Jasper's parent"WE READ OUR FIRST BOOK!!!"
"A month ago Jasper was not reading at all. He was shutting down with frustration when trying to read and he had scored well below standard in his Kindergarten reading assessment.
But tonight, my kid read this book!! It wasn't even next on his phonics list… it finally happened and I am just way too excited."
Reading tutoring for Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grade
Confident readers.
Confident readers.
Curious learners.
Joyful, play-based reading lessons that help your child fall in love with books, plus simple, practical support for you at home.
❤ 5 minutes. Find out if your child is on grade level.
Free 5-minute reading assessment
Where is your child's reading right now?
Sit side by side with your child. You read a short prompt, they answer, and you tap what happened. Then you answer 4 quick questions about reading time at home. At the end you'll see if your child is above, on, or below grade level for this time of year.
- Keep it light. Cheer for effort. "Not yet" is a perfectly good answer.
- Don't help or hint. We want to see what they can do on their own today.
- Tired or wiggly? Stop and try again later. Short and happy beats long and frustrated.
Choose a grade to start.
You say
What to expect
What reading looks like by the end of each grade
Every child grows at their own pace. These are the skills most schools expect by the end of the year.
Kindergarten
- Knows the sound every letter makes
- Blends sounds into words (/c/ /a/ /t/ → cat)
- Reads short words like map, sit, bug
- Reads common sight words like the, and, is
1st Grade
- Reads words with sh, ch, th and blends like frog, stop
- Reads long-vowel words like cake, bike, rain
- Reads sentences smoothly, not letter by letter
- Understands and retells a short story
2nd Grade
- Reads "bossy R" words like storm, shark, church
- Breaks longer words into parts: ti-ger, re-mem-ber
- Reads with expression at a steady pace
- Answers questions about what they read
How we help
We'll help you every step of the way, from the first assessment to the first book they read on their own.
Assessment
We start by finding out what your child already knows, where they need support, and most importantly, their learning style.
Reading Lab lessons
Live, playful lessons with a caring teacher, built around your child's next steps in phonics and fluency.
Grow
Watch your child go from phonics to blending to reading sentences and stories.
You at home
Simple worksheets, trackers, and coaching so you know exactly how to help.
Meet your child's teacher
Hi, I'm Jessica!
I'm Jessica Larcher, founder of The Reading Playground, and I've helped hundreds of students master foundational reading skills.
With over 10 years of specialized experience with young learners like yours, I've developed a keen understanding of their unique learning needs and how to address them most effectively.
I'm deeply passionate about what I do, and I'm excited to help more young readers and parents fall in love with the world of words and embrace their future as curious, confident learners.
- 10+ years teaching young readers
- Hundreds of students taught
Real wins from real families
"We read our first book!"
These are real messages our families have sent us.
You are absolutely worth every penny and more! You are a solid teacher and we love your style, enthusiasm and energy
We've encountered lots of teachers in our lives… You are absolutely top notch
Best part is Jonah loves your lessons. That's the most important thing for us as parents.
she was above average
Ahhhhhhh!!! You must be soooooo proud of her!
yesssssss i was i cried. thank you all your work and help, helped her get here
she loves reading ❤
April's mom · 100 on her fluency passage"I'm so proud of my baby girl, April has come a long way in this journey! Thanks to all the teachers who helped her succeed at her goal! Happy Mom. Made my day when I saw this in her Tuesday folder."
Hear it from parents
Short video stories from our Pre-K and Kindergarten families.
Pre-K family
Kindergarten family
Pre-K family
Kindergarten family
Kindergarten family
"Choose connection before correction."
Our #1 tip for reading at home
For parents
You don't have to be a teacher to help
Reading struggles aren't a character flaw, and they're not your fault. We give you the confidence and practical steps to support learning at home, without the guilt or the jargon.
- Clear, simple next steps after every lesson
- Worksheets and trackers made for busy families
- A supportive parent community and coaching
- Celebrations for every win, big and small
Ready to watch reading click?
Pick a time below to book a reading consultation. We'll get to know your child, share what we notice, and map out the next steps together.
★ Progress over perfection.