Stage 3 of 5 · Blending Words

Your child is ready to blend.

They know their sounds. Now comes the part that feels like real reading.

Blending is when your child takes the sounds they know and puts them together to read words. For example, c, a, t becomes cat.

This is one of the biggest leaps in learning to read, and it needs to be taught clearly and gently. Below, I'll show you the path, the plan, and the kit I recommend for this stage.

How reading gets built

This is where words begin.

Talking and Hearing Sounds

Speaking, listening, and hearing the sounds inside words.

Learning Letter Sounds

Connecting letters to the sounds they make.

Blending Words

You Are Here

The stage to focus on now.

Advanced Reading Skills

Letter patterns and trickier words.

Reading Fluently

Reading smoothly, and understanding what they read.

You do not need to do everything at once. The best next step is to help your child master a small set of high-value letter sounds first.

Your next steps

Teach blending the right way.

Here is the simple plan I recommend for helping sounds turn into words.

1

Start out loud

Begin with oral blending before making it too visual. Say two sounds with a big gap and slowly close the gap so your child can hear how the sounds become a word.

2

Use pictures in decodable words

Do not rely on random word lists or whiteboard drills alone. Pictures and decodable words help your child understand that blending is connected to real meaning.

3

Built from two sounds to three

Start with simple two-sound words, then move into three-sound words using sounds your child already knows. This keeps the work challenging without making it overwhelming.

4

Keep it short and celebrate

A few focused minutes a day is enough. When your child reads their first word, make a big deal out of it, because it is a big deal.

Meet your teacher

Hey, I'm Spencer.

I created Toddlers Can Read to help parents teach reading in a way that feels simple, doable, and research-backed. I am a former award-winning kindergarten and first grade teacher and teacher trainer, and I taught my own son to read at two. I have helped tens of thousands of families learn what to teach, what to skip, and how to know when their child is ready for the next step.

Most parents do not need more random activities. They need a clear starting point and a simple plan they can actually follow. That is what this stage is for.

Done for you

The Learning to Blend Words Kit was built for this stage.

This kit walks you through teaching blending step by step, then gives your child real books to practice with.

Blending Words Course

Short parent lessons that show you exactly what to teach and how.

Decodable Book Sets 1 and 2

Beginner-friendly books that let your child practice reading words with the sounds they know.

Blending Words Course Handouts

Quick reference pages so you always know what to practice next.

Double-sided Whiteboard

A simple tool for practicing sounds and getting ready for blending.

Everyday price $179

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FROM PARENTS

Simple. Science-backed. Success.

“

I honestly had no idea where to begin. The quiz showed me exactly where my daughter was and the very first thing to work on. That alone took so much pressure off.

Maria, mom of a 4-year-old

“

This is definitely THE program when it comes to teaching your littles how to read!

Tiffany, mom of a 3-year-old