About the DREAMS KC Reading Growth Check

The DREAMS KC Reading Growth Check is a free, friendly, 10-minute early-literacy assessment that a parent gives to their child at home. Designed for children ages 3–5, it turns a research-based reading check into a warm, game-like experience you play together — never a test. As you say each prompt out loud, your child responds, and you simply tap how they did. There are no wrong answers, no logins, and nothing saved; everything stays in your browser for a single sitting.

The check explores three foundational areas of early reading: phonological awareness (playing with sounds), phonics (letters and their sounds), and print awareness (how books work). At the end, you receive a simple summary you can screenshot or copy onto your Reading Growth Record sheet, along with a short, encouraging note for each area. Families retake the same check at the end of the program to see how much their child has grown.

DREAMS KC built the Reading Growth Check as part of its belief that literacy is liberation, bringing evidence-based reading tools directly into the hands of families and caregivers. The check is a growth tool, not a diagnosis — if you ever have concerns about your child's development, please talk with your pediatrician or your child's teacher.