What Age Should a Child Learn to Read, Write and Do Math?

Kids start to have some pre-reading skills by the time they turn four years old. Reading milestones at different age include

Ages four to five years: Learning pre-reading skills

By this age, children learn to

• Substitute words in rhyming patterns.
• Write some letters of the alphabet.
• Pronounce simple words.
• Form vocabulary.

Ages six to 10 years: Learning to read

By this age, children learn to

• Read simple books by mid-first grade.
• Know about 100 common words.
• Read independently by third grade.
• Sound out unfamiliar words when reading.
• Enjoy various types of stories.

Ages 11 to 13 years: Reading to learn

By this age, children learn to

• Read to learn about their hobbies and other interests.
• Understand what they have read.
• Read fiction, including chapter books and nonfiction, including magazines and newspapers.

Writing is a complex skill that involves more than sitting with a pen and paper. Reading and writing complement each other. Hence, kids learn the foundation of writing when they learn to read. Writing milestones at different ages include

Ages 6 to 10 years: Learning to write

By this age, children learn to

• Write consonant sounds (by the end of kindergarten).
• Write clearly and easily.
• Write stories with a little detail by second grade.

Ages 11 to 13 years: Learning to write

By this age, children learn to

• Use the correct grammar and punctuation most of the time.
• Write varied sentence structures, including simple, compound and complex sentences.
• Write lucidly.
• Use references from different sources to write compositions.
• Write at a good speed.

Math also requires a distinctive set of skills. It also involves a variety of concepts and covers a broad vocabulary. Math skills may differ in children. They could be strong in some types of math but weak in others. For example, your child may be a whiz at fractions but slow while solving a situational problem. Here’s how math skills typically develop as kids age.

Ages 6 to 10 years: Learning math

By this age, children learn to

• Count and understand numbers.
• Identify basic shapes, such as triangles and squares, by first grade.
• Understand fractions and word problems by fourth grade.
• Tell time and understand the value of different denominations of money.
• Count to 100 by ones, twos, fives and 10s.
• Do basic addition and subtraction up to 20.

Ages 11 to 13 years: Learning math

By this age, children learn to

• Solve beginner’s algebra and geometry.
• Work with easy fractions, decimals and percents.
• Perform more complex math problems with multiple steps.
• Understand concepts of weights, measures and percentages completely.