a classroom desk with a pencil over a half-filled page of lined paper, chin on his hand

Writing a paragraph: the invisible steps between a sentence and an essay

6 min read Oct 11, 2026

Young boy on tiptoe putting a hand-drawn letter into a curbside mailbox

Letters and emails to grandparents: real-world writing practice

7 min read Oct 7, 2026

Second grader sitting on the floor of a school library with an open chapter book, looking up mid-thought

They can read every word and still miss the story: reading comprehension explained

7 min read Oct 4, 2026

Family at dessert while a child tells a story using a spoon as a prop

Beyond "did you like it?": talking about books with kids

6 min read Sep 27, 2026

Two kindergartners sharing a picture book on a classroom rug in the reading corner

Reading in two languages: how bilingual kids learn to read

6 min read Sep 26, 2026

Kid reading on a beach towel under an umbrella on a bright summer day

Summer reading that actually happens

6 min read Sep 15, 2026

Child's hand writing a colorful thank-you card with envelopes and stickers scattered on the table

Thank-you notes: tiny writing practice with a big payoff

6 min read Sep 9, 2026

Child choosing a book from a bookstore shelf while a parent watches from a distance

Reading levels explained (and why you shouldn't obsess over them)

6 min read Sep 5, 2026

A child's crayon note with big wobbly letters taped to a refrigerator

Invented spelling: why "becuz" is actually progress

6 min read Aug 25, 2026

Parent and young child reading a picture book together on the couch

How kids learn to read: phonics explained for parents

6 min read Aug 23, 2026

Laughing kid writing spelling words in shaving cream on a baking sheet at the kitchen table

Spelling practice that isn't a Friday-night cram

5 min read Aug 22, 2026

First grader reading a thin paperback on a beanbag in a classroom reading corner

What is decodable text — and does your beginner need it?

5 min read Aug 17, 2026

Parent covering the picture in a book while a child reads aloud at the kitchen table

My child guesses at words instead of reading them: how to help

6 min read Aug 14, 2026

Kid lying on a top bunk reading a thin chapter book under string lights

From picture books to chapter books: making the jump

5 min read Aug 10, 2026

Family playing a letter-tile word game at a coffee table on a weekend afternoon

Word games that sneak in spelling practice

6 min read Aug 4, 2026

Parent and preschooler drawing big chalk letters on a sunny driveway

Learning letters before kindergarten: play beats flashcards

6 min read Aug 4, 2026

Kindergartner and parent playing a card matching game on the living room floor

Sight words: why "the" and "said" need memorizing, not sounding out

6 min read Aug 1, 2026

Parent and teacher talking calmly at a classroom door while a child reads nearby

When to worry about reading: signs it's more than a slow start

6 min read Jul 30, 2026

Elementary student quizzing themselves on spelling words with a folded paper at a desk

Do spelling tests actually work? What the practice research says

6 min read Jul 27, 2026

Two kids reading the same graphic novel head-to-head on a trampoline on a summer day

Graphic novels count: what the research says about comics and reading

6 min read Jul 25, 2026

Parent and preschooler laughing while clapping syllables together on a couch

Before letters: the listening skills that make reading possible

6 min read Jul 22, 2026

Family of four talking over spaghetti dinner while a kid gestures with a fork

Building vocabulary at the dinner table

6 min read Jul 22, 2026

Child reading a comic book sprawled on the back seat of a car

Reluctant reader? 12 ways in that aren't “go read a book”

6 min read Jul 21, 2026

Parent and child reading together at dusk, the child frowning at the page

Early signs of dyslexia (and what to do first)

6 min read Jul 20, 2026

Child reading aloud to a parent on a porch swing in the evening

How to listen to your child read (without correcting every word)

6 min read Jul 20, 2026

Child staring at a blank page with pencil down while a parent sits nearby

My kid hates writing: getting words on paper without tears

7 min read Jul 19, 2026

Parent reading aloud to two kids squeezed into one armchair in the evening

Reading aloud after they can read themselves: why to keep going

6 min read Jul 9, 2026

Parent and child reading a picture book together on the couch

When do kids learn to read? A realistic timeline by age

6 min read Jul 9, 2026

Three papers on a fridge showing scribbles, letter-like shapes, and a wobbly line of words

From scribbles to sentences: how writing actually develops

6 min read Jul 4, 2026

Parent reading a novel aloud on the edge of a bunk bed while an older kid listens

Bedtime stories for kids who've outgrown picture books

6 min read Jun 28, 2026

Child drawing at a desk with headphones on, absorbed in an audiobook

Audiobooks count: listening is reading's best friend

5 min read Jun 26, 2026

Child on tiptoes sliding a stack of books onto a library checkout desk

The library card: the best free thing you'll get this year

6 min read Jun 24, 2026

Small hand gripping a fat pencil practicing letter shapes on wide-ruled paper

Handwriting in a typing world: what still matters

6 min read Jun 13, 2026