Software games that support children's budding skills in reading
are rather plentiful, but not all learn-to-read software is created
equal. Here are our recommendations for early reading programs:
Letters
& Letter Sounds - Software
Top
Pick A great place to start is Reader Rabbit Learn
to Read with Phonics. This program takes a systematic approach
to learning the letters, their phonics sounds, as well as simple
sight words that will help kids read basic readers. The program
also offers a free-play option for children who are not ready for
the "road to reading" step-by-step approach. The
directed approach involves traveling from one letter land to the
next, learning to identify the letter and its sound, and playing
skill-building games. New words learned in each letter land are
then applied in an on-screen storybook. Children read the book
before progressing to the next letter land.
A second
edition of the program was released and renamed with Preschool and Kindergarten in the
name. Reader
Rabbit Learn to Read with Phonics is a superior choice for
giving children a jumpstart on learning to read. [For more
information, user reviews, or to buy: Reader Rabbit Learn To Read With...
at Amazon.com]
Phonics
Excelerator is a very economical package of 2 CD-ROMs that
have strong educational value. In one, called Vowel Games,
kids learn about the short and long vowel sounds. In the other, Consonant
Sounds, kids explore the sounds, and multiple sounds, of the
consonants. The games in these programs essentially drill kids'
knowledge (such as the Bug on a Rug game pictured at left), so choose this package if you are looking to help kids
reinforce phonics skills. Kids shooting for gold (there is a gold
and silver star reward system) might find the games too demanding.
The programs' many lessons are decent and educational, however.
[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Phonics
Excelerator (Jewel Case) at Amazon.com for approximately $9.99 US]
Blue's
Reading Time Activities is a title that doesn't teach the
mechanics of reading. Rather, it introduces children to words--and
lots of them--in clever ways. Children prepare pages for the
newspaper by playing innovative activities. This program is really
fun! Blue's Clues fans will be playing the game for hours. At the
same time they will gain confidence with the written word. [For
more information, user reviews, or to buy: Blue's Reading Time Activities
at Amazon.com]
Early
Readers
Don't forget
that software never replaces good early readers. Some of our
favorite early readers are:
For
"brand new" readers who rely more on whole reading than
phonics, Brand New Readers are fantastic. They are excellent for
children to show off their early reading skills, simply because
the illustrations and sentences match so well.
One of our
favorite sets in the Brand New Readers series is Beep! Beep!
It's Beeper! Each set contains 4 books with a common main
character. In this set, Beeper, an adorable big yellow alien, goes
on adventures in counting (counting moons, space cars, and even
himself), painting, baking, and flying. These books are fun to
read and sweetly illustrated. They come in a slipcover that holds
all 4 paperback books. Children love them! [For
more information, user reviews, or to buy: Beep! Beep! It's Beeper! (Brand New...
at Amazon.com for approximately $19.99 US]
Also good is
Here Comes Tabby Cat! Again, 4 books are included in a slipcover. [For
more information, user reviews, or to buy: Here Comes Tabby Cat (Brand New Readers)
at Amazon.com for approximately $19.99 US]
An excellent
early reader that is just a little bit longer than others is The
Fat Cat Sat On the Mat. We adore this story and think it is
ideal for both boys and girls. Because there are more pages than
most early readers, children may read the book in spurts, but when
they finish it, they'll feel like they have really accomplished
something. It's great fun to read, and the vocabulary used, and
the repetition is just right. [See our full
review. For
more information, user reviews, or to buy: The
Fat Cat Sat on the Mat : Level 1 (An.. at Amazon.com for approximately $19.99 US]
See our
article: Books for
Children Just Taking Off in Reading.
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