At-Home Practices

Build Reading Confidence with Blending Lines Struggling readers often need short, focused practice to master new phonics skills—and that’s where blending lines come in! These short lines of words or phrases help children practice blending sounds, whether it’s CVC words, CVCE patterns, or digraphs. By practicing in small, manageable chunks, children gain fluency, reinforce phonics rules, and build confidence in reading complete sentences.

✨ Blending Made Fun! Blending doesn’t have to be boring—these playful, hands-on activities help your child connect sounds smoothly and confidently. From hopscotch to Pop-Its, magnets to slinkies, each game turns reading practice into meaningful play. Try a few at home and watch your child’s blending skills grow with joy!

What Reading Skills Look Like at Every Age From recognizing letters to confidently reading chapter books, children develop reading skills in predictable stages. This guide breaks down what literacy growth typically looks like from ages 3–10—so you’ll know what to expect, how to support your reader, and when to seek extra help. Whether your child is just beginning to explore books or moving into fluent reading, these milestones will help you understand their journey and how t

Diving Into Reading Instruction: Phonics Encoding Assessment In this first video of my Diving Into Reading Instruction series, I walk you step-by-step through how to administer a Phonics Encoding Assessment—a powerful tool for understanding what a child truly knows about phonics and spelling. You’ll see a short demonstration using The Measured Mom’s free Science of Reading phonics assessment, along with guidance on what to listen for as your child or student responds. While

I recently had the joy of being a guest on the B Inspired Podcast with Jane Stahl of Studio B, where we talked all about my love of reading. In this episode, we explore how reading shapes lives, sparks imagination, and opens doors—along with a few nostalgic stories from our own reading journeys. It was a warm, inspiring conversation I’m so grateful to share.

Looking for fun, educational reading games for early readers? These three engaging games build phonics and high-frequency word skills while keeping kids active, focused, and excited to learn.

High-lo readers are perfect for kids reading below grade level. These engaging, age-appropriate books feature relatable characters and series formats that motivate students while building essential reading skills