The Three M’s to Raise a Reader: How to Make Learning Fun at Home

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The Three M’s to Raise a Reader: How to Make Learning Fun at Home

Hey there, amazing parents and caregivers!

If you’ve got a little one just beginning their reading journey, first of all—congratulations! You’re raising a reader, and that’s a big deal. But let’s be honest: getting kids excited about practicing reading can feel like trying to convince them broccoli is dessert. That’s where the Three M’s come in—Movement, Music, and Memory games—a recipe for fun and effective reading practice!

I created this approach as a special education teacher, teaching emergent readers who needed just the right blend of repetition, fun, and confidence-building to unlock their potential. And guess what? These strategies don’t just work in the classroom—they’re perfect for your living room, too

Let’s break it down:

M #1: Movement

Wiggles are welcome here
Kids were made to move. So why not bring reading along for the ride? Turn sight word review into a hopscotch game, go on a scavenger hunt for letters around the house, or let your child swat the correct word on a wall of sticky notes with a fly swatter (trust me—it’s a hit!).

Try this: Write high-frequency words on index cards, scatter them around the floor, and call out one at a time. Have your child jump to it or swat it. Boom—reading practice and gross motor skills in action!

M #2: Music

Songs and rhythm stick in our brains like peanut butter on toast. Use favorite tunes to teach spelling patterns, rhyming, and phonics. Whether your child is drumming on the table or clapping out syllables, they’re learning without even realizing it.

Try this: Make up a silly song using the words from their reader, or chant rhyming words while playing a shaker or tapping on a pot. Bonus points if you both dance it out together

M #3: Memory Games

Strengthen focus, concentration, and word recognition.

Who knew a game of “Memory” could be such a powerful literacy tool? Matching sight words, letters, or picture-word pairs helps reinforce what your child sees in print. It’s a simple, screen-free way to boost retention while having fun.

Try this: Create a Memory game using the 32 high-frequency words listed at the back of my Level 1 Reader. Lay them face down, and play just like the classic game. Add a little “reading cheer” every time they get a match!

Celebrate the Little Wins

Every word read, every smile during practice, every lightbulb moment is a reason to cheer. Whether your child reads to a pet, a stuffed animal, or you, that practice builds confidence, fluency, and a lifelong love of reading
And remember: it doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be fun and consistent.