Believe it or not, my 5yo learned to read using the LeapFrog Easy Reader Phonics (3 kits). I really had only bought them because I wanted to start doing something with him for kindergarten, but where we were just starting, I didn't want to get into an expensive curriculum. They were cheap ($10/kit). He already had a LeapPad that he loves playing with. I was really amazed at how well it worked. He's sounding out really complex words, and understands why things are sounded out the way they are (like the "two vowels go walking" rule, or the "silent E rule"). I feel like it's given him a really good foundation.
I thought I had replied to this but didn't see it ... We tried Abeka, didn't work well for my 7 yo at all. Tried HOP though I could argue that we didn't give it a fair try. He does use the readers. Currently doing Teach Your Child in 100 Easy Lessons - recently started using one of those colored reading strips and it helps him SO MUCH ! I was quite impressed. He also does ETC & we have HOP, BOB, and various other easy readers. I'm actually trying to figure out what will work best for my 5 year old, we're starting K next year - obviously we have plenty around to chose from ; ) aisling
Sam learned to read with Abeka. She was 3 and in prinvate school. Grace just turned 5 and knows a couple of sight words. That is it. SHe has no interest in starfall.com at all. I am going to try Explode the Code with her next.
HOP is pretty pricey. Ordin. Parents Guide to Teaching Reading is good Dr. Seuss books Bob books Phonics workbooks - I prefer Steck-Vaughn I find more people that buy HOP that wish they wouldn't have than those that loved every penny of it.
We love HOP!! My youngest (age 5, kindergarten) loves to read from the workbook and get the stickers I think I have an older edition, it still has cassette tapes. I got the complete kit at Big Lots for $80, and it's for ages 3-8. We didn't start it till this year. We have A Beka also, but I don't think that he has learned as much from the A Beka as he has from HOP. I also bought Hooked on Math at Big Lots, it was marked down to $40, and it's for grades k-5. We'll be starting that soon, since I just got it.
Thanks for the LeapFrog tip! Leapfrog has set 1 and 2 for sale for $6 each - and the shipping was only $5. So I just got those two...they don't have 3 for some reason! Oh well. My 3 year old loves our Leap Pad...this will be neat to have something to engage her with it (all of our other books are too advanced for her).
OH...when we lived in Phoenix our library had the HOP sets you could borrow with all the materials (guessing no workbooks?). I never borrowed it...but you could check your library to see if they have it? maybe? if you want to look at before buying? (not op...but anyone)
My ds (recently turned 4) loves starfall, so we go there often. We use 100 EZ Lessons when he wants to. He watches the LeapFrog videos, and uses the Leap Frog Phonic kits. He writes words when he wants; he asks how to spell words & then sounds them out & figures out the spelling by himself; he knows sight words & sounds out words. He's doing so great, I don't see the point in getting an actual curriculum. I almost forgot, he likes the Post-Its that have words written on them. He reads the words to me & then sticks the Post-It to a wall. We made a word wall on the back of a door with the Word Builder sets. We put up a word beginning & then he chose the word endings that would make a word with that beginning. Then we did another & another, etc. Right now our house is covered in Post-Its with words, word parts, addition problems & subtraction problems (the money one will go up soon). Each set also comes with blank cards. There's a bunch of those up with words that ds has written on them. He won't do worksheets, but if I give him blank paper he's more than happy to write.
