Spotlight on a featured business in East Contra Costa County. This week, we hear from Ranch Readers.

Ranch Readers: Where Literacy Learning Meets the Calm of the Ranch

In a world where traditional classroom settings can sometimes heighten a child's anxiety around reading, one Brentwood business is taking a refreshingly different approach. Ranch Readers, founded by Cori Van Rooyen, offers one-on-one literacy tutoring for students in kindergarten through fourth grade in an environment designed to keep stress levels low: a working ranch on Byron Highway.

"We are literacy support, tutoring. We do one-on-one with grades kinder through fourth in a ranch setting, where it keeps the kids and their anxiety low," Van Rooyen explains. The combination might seem unexpected at first, but the carefully structured sessions reveal a thoughtful method that blends learning with movement, play, and the gentle presence of horses.

A Session at Ranch Readers

When children arrive at Ranch Readers, they begin with about 10 minutes in a classroom area where Van Rooyen uses intervention-type curriculum, though she works to make it engaging. From there, the session becomes a journey around the ranch. Students walk to different areas, each stop offering a new activity designed to feel more like play than work.

At one station, they practice age-appropriate sight word flashcards. At another, they participate in games like fishing or dartboards, activities that feel fun and interactive while incorporating reading practice. "It's always something interactive and fun that the kids feel like they're playing, but while they're playing, they're also reading," Van Rooyen says.

The session then moves to the breezeway where the horse stalls are located. During the walk, students continue with flashcards, and once they arrive, they sit in front of a stall and read an age-appropriate book with a horse nearby. This portion is intentionally kept under 10 minutes to avoid overwhelming the children. Sometimes the kids read, sometimes Van Rooyen does. Most sessions end with students offering the horse a treat before walking back to their parents waiting in the car.

Adapting to Each Child

What sets Ranch Readers apart is Van Rooyen's commitment to meeting each child where they are. If she notices a student struggling with a particular skill or becoming anxious, she pivots to a less difficult task. "My main goal is for the kids not to have anxiety," she emphasizes. "I don't ever want them to feel like they're pressured to learn or... They, they have that at school. So, at Ranch Readers, we try really hard to keep it just light and fun, but that they're also learning."

This flexible, responsive approach means that activities are constantly adjusted based on each child's comfort level and reading progress. The focus remains squarely on creating a positive experience with literacy, one that feels nothing like the pressure students might experience in a traditional classroom.

Why Ranch Readers Works

The ranch setting does more than provide a pleasant backdrop. The movement between stations, the open air, and the calming presence of horses all contribute to lowering anxiety, which research suggests can be a significant barrier to learning for many children. By removing the stress often associated with reading instruction and replacing it with playful, varied activities in a peaceful environment, Van Rooyen has created a space where struggling readers can build confidence alongside their skills.

For parents in East Contra Costa County looking for literacy support that goes beyond worksheets and drills, Ranch Readers offers something genuinely different. It's a place where children can develop their reading abilities while enjoying the outdoors, playing games, and bonding with horses.

Visit Ranch Readers

Ranch Readers is located at 4800 Byron Highway in Brentwood. To learn more about their one-on-one tutoring programs or to schedule a session, visit their website at ranchreaders.com, call 925-765-3975, or follow them on Instagram and Facebook at @ranchreaders. Your child's next reading breakthrough might just happen in the presence of a patient horse and a caring tutor who understands that learning should never feel like a burden.

Ranch Readers
4800 Byron Hwy
Brentwood, CA 94513, USA
Phone: 925-765-3975
Instagram: ranch_readers
Facebook: Link
Google Business Profile: Link
https://ranchreaders.com/

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