Yes, You Can Teach Your Child to Read—Here’s How [78]

Home Education with Ease

In this heart-filled and resource-packed summer short, Christine Furman, your home education expert and founder of EduPlay Learning, dives into how foundational reading skills can be nurtured through playful, everyday moments. Christine shares five simple pillars of early literacy in mom-friendly language, offering tangible ways to strengthen your child’s reading foundation from ages 2 to 7.

She also shares stories from her own family and clients who’ve seen powerful “aha” moments—all from using fun, accessible strategies that don’t require a teaching degree. Whether it’s singing silly songs, playing ABC games, or labeling everyday items, Christine reminds us that learning truly is all around us.

If you're looking for practical early literacy tips and encouragement that fits into your busy mom life, this episode is for you.

Takeaways:

• You don’t need a teaching degree to build a strong literacy foundation—just consistency, connection, and intention.
• Phonemic awareness (rhyming and sounds) is the first building block of reading.
• Alphabet recognition can be taught through games and routines like car rides or washing hands.
• Everyday print awareness—menus, signs, labels—helps kids connect letters to meaning.
• Vocabulary grows through simple conversations and curiosity about words.
• Comprehension isn’t just academic—it's about asking questions, discussing, and truly listening to your child.
• All of this can (and should) be done through play and fun, hands-on interaction.

Quotes:

• “If our kids have a strong foundation in reading and math, they can do anything.”
• “That light bulb moment—when they finally get it—is the most incredible feeling as a mom and educator.”
• “You don’t need a teaching degree—especially if you have Miss Christine in your back pocket.”
• “Rhyming, silly songs, and nursery rhymes—those are all building phonemic awareness without kids even realizing it.”
• “It can be that simple. A sticky note on a couch with the word couch builds vocabulary and print awareness.”
• “Ask questions all the time. In the car, during dinner, after stories—comprehension grows through conversation.”
• “Learning is allowed to be fun. It doesn’t have to look like sitting at a desk for eight hours.”

Resources & Links:

🫶 Join the Home Education with Ease Facebook group to connect and share your biggest takeaway.

✨ Ways to work with Christine:

📚 Reading FUNdamentals Program – Step-by-step support for beginning readers (includes videos, printables, and confidence-boosting strategies)

📦 EduPlay Learning Activity Kits – Seasonal collections filled with themed crafts, science experiments, literacy and math practice, and storytime ideas for ages 2–7

🤝 Home Education with Ease Collective – A supportive space for moms with community, live Q&As, curriculum ideas, and encouragement for the journey

🎯 1:1 Learning Support – Personalized coaching and educational planning for your unique family

📧 Email: [email protected]

📱 Instagram: @thehomeeducationexpert | @eduplaylearning

🎥 Watch Ms. Christine on EduPlay Learning YouTube for hands-on activity demos and curriculum support

Head over to the Home Education with Ease Facebook Group and answer this week’s questions:

• Have you witnessed an “aha” moment when your child finally got it? What did that feel like?
• What’s one simple literacy activity that works for your family?
• What questions do you have about teaching early reading skills at home?

🗣 Share your answers with the community, ask questions, or DM Christine!

🎧 Loved this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow mom who’s planning a purpose-filled summer!