Which learning-to-read site?

[Collinsky]

If you're going to get a paid subscription to ONE site, would you go with Starfall.com, Headsprout.com, ReadingEggs.com, or something else?

The girls have done the Starfall stuff for a while, and they enjoy it. We just tried out Reading Eggs last night, and that also was well received. We'll be doing the three-lesson trial for Headsprout later today, probably. I assume that they'll probably enjoy that as well.

So assuming that my children don't have a clear preference, which would you choose? What would be the deciding factor/s for you?

[elizawill]

well, we're in the minority that my kids don't love starfall. we have used headsprout, and i will admit it teaches reading very well. my dd didn't "love" it, but it was a very solid program imo. there was a lot of repetition, so i just helped her get through levels while she sat with me and told me what to click. the first 3 lessons are a little misleading, as those lessons are very simple but the lessons increase in difficulty. it's very good. we rotated it with ETC books. my dd also used time4learning, and again...it was a very solid program. my ds loves reading eggs, but our free trial just ended. i won't purchase it for him, as money is just too tight and we have too many other resources right now to justify it. you may also want to look at literactive.com (free) and click-n-kids (cheap). hth.

[broodymama]

For 5 year old DS we are using Headsprout, also using some of the ETC books like the PP. It's working well for DS.

[MJB]

time4learning.com has a VERY thorough reading program. My 4yo is reading at a 2nd/3rd grade level thanks to T4L. I think my 1st grader would be a better reader if we homeschooled and used T4L instead of sending him to public school. They get into the nitty gritty of phonics, teach sight words, and have reviews for everything.

[Collinsky]

Thanks everyone! Time4learning is looking pretty good, from what I'm seeing. Starfall I'm thinking my girls are kind of done with, I think they might have done it all - so if the paid part is more of the same, even if it's better, it might not be for us.

Headsprout is looking like the most expensive option, so even if it is the best of these choices, that will probably be a deciding factor for us!

What are ETC books? I'm coming up blank.

[Reebekah]

ETC - Explode The Code...I havent used them yet, but they get great reviews from parents....I just ordered the Ready, Set, Go set for my son (4).