Reading Archives - I Can Teach My Child!

Alphabet Parking Lot: Matching Capital and Lowercase Letters

May 20, 2013 by Jenae — 3 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

Consonant Digraph Garden

April 17, 2013 by Jenae — 2 Comments

Part of learning to read is learning to recognize the various graphemes within a word. A grapheme is the visual representation of a phoneme (the smallest unit of sound). Although we stress learning individual letter sounds, we often forget that there are 44 phonemes in the English language and only 26 letters…which means there are lots of other sounds to learn besides just the alphabet.

In this activity, we learned three of the consonant digraphs: /th/, /sh/, and /ch/. I used Starfall’s Interactive Games to introduce each digraph to Big Brother prior to the activity (we did one at a time). Here are each of them individually:

:: Digraph /th/

:: Digraph /sh/

:: Digraph /ch/

Here’s what you’ll need to create your own consonant digraph garden: construction paper, a marker, a glue stick, and scissors!

1. Cut out your circle (for the center of the flower) and several petals in 3 colors.

2. Write the consonant digraph in the center of each circle.

3. Tape 2 pieces of blue construction paper together and use a glue stick to place the stem and center of the flower.

4. Write the words on both sides of the petal. You may want to underline the digraph in each word to make it more obvious for your child. I would encourage you to include words with the digraph at the beginning and the end of the word.

5. Introduce your child to the digraphs. We used Starfall’s Interactive Games. Believe it or not, this is the very first time Big Brother has used Starfall (or my laptop). :)

6. Have your child add the corresponding petals to each digraph center. Ask him/her to decode (sound out) each word as he/she glues it in place.

All done!

Learn more reading tips in my eBook I Can Teach My Child to Read!

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

Introducing Long Vowel Sounds with the What’s Your Name? E (free printable)

March 7, 2013 by Jenae — 4 Comments

Once your child has learned letter sounds and can decode short consonant-vowel-consonant words, he/she might be ready to learn about the “What’s Your Name? E”. This special “e” occurs when it is split from another vowel with a consonant letter between them and is almost always silent (examples: shine, wipe, note, etc.).

Although this concept is taught with different names, I chose to continue teaching it similar to the way that Pathways to Reading, the first grade phonemic awareness and phonics curriculum I used, teaches this phonics skill. The idea for the popsicle stick “e” was inspired by Krazy About Kiddos.

I wasn’t planning on teaching Big Brother this concept quite yet, but I have noticed that he has been confused and sometimes frustrated when he comes across a word with a long vowel sound when reading (and says every short vowel sound in a word like “gate”, even the /e/ sound on the end). Although it would probably be best to teach consonant and vowel digraphs before I teach a phonics concept such as this one, I knew this would help his independent reading ability so we forged on. :)

Here’s what you’ll need: a Build-a-Word Tray, Adhesive Magnet Sheets, Craft Sticks, scissors, and the “What’s Your Name? E” printable.

1. Print out the What’s Your Name? E document and laminate it, if you choose.

Option #1: Create a magnet from the printable, using Magnetic Sheets (which we received compliments of CraftProjectIdeas.com).

Place the sunburst shape onto a small piece of the sticky side of the magnet…

…and trim along the lines.

Option #2: Mount the What’s Your Name? E onto a popsicle stick with glue or tape.

Using your Build-a-Word Tray, make a typical Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) word: Here are some words to get you started

not ——> note

hat ——> hate

wip ——> wipe

cut ——> cute

shin ——> shine

man ——> mane

hop ——> hope

Here is a video demonstrating this lesson. This was the second time that I introduced Big Brother to this concept, so he was already somewhat familiar with it.