GrowCub Early Reading
Section 4 - Common Words
Common words are some of the first words children begin recognising as they learn to read. Seeing these words again and again in meaningful, playful contexts helps build familiarity, confidence and early reading success. This section encourages children to hear, see and revisit common words through shared reading, conversation and repetition, always keeping learning relaxed and enjoyable.
Why is learning common words important?
Many of the words children see most often in books don't follow simple phonics patterns. Becoming familiar with these common words allows children to read more smoothly and confidently, helping them focus on understanding the story rather than decoding every word. Like all early reading skills, this develops gradually through repeated, meaningful exposure.
"Building confident readers without rushing childhood."
What's inside?
This section introduces your child to many of the common words they'll encounter most often as they begin reading. Rather than asking children to memorise words through repetition or testing, these pages encourage them to hear, see and revisit common words through shared reading, conversation and playful interaction. Repeated exposure helps children gradually build familiarity with these high-frequency words, making reading feel more natural and enjoyable over time.
Inside you'll find:
• Common words that children are likely to encounter frequently in books and everyday print.
• "I say it, We say it, You say it" activities that encourage children to hear and say each word together.
• Shared reading activities that gently draw attention to the focus word within simple, engaging sentences.
• Opportunities to point to, hear and revisit common words in meaningful contexts without pressure or memorisation.
• Beautiful watercolour illustrations that encourage conversation, vocabulary development and engagement.
• Parent guidance explaining how to introduce common words in a relaxed, playful and evidence-informed way.
There are no tests, no pressure and no expectation for children to recognise every common word immediately. Instead, this booklet encourages positive, repeated experiences that help children become familiar with the words they'll see most often, building confidence, fluency and the strong foundations needed for successful reading.
The GrowCub Philosophy
GrowCub is built on the belief that children learn best when they feel safe, capable and curious. This isn't about rushing milestones, drilling worksheets or forcing children to read before they're ready. It's about gently building the foundational skills that make reading feel achievable, enjoyable and confidence-building. We follow the child, celebrate progress over perfection, and trust that meaningful learning takes time.
How to use the GrowCub program
There is no required daily schedule. Begin with a few pages or activities at a time and follow your child’s attention and readiness.
You may:
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Complete a short activity in five to ten minutes.
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Revisit the same page across several days.
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Use the prompts without printing.
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Pause and return whenever your child needs more practice.
This isn’t about flashcards, memorising or forcing skills before your child is ready. Instead, these pages are designed to help you notice, play with, and enjoy language together. The way humans have learned to read for generations. Reading begins long before a child can decode words. It begins in the sounds we share, the stories we enjoy, and the meaningful conversations that grow naturally from everyday moments.
The goal is never to finish quickly. The goal is for the skill to become familiar and secure.
How do I know when my child is ready to start their reading journey?
Every child learns at their own pace, so rather than focusing on age, look for signs that your child is becoming curious about letters, words and books.
Your child may be ready to begin this section if they:
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Show an interest in letters or recognising their own name.
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Can engage in a short shared activity (around 5–10 minutes).
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Recognise a few letters, but not consistently.
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Confuse uppercase and lowercase letters.
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Enjoy pointing, matching and finding activities.
If your child isn't showing all of these signs yet, that's perfectly okay. GrowCub is designed to be flexible, allowing you to move at your child's pace. There's no rush. The goal is to build strong foundations and foster a love of learning, one gentle step at a time.
What comes next? Continuing your child's learning pathway
In the final section, your child will revisit the skills they've developed throughout the GrowCub pathway as they enjoy simple, engaging sentences designed specifically for beginning readers. Using familiar letter sounds, common words and predictable language, these short books give children the opportunity to experience the joy of reading in a calm, supportive way.
Section 5 – Read for Fun
Each page has been carefully written to encourage confidence, conversation and repeated reading rather than perfect accuracy. Together, you'll laugh at silly characters, talk about the illustrations, revisit familiar words and celebrate every small success along the way. As your child grows in confidence, they'll begin recognising more words, reading with greater fluency and discovering that books are something to enjoy, not something to fear.
By the end of this section, your child will have experienced a gentle, evidence-informed pathway that builds the strong foundations needed for lifelong reading. Most importantly, they'll have shared countless meaningful moments with you, because that's where a love of reading truly begins.
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Ready to begin your child's reading journey?
Purchase Common Words Only
Perfect for families who want to focus on one important step of the reading journey before moving on to the next. This section gently introduces children to high-frequency words they'll see again and again in books. With guided parent instructions, repeated exposure, simple reading sentences and playful activities, your child will build familiarity with common words while developing confidence, fluency and a love of reading.
$9.95
Purchase the Complete GrowCub Bundle
Give your child the complete foundation for early reading with all five sections of the GrowCub program. Designed to be completed at your child's own pace, the bundle takes you step-by-step from recognising letters through to the essential pre-reading skills needed before reading simple words. Save by purchasing the complete pathway and enjoy the flexibility of revisiting each section whenever your child is ready.
$34.95
Included with every purchase:
✓ Instant digital download
✓ Print at home or use on a tablet or iPad
✓ Clear parent instructions
✓ Learn at your child's own pace