When you have your first child you may dream of them being a child prodigy who can read when they are 2 years old. While there are some children who read very young, others don't "get it" until they are a little older. Here are some tips you can use to help your child learn to read when the time is right for them.

1. Read to children whatever age they are. This will help them the most in developing language and reading skills. Even when your children learn to read, you should still read to them if they enjoy it. Everyone loves a good story.

2. Two and three year olds aren't ready to sit down and learn letters and writing, but you can do some activities that will help them develop their reading readiness. Children of this age are not able to connect between concrete and abstract. Focus on the spoken word at this point in their lives. Encourage your young child to talk about the story you have just read to them.

3. Children who are four or five years old can show a greater readiness for reading. Teach the child sounds and letters when he is most interested in learning. Keep their curiosity alive and don't worry about how fast they are learning. Use every day activities to help your child understand the concept of letters and writing. Help him learn to write his name. He will be most interested in this word than any other word you can teach him. Then move on to teach him how to write and read words like "Mom", "Dad", and the names of everyone in your family. Give them a sense of wonder of how much they can learn just by being able to read.

When your children learn to read early they certainly have a head start in their journey of learning. If your child doesn't learn to read until they are 8 or 10, as long as you have encouraged them and helped them to progress at their own speed with a little bit of progress each week, you know that they learned to read in their own time.