Language Development Archives - I Can Teach My Child!

Books about Road Trips

May 22, 2013 by Jenae — 2 Comments

Summer is the time for road trips. Hearing these two simple words together could elicit a wide variety of emotions, ranging from wonderful memories in the car as a family to a bit of anxiety as you remember listening to your child scream for hours on end (both extremes that I myself have experienced). Either way, reading books can set the stage for the fun and excitement that comes along with road trips (and a few unexpected surprises thrown in for good measure). :)

Here are several books about (or including) road trips:

The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant

This is one of my favorite read-alouds because almost every child can relate to what it is like to either stay with relatives or have relatives staying in your house! Although this book has more to do with what the family does once they arrive (hugging, playing, and breathing together while sleeping), it is still a great read-aloud for road trips as it describes the family getting up at 4 in the morning and packing a cooler of bologna sandwiches and finally arriving after driving all day long and into the night. This is truly a beloved book in our house.

Fred and Ted’s Road Trip by Peter Eastman

Fred and Ted, the stars from Big Dog…Little Dog, are back in this easy reader by Peter Eastman. The rhyming text and humorous antics of these two are sure to capture the attention of young readers. As they set off for a road trip adventure, things don’t go quite the way they planned…including muddy roads, tire problems, and storms! If your road trips have ever included any unforeseen challenges such as these, your kids will definitely relate!

Clifford Takes a Trip by Norman Bridwell

Emily Elizabeth and her family are headed for a vacation to the mountains…while Clifford has to stay home because he is too big to travel. He is so sad that he manages to make his own way to join them (and ends up causing some problems in the process)…making the family rethink how they can take Clifford along with them in the years to come! Both of the boys really enjoyed this Clifford tale!

The Night Before Summer Vacation by Natasha Wing

This cute rhyming book is all about road trip preparations…making lists, packing suitcases, loading the car, and leaving early in the morning. Just as soon as the family loaded up in the car, the ever-present “Are we there yet?” question was asked for the first time. :)

Arthur’s Family Vacation by Marc Brown

This story from the Arthur series is probably more appropriate for school-age children. Arthur isn’t very excited about a vacation with only his family because he wants to go to camp with his friend Buster. He is even more disappointed when it rains during almost all of their beach vacation. Arthur eventually turns his attitude around and helps his family to have a great trip, despite the rain. We really enjoyed the book, although I didn’t appreciate Arthur’s initial negative attitude about spending time with his family.

On the Road by Lucy Nolan

This short chapter book managed to keep the attention of both boys. If your child is a dog lover, he/she will love this book! It is humorous and playful, written in first person perspective from a dog riding along (and occasionally attempting to drive herself) on a short journey with her master and her best doggy-pal.

Road Trip by Roger Eschbacher

This cute picture book is about a family who is traveling to their grandparent’s house for a family reunion. From sleeping in motels to buying postcards, this story is told in short rhymes. Although some of the rhymes are a little corny, it is a fun story and the illustrations are beautifully painted.

Are We There Yet, Daddy? by Virginia Walters

Based on the most common phrases heard during a road trip with children, this rhyming book tells the story of a father and son who are leaving the city to visit their Grandma in the country. Every 10 miles, the son asks, “Are We There Yet, Daddy?” and his Dad responds by asking his son to look at the map. Readers count down the miles left in the trip throughout the book, counting backwards by tens from 100 miles until they reach their destination.

The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Car Trip by Stan & Jan Berenstain

The beloved Berenstain Bears are back and this time they are taking a family trip, much to the dismay of Brother and Sister who don’t find a car trip nearly as fun as their parents do. They come around by the end of the book, though, and acknowledge that Mama Bear and Papa Bear really do know best!

Duck Duck Moose by Dave Horowitz

Duck, Other Duck, and Moose head south for the winter on a long car trip all the way to Florida. Moose, who was hesitant to leave his Northern home, ends up loving Florida. When it is time to head back, Moose is sad but finds a way to bring a little bit of Florida to Great North Woods. The illustrations are comic-like and the story line is humorous…a fun read for kids of all ages!

What is your favorite book about road trips and/or vacations???

*Please note: The links in this post may be affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure policy.

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Filed Under: 3-5 years, Books, School Age

Alphabet Parking Lot: Matching Capital and Lowercase Letters

May 20, 2013 by Jenae — 6 Comments

One of the boys’ favorite things to play with is cars. They spend hours playing with their assortment of Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. Little Brother used to be the only car lover, but he has now passed along his love for cars to his Big Brother.

I was able to harness their love for cars into a fun activity where they can play and learn simultaneously! This has definitely been a hit…and I’m planning to leave it up for a while so that they can continue to play with it!

Here’s what you’ll need: tape (I used some extra washi tape I had, but you could also use masking tape), scissors, and toy cars.

1. Cut pieces of tape into 2-inch segments. You’ll need 28 pieces of tape.

2. Lay a long piece of tape along the wall and then make your “parking spaces” using the 2-inch pieces of tape.

3. Write capital letters on small pieces of tape and add to each parking space.

4. Write lowercase letters onto small pieces of tape and add them to the tops of your toy cars.

5. Let your child start “parking” the cars in their corresponding space.

Check out more alphabet activities here and on our Pinterest board!

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Filed Under: 3-5 years, Alphabet, Fine Motor, Language Development, Reading, Transportation Thematic Unit

Top 10 Reading Apps for Kids

May 16, 2013 by Jenae — 4 Comments

Summer is nearly here! As parents, we all worry that much of the learning that has taken place over the last year will somehow dwindle during the long, lazy summer days. Aside from creating meaningful hands-on learning experiences for your child, you can also encourage a child to keep up their skills using technology during down time! I’ve compiled a list of my top 10 Reading Apps for Kids, broken down into four sections: Phonics and Decoding, Comprehension, Sight Words, and Readable Books.

Most of these apps are appropriate for beginning readers (or those learning how to read), but a few are still applicable for proficient readers as well (especially the apps focusing on comprehension).

Oh, and by the way…this isn’t an app, but it is a great time to tell you about my eBook titled I Can Teach My Child to Read. Chances are if you are looking for reading apps for your kids, you may also be trying to teach him/her how to read! Consider this my shameless plug! :)

Okay, back to the apps: I have only included apps for Apple products, not because I am intentionally trying to leave Android or Kindle users out in the cold…but simply because they are the only apps that I personally have experience with and therefore the only ones that I feel I can honestly endorse. If you have a Kindle Fire or Android tablet or smart phone, you can always search for the apps listed below for your platform. They are often identical to the Apple versions. I am sorry in advance for any inconvenience this may cause you.

This post is not sponsored in any way (although it does include my affiliate links). I bought each app with my own money and all opinions are based on my personal experience with each app. I have spent many hours (and more money than I typically spend on apps in an entire year) trying to find the best reading apps for young readers. I hope that you find this list to be beneficial to you and your family!

Apps that target Phonics and Decoding

Reading Raven (compatible with iPhone and iPad- $2.99, or get the HD iPad version here- $3.99)

I really love this app. It is totally customizable for the age and ability of your child from 3 years only (and letter/sound correspondence) to 5+ years and decoding. On the five-year old section, your child can record his/her voice while decoding a simple 3-letter word. Next, they trace all of the letters in the word as well, which reinforces letter formation. Finally, a child can record him/herself reading a simple sentence! If you buy one app off this list, this should be it.

Montessori Crosswords (designed for both iPhone and iPad- $2.99)

This app is great for teaching letter SOUNDS (which is WAY more important than learning their names). It also adds a cognitive component of mini-crossword puzzles as well as consonant blends and digraphs (although they aren’t labeled as such). This app is completely customizable and includes a special section for parents. I was initially hesitant about the crossword component of this app (because I don’t want to confuse a child that he/she could be reading a word up –> down instead of left –> right), but this doesn’t seem to be a problem.

Marbleminds Phonics (designed for both iPhone and iPad- $2.99)

Marbleminds Phonics is a relatively simple app that encourages phonics skills while also rewarding the user with marbles for completing the tasks. This app includes a memory game, an onset game (where a child has to choose the sound/letter that goes at the beginning of the picture represented), and a “sounds like” section where a sound is spoken aloud and the child must choose the corresponding letter. I was a little disappointed that this app didn’t include a rhyming component or any word families.

Apps that Target Comprehension Strategies:

Question Builder (iPad only- $5.99)

Appropriate for children who are already reading, this app helps a child develop critical thinking skills and comprehension. It also encourages abstract thinking and inferring, a difficult skill to reinforce at such a young age. There are two main issues with this app that almost made me not recommend it: (a) It is pretty pricey and might be the most expensive app I have purchased, and (b) your child must be a relatively proficient reader because he/she has to read the “answers” him/herself. I wish there was an option to have the answers to the questions read by the app itself. It is one of the only apps I have found that focuses on inferring and abstract thinking, so it managed to make it on the list despite its shortcomings.

Speech with Milo: Sequencing (Designed for both iPhone and iPad-$2.99)

Sequencing, or being able to recall the events of a story in order, is an important component of reading comprehension and cognitive development. This app is a sequencing game, appropriate for Pre-K through 1st grade. Your child will put a series of pictures in order. Once they have been placed in order correctly, your child can then watch a very short animation watching the sequence uninterrupted. This app is also widely used by Speech Pathologists as they work with children who are receiving speech services. The only downfall to this app is that some of the scenarios (like hitting a baseball, for example) require real-world experience to understand the sequence.

The Land of Me - Story Time (iPad only-$2.99)

This app, created in the UK, lets your child create their own story by choosing one of three heroes, story lines, and endings (happy, sad, or funny). Our boys are fascinated with this app and love making different stories with their very own selections. The stories themselves are very short and simple (which is one of the only negatives), but I love it because it shows children how easy it is to make up a story…and I happen to adore the British accent. :)

Apps that Target Sight Word Recognition

Reading Eggs Sight Words (iPad only or get the version compatible with iPhones and iPod Touch here-$2.99)

Unlike most sight word apps, this one goes beyond the basic flashcard method and makes learning sight words a little bit more interactive and fun. There are three levels based upon a child’s ability (turtle, chicken, and penguin levels…according to the size of their eggs). A sight word is shown (and said aloud) and the child must then crack the egg with the same word on it (by touching it). Other random words, animals, and objects also fly through the air and will be splatted if you touch them and they aren’t the selected sight word. Not sure you want to purchase this app? Try the free version first.

Readable Books:

Dr. Seuss’s ABC’s

This is basically an electronic version of the beloved classic by Dr. Seuss. There are three variations to this app: Read to Me, Read by Myself, or Auto Play. There is also a voice recording option where your child can read it aloud and record his/her voice (or a parent can record also). There are several other Dr. Seuss books available as apps: Mr. Brown Can Moo Can You?, Yertle the Turtle, and And to Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street. There is also a collection of 5 stories (including The Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, The FOOT Book, Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? and Fox In Socks) all in one app for $14.99.

BOB Books ($3.99 for the iPad or $1.99 for iPhone/iPod Touch)

BOB books are famously popular with parents of beginning readers. I personally have a love/not-so-much love relationship with the BOB books brand (as I’ve shared before). I think they can be very beneficial for helping children learn to decode, but the illustrations in the paper books are pretty boring. The app adds a bit more interaction, which makes it more appealing (in my humble opinion). You can get the lite version for free to try it out before you pay the full price for the app. You can also buy Bob Books #2 (HD for the iPad or for the iPhone/iPod Touch)

Subscription-Based Programs: Farfaria ($3.99/month) or Reading Rainbow ($9.99/ month or $29.99/6 months)

Farfaria is basically like a digital library of books. The app is free to download and you can get a trial that allows you to read 1 book per day for free, but beyond that you will have to subscribe (similar to a service like Netflix but for eBooks). There seems to be a fairly decent amount of books available, although I didn’t see very many familiar book titles. You can also choose books based on your child’s reading level. The app allows the book to be read aloud, auto play, or for your child to read it to him/herself.

Reading Rainbow has a similar subscription service, although it is quite a bit more expensive ($9.99 per month as opposed to $3.99 per month). You can receive a significant discount if you prepay for 6 months ($29.99). This service has over 200 books, narrated by the infamous Lamar, with new books being added weekly.

Free Apps:

Read Me Stories: This FREE app features a new book every day!

iDiary for Kids Lite: Although this isn’t technically a “reading” app, reading and writing go hand-in-hand and this is a great diary option for young writers.

Sight Words List

Sight Words

Phonics Genius

Reading Eggs Sight Words (free version): Similar to the Paid Version, but with some restrictions

BOB Books #1 (free version)

Honorable Mentions (from my Facebook friends):

Monkey Word School Adventure ($1.99)

Meet the Sight Words ($0.99)

Starfall Learn to Read ($2.99)

WordWorld ($1.99)

Be sure and check out my favorite apps for preschoolers and toddlers as well!

A FINAL WORD: Please remember that iPhones and iPads are just like computers–meaning that you must be vigilant about ensuring your child isn’t exposed to any inappropriate content. SecureMama shares a step-by-step guide for ways to secure your iPhone or iPad. Read and implement these suggestions!

*Please note: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. Go here to read my full disclosure.

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Filed Under: 3-5 years, Kindergarten Readiness, Language Development, Phonics, Reading, School Age, Sight Words, Technology

Books for Brand New Readers

May 1, 2013 by Jenae — 4 Comments

Finding books with engaging content for brand new readers is tough. If you regularly read high-quality picture books aloud to your child, she can easily become frustrated with the simple storylines in easy readers that she reads herself. But practice makes perfect, so it is important to press on and encourage your child to find books she enjoys that she can read independently.

Below you will find some of our favorite books for brand new readers. And by brand new, I mean a child who is just learning to decode (sound out) words and can recognize some sight words. Various publishers (and authors) have different ways of leveling “beginning readers” and it is difficult, as a parent, to know which books to start with. Level 1 in the 1 Can Read books, for example, are WAY too hard for brand new readers. Here are three things to look for when finding a book for a brand new reader:

1. Colorful and engaging illustrations that give clues to tricky words. A child does not want to feel like they are reading a worksheet, they want to read a book. Most children are accustomed to picture books with beautiful illustrations, so try to find something that they can enjoy looking at while they are learning to read.

2. Short sentences with sight words and easily decodable words. When your child is just beginning to decode, you’ll want to find books with short vowel sounds without digraphs (/th/, /sh/, /ch/) or tricky phonics rules. As your child progresses, you can slowly add these phonics skills.

3. Repetition. Books that repeat the same phrase on every page (with small changes) are a great way to increase a child’s confidence by helping them to feel successful at reading. Once a child has decoded the words on one page, he/she can then read the next page fluently if it repeats itself. And before you say, “But they aren’t really reading, they are just memorizing“, let me just tell you that reading memorized books is a great way for brand new readers to feel successful. Plus, sight word recognition is all about memorizing as well!

Most importantly, keep reading engaging picture books aloud to your child at least 20 minutes each day even after your child has started reading on his/her own. Even though your child needs time to practice her new skills, she really needs to be encouraged in her love for reading while you model fluent reading and comprehension strategies. One trick that works well for us is a tit-for-tat routine. I’ll read Big Brother a book if he also reads one aloud to me. Before we know it, we’ve both read 3 or 4 books to each other!

School by Gay Su Pinnell

These High Frequency Readers are a gem. I bought a set when I was teaching and dug them out of storage once Big Brother began reading a few months ago. The only problem is, I don’t think they are in print any longer so you have to find them used! Some of the other titles in the series include: Lunch, School, I Like, I Am, and We Can Go.

Rookie Reader Boxed Set (Level B): This boxed set includes 3 books with simple text and colorful illustrations. Other Rookie Reader titles we have enjoyed that aren’t in this particular boxed set are: Bugs!, When I Grow Up (pictured above), and Where is Max?

Brand New Readers Boxed Set: Well Done Worm

This boxed set comes with four books with colorful illustrations. The text is repetitive and the stories are engaging and appealing to young children. I also really like that this particular set has a paragraph on the front flap for the parent/caregiver to read aloud to the child prior to reading. This helps set the stage for the book and increases reading comprehension. We also really like the series Mouse Has Fun.

Kites by Bettina Ling

This book is all about repetition and teaching children to read color words. The text that repeats throughout the book is “A (color) kite flies” with the last page including two new sentences.

Is it Dark? Is it Light? by Mary D. Lankford

This book is great for teaching opposites. It too has a lot of repetition, but requires a child to sound out many of the antonyms.

BOB Books Beginning Readers

I must admit…I am not a huge fan of BOB books. In my humble opinion, the illustrations are too simple (they are black-and-white sketches) and some of the books do not have any type of storyline. They are, however, great for teaching children to decode. We have this set and it has been useful, but Big Brother has never chosen to read a BOB book aloud (he chooses the other more colorful books shared above). All in all, they are nice to have around the house but aren’t the most engaging books. As long as you use them every now and then (and not all the time), they can be beneficial to your child’s ability to decode. We don’t have the Sight Word set, but it looks like it would be beneficial as well.

What are your family’s favorite books for brand new readers???

Looking for more ways to teach your child to read? Be sure to check out my eBook:

*Please note: The links in this post are my affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure policy.

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Filed Under: 3-5 years, Books, Language Development, Reading, School Age

Outdoor Alphabet Track

April 30, 2013 by Jenae — 5 Comments

It is finally feeling like spring around here so we decided to have some fun outside! This activity was so simple and both boys enjoyed it far longer than I expected. It was especially great for my little “mover and shaker”, who sincerely appreciated the pairing of gross motor learning along with letter recognition! :)

All you need is sidewalk chalk!

Make a path by writing the letters of the alphabet on your driveway. Please excuse the cherry blossom petals also on the ground…my husband already tried to take credit for scattering flower petals for me this morning. :)