Your five-year-old is listening to you read “Little Red Riding Hood.” When the wolf appears dressed as Grandma, your child exclaims, “That’s not Grandma! It’s the wolf trying to trick her!” In this moment, your child has just demonstrated inference—a critical thinking skill that forms the foundation of reading comprehension long before they can decode words independently. While we often associate inference with older students analyzing complex texts, this vital skill begins developing in the earliest stages of literacy.

What is Inference and Why Does it Matter for Young Readers?

Inference is the ability to “read between the lines”—to understand information that isn’t directly stated but is implied by context, prior knowledge, and clues within the text. It’s the mental process of connecting what we know with what we observe to draw logical conclusions.

For young children, inference begins with everyday observations: “Mommy has her keys and purse. We must be going somewhere!” This natural detective work forms the cognitive foundation for later reading comprehension.

The building blocks of inference begin developing during the pre-reading stage, when children are learning to make connections between their experiences and the stories they hear. Essentially, inference is the process of connecting new information with existing knowledge. It’s how we bridge what we don’t know with what we already know to create understanding.

For parents and teachers of pre-readers and early readers, understanding inference means recognizing it as an essential skill that develops alongside—not after—basic decoding abilities.

Signs Your Child is Developing Inference Skills

Children naturally begin making inferences long before they can read independently. Watch for these promising signs that your young learner is developing this critical thinking skill:

During Storytime

• Predicts what might happen next in a story
• Notices when a character’s feelings change based on illustrations or story events
• Explains why a character might have acted in a certain way
• Recognizes cause-and-effect relationships that aren’t explicitly stated

In Everyday Life

• Uses background knowledge to make connections (“It’s cloudy. We might need umbrellas.”)
• Notices patterns and makes predictions based on observations
• Asks “why” questions that demonstrate curiosity about unstated information
• Solves simple problems by connecting available information

These natural behaviors demonstrate that your child is already practicing inference—a skill you can intentionally nurture to support their reading development.

How Inference Connects to Other Early Reading Skills

While phonics and decoding often take center stage in early reading instruction, comprehension skills like inference play an equally important role in developing proficient readers. Here’s how inference connects to other foundational literacy skills:

Vocabulary Development

Children use inference to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words by using context clues. When they encounter a new word, they use surrounding words, pictures, and their background knowledge to make educated guesses about what it means.

Phonemic Awareness and Phonics

As children learn that letters represent sounds, they use inference to apply decoding patterns to new words. After learning that ‘c’ can make a /k/ sound, they might infer that an unfamiliar word like “cat” begins with that same sound.

Reading Comprehension

Inference is one of the most critical components of successful reading. Educational research consistently shows that without the ability to infer meaning, reading becomes merely a mechanical exercise in decoding words without true understanding.

Practical Activities to Develop Inference Skills in Young Children

Helping your pre-reader or early reader develop inference skills can be both fun and effective with these age-appropriate activities:

1. Picture Book Detective

Choose wordless picture books or books with limited text and encourage your child to “read” the story by interpreting the illustrations. Ask questions like:

• “What do you think is happening in this picture?”
• “How do you think this character feels? How can you tell?”
• “What might happen on the next page? Why do you think that?”

2. Mystery Box

Place an object in a box and give your child clues about what’s inside. For example: “It’s round, it bounces, and you can play with it outside.” As they guess, ask them to explain their reasoning—this metacognitive practice strengthens inference skills.

3. Emotion Detectives

Cut out pictures of people showing different emotions from magazines. Ask your child to identify how the person feels and what clues helped them know. Extend the activity by asking them to imagine what might have happened to make the person feel that way.

4. Prediction Pauses

While reading a story aloud, pause at key moments and ask, “What do you think will happen next?” After they predict, ask, “What made you think that?” This helps children identify the clues they’re using to make inferences.

5. Real-Life Inference Practice

Point out everyday situations that require inference: “I see puddles on the ground. What do you think happened while we were sleeping?” or “Look at those birds flying south. What season do you think is coming?”

Activities that encourage prediction and logical reasoning support not only literacy skills but also executive function—the brain’s ability to focus, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks.

Support Inference Skills When Reading With Your Child

The way you read with your child can significantly impact their inference development. Try these strategies during your next storytime:

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Instead of yes/no questions, ask “why” and “how” questions that encourage deeper thinking:

• “Why do you think the character made that choice?”
• “How do you think the problem might get solved?”
• “What might the character be thinking right now?”

Think Aloud

Model inference by sharing your own thought process: “Hmm, the illustration shows dark clouds and people carrying umbrellas. I’m inferring it’s about to rain in the story, even though the words don’t say that directly.”

Connect to Prior Knowledge

Help your child link new information to what they already know: “Remember when we saw that butterfly emerge from its chrysalis? This story reminds me of that because…”

Discuss Implied Information

Point out when authors don’t explicitly state information: “The story doesn’t say she’s sad, but we can tell she is because she’s crying in the picture.”

Common Challenges and How to Address Them

As you support your child’s inference development, you might encounter these common challenges:

Literal Thinking

Young children naturally tend toward literal interpretations. If your child focuses only on explicitly stated information, gently guide them toward implied meanings through questions and modeling.

Limited Background Knowledge

Inference requires connecting new information to prior knowledge. Expand your child’s experiences through conversations, outings, videos, and diverse reading materials to build the knowledge base they’ll draw from when making inferences.

Difficulty Articulating Reasoning

Children often make accurate inferences but struggle to explain their thinking. Provide sentence starters like “I think ___ because ___” to help them verbalize their reasoning process.

Balance Explicit Reading Instruction

Balanced literacy instruction should include both explicit phonics instruction and comprehension strategies like inference.  Supporting children as they develop these higher-level thinking skills requires consistent practice and guidance, but the long-term benefits for reading success make it well worth the investment.

Remember that inference skills develop gradually alongside other reading skills—celebrate small successes and maintain a playful, curious approach to learning.

When to Seek Additional Support

While inference skills develop at different rates, some persistent difficulties might warrant additional attention:

• Consistent trouble understanding implied meanings in simple stories
• Difficulty connecting related information within a story
• Inability to use context clues to make logical guesses
• Struggles with cause-and-effect relationships

If you notice these challenges persisting, consider consulting with your child’s teacher or a reading specialist. Early intervention can make a significant difference in supporting comprehension development.

Build a Foundation for Lifelong Reading Success

Understanding inference and how to nurture it gives you a powerful tool for supporting your young reader’s literacy development. By weaving inference-building activities into everyday interactions, you’re helping your child develop critical thinking skills that will benefit them throughout their reading journey and beyond.

The beauty of inference is that it connects reading to thinking—the ultimate goal of literacy education. As you support your child’s inference skills, you’re not just helping them become better readers; you’re helping them become better thinkers.

Visit Phonics.org regularly for more evidence-based strategies to support your child’s reading development. Our resources help you navigate every aspect of the literacy journey, from phonemic awareness to advanced comprehension skills like inference.