Have you ever wondered what happens as a newborn's brain grows and develops into a child that, only a few years later, can read? It's quite a fascinating thing to witness as a parent. Here's a gentle overview of the brain science behind the development of reading and some ways to support each stage.
From birth to one year, babies’ brains form rapid connections in areas that handle vision, hearing, and language. They start noticing sounds and speech patterns that will later help with letter and word recognition (Schlaggar & McCandliss, 2007). Talk, sing, and read aloud to babies daily to help their brains notice patterns in sounds and language.
Between one and three years, vocabulary expands quickly, and the frontal and temporal lobes strengthen connections that support speech and understanding. Children also begin to recognize symbols and shapes, which provides an early foundation for letter recognition (Kintess School, 2025). Point out letters, words, and familiar signs in your environment. Play naming games with objects and letters to build recognition and curiosity about print.
From ages three to five, the VWFA (visual word form area) located in the left fusiform gyrus becomes ready to recognize letters and simple words with repeated exposure to print. Phonological awareness develops during this stage, allowing children to notice how sounds make up words. Reading aloud and rhyming games help strengthen these essential skills (Tan et al., 2023). Read picture books aloud together and emphasize rhymes and sounds. Play “I spy” with beginning sounds to make phonics fun.
By ages five to seven, children typically learn to decode words. Language areas including Broca’s area and parts of the temporal lobe strengthen their connections through reading practice. White matter pathways, such as the arcuate fasciculus, link vision and language areas, supporting more fluent reading (Pınar et al., 2025). Encourage independent reading with books at the right level. Ask children to sound out words, and praise their efforts. Repetition helps the brain form strong reading pathways.
Between seven and ten years, reading becomes more automatic. The visual word form area efficiently recognizes words without needing to sound them out every time. Connections between brain regions continue to grow, supporting reading comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary. Introduce longer stories with less pictures and ask questions about the plot, characters, and what they think will happen next. Discussing the story strengthens comprehension skills.
After age ten, higher-level reading skills develop as frontal lobe regions mature. Children gain the ability to understand figurative language, analyze text, and connect ideas across chapters. Continued reading at this stage reinforces neural networks and supports lifelong literacy (Schlaggar & McCandliss, 2007). Encourage book clubs, journaling, and books as rewards. Having children summarize, explain, or debate what they read deepens understanding and keeps the brain actively engaged.
Early exposure to language, sounds, and print helps children build the foundation for reading. Consistent reading practice strengthens the brain connections that make reading faster, easier, and more enjoyable over time.
Kintess School. (2025). Development of literacy skills in the brain. Retrieved from http://www.kintess.org
Pınar, Y., Bayat, N., Yüksel, B., & Özkara, Y. (2025). Reading and white matter development: A systematic review of neuroplastic changes in literacy. Children, 12(6), Article 710. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12060710
Schlaggar, B. L., & McCandliss, B. D. (2007). Development of neural systems for reading. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 30, 475–503. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.neuro.28.061604.135645
Tan, L. H., Perfetti, C. A., Ziegler, J. C., & McCandliss, B. (2023). Editorial: Neural bases of reading acquisition and reading disability. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17, Article 1147156. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1147156