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How We Taught Our Child to Read at Home (Homeschool-Friendly Approach)

Teaching your child how to read is one of the most rewarding parts of homeschooling! If you’re a parent who works from home and is exploring homeschooling—or just beginning your journey—I hope this post feels both practical and encouraging.

As a literary-loving homeschool mom, I believe raising a well-read child is the heart of a strong homeschool curriculum. A love of reading unlocks every other subject—and that passion can start early! With the right approach, teaching kids to read at home can be simple, joyful, and confidence-building.

Lucky for me, my firstborn came into this world already loving books. She loved being read to (which, in my very biased opinion, is true for most babies and young children). The trick is to find books that capture their interest. Just like us adults, kids need to enjoy what they’re reading to stay engaged.

When my daughter was four, she really got into Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. If you don’t already have this book in your home library, go grab it! I seriously credit this book with laying half of the groundwork for my daughter learning the fundamentals of how to read! Here’s the exact book we used: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Board Book).

Maybe it was the silly tone I used while reading it, or the rhythm I added that made it sound like I was singing or rapping—but whatever it was, it made her giggle and fall in love with the book.

Step 1: Teach the Alphabet (Homeschool Reading Basics)

At the end of the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom board book, all the alphabet letters are listed in both uppercase and lowercase.

After each reading, we would point and sing the ABCs slowly, helping her visually identify each letter. Once she could recognize them, we’d go a step further—pointing to the uppercase and lowercase versions of each letter to help her understand the difference.

Some homeschool curricula suggest starting with just a few letters at a time, but I really believe it depends on the child. If your child is grasping things quickly and showing excitement, go ahead and run with it! That’s exactly what we did.

Step 2: Teaching Phonics and Letter Sounds at Home

Once she knew all her letters, we started working on the sounds each one makes. I focused on the most common sound of each letter to keep things simple and consistent.

(Side note: Now that she’s a more advanced reader, we’re having fun conversations about things like short vs. long vowels. We’re also exploring things like how the letters PH make the sound of the letter F. What I’ve noticed—and absolutely love—is that my daughter has developed a calm mindset around tricky words. She’ll say things like, “Yeah, some words just don’t sound like how they look. That’s just the way some words are.” Without even realizing it, she’s embraced the idea that irregular words aren’t roadblocks—they’re just part of the journey. That perspective makes such a difference in her confidence as a reader!)

What was so exciting was how my daughter started to really engage with the sounds. She loved making the sounds so much that she would often go grab the book throughout the day, flipping through the pages and sounding out the letters herself. It felt like a secret code that she was cracking, and she was so excited to be “reading” on her own. This little ritual helped her feel empowered, and it gave her the confidence to keep going.

Step 3: Best Phonics Books for Early Homeschool Readers

When I felt she was ready to try reading on her own, I took the advice of my manager at the time and got a set of Bob Books. To be honest, I was hesitant at first. I usually enjoy creating our own homeschool curriculum tailored to our family. But as a lifelong book lover, I figured we couldn’t have too many! These books were a turning point. The words are simple and phonetically consistent—great early reader books for homeschool! Within just a couple of weeks, she was confidently reading through all the Level One Bob Books. Here’s the exact set we purchased to get going: Bob Books – Set 1. Since then, we’ve purchased several other Bob Books. At this point, our oldest is well beyond Bob Books but we’ll definitely be using them for her younger siblings.

Step 4: Make Reading Practice Fun and Consistent

We continued our routine of reading and pointing out letters and sounds, and we also started making weekly library visits. This helped to keep things exciting and gave her a variety of reading materials.

One tip from personal experience: Let your child pick their own books (as long as they’re age-appropriate). As an avid reader myself, I constantly have to resist the urge to push the “perfect” library recommendations and instead let my kids pick what appeals to them most. I only step in if a book is way above their reading level. Otherwise, I do my best to compliment their choices—building confidence and ownership in their reading journey.

Step 5: Nurture a Lifelong Love of Reading in Homeschool

Every child learns differently and at their own pace. Friendly Encouragement: Give your child the space they need to grow and learn comfortably. I truly believe in molding reading instruction to fit the child—not the other way around. That’s how our family has nurtured not just reading skills, but a genuine love of learning and reading into our reading curriculum for homeschool.

And if your child truly doesn’t love traditional reading, don’t panic. Literacy skills can grow in many ways. You might read a recipe together while baking, explore a map on a road trip, or follow step-by-step instructions for building a model. Comics, graphic novels, field guides, and even game manuals can be the perfect gateway to reading because they connect to something your child already loves. The goal is to show them that reading isn’t just a school subject—it’s a tool for exploring the world around them.

(Bonus) Simple Homeschool Bedtime Reading Routine

If you’d like to follow the same routine we used when my daughter was first learning to read, here’s exactly what it looked like for us.

When my daughter was first learning to read, bedtime became our secret weapon. We weren’t cramming in lessons or drilling flashcards—it was just us, the homeschool reading books we loved, and a quiet, predictable rhythm to end the day. Here’s exactly what it looked like.

1. Open with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
   We started almost every night with this book. Even after she had memorized it, I still read it in my same silly, sing-song voice—because it made her laugh and kept the magic alive. When we got to the last page with all the uppercase and lowercase letters, we’d slow down and point to each one together. At first, I’d name the letter and say the sound. Later, I’d pause so she could tell me.
2. Play “Find the Letter”
   Using the alphabet on the last page, I’d turn it into a mini-game: “Can you find the letter that makes the /m/ sound?” or “Which letter is lowercase ‘b’?” She loved this because it felt like a challenge (versus a quiz)—and it only took two or three minutes.
3. Switch to a Bob Book
   Once she knew her letters and sounds, we added a short Bob Book after Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. I’d let her read the words she knew, stepping in only when she needed help. These books were small wins for her—short enough to finish in one sitting, simple enough to feel confident, and consistent enough in phonics to make sense without frustration.
4. End with a Comfort Story
   We’d finish with a story she could relax into—sometimes another board book from our shelf, sometimes a picture book from the library. This part wasn’t about learning—it was about ending the night snuggled up, feeling good about reading.

This flow worked for us because it kept the focus on enjoyment first.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom brought the energy, the Bob Books built her confidence, and our final comfort story made sure she went to sleep thinking, I love books.

Share Your Homeschool Reading Tips for Preschool and Kindergarten

I’d love to hear about your experiences with teaching your child how to read. What strategies have worked for you? Do you have any favorite books or tips to share? Leave a comment below—I look forward to learning from you!