Fun Things for Beginning Readers

[revolting]

I do NOT want a curriculum. I'm looking for games and books that would be fun for an early reader. My four year old is just beginning to read very simple things, like "The egg went splat." She very much wants to learn how to read, but I had assumed she wouldn't be reading for a couple more years. We have a game called What's Gnu? She's been reading through Bob Books. I'm looking for Scrabble Junior. And of course, I'm continuing to read to her. I was hoping for some recommendations of other activities that your beginning reader enjoyed along those lines. (For the record, we tried Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Lessons; things like that are completely not our style. She hated it and we didn't get beyond the second lesson. And I thought it was boring, too. She learned much much more quickly and enjoyably from What's Gnu?) What reading games did your child like? What beginning reader books did your kids like that's about at the level of the first several sets of Bob Books? Any blog recommendations?

[umsami]

My kids did not like the Bob books...although they did like the Scholastic phonics readers for Clifford.  I know they make them with other characters too.  Your library should have a bunch of those ( as well as the Bob books) that you can let your daughter look at.

They also enjoyed Click-n-Read phonics, although you're not looking for a curriculum.  :)  Also, Between the Lions and Word World games on pbskidsgo.  They like some of the things on Starfall as well.

We've done some sight word bingo... and all of the LeapFrog Reading DVDs were very popular..Letter Factory, Code Word Caper, etc.  

Honestly, the best thing was that about once per week we went to the library and I let them pick out whatever book they wanted.  Also about once per month, we'd go to the bookstore and they could buy one of those $3.99 leveled readers.  My two boys both loved the Thomas ones...and I remember one called "Go Train Go" that they both loved sounding out.

[SundayCrepes]

Try this. It's free, though they now have an extra section you can use for $35 a year.

www.starfall.com

[Thandiwe]

My five year old really liked Hooked on Phonics.  I was able to get the reading package for 1/2 off by searching for a coupon.  We have the kindy box, levels 1 and 2, though we've used many of their workbooks in the past.  He really likes them.  They are his ability and he can watch a dvd that goes through reading lessons, or he can pull out the books and read on his own.

Have you checked out your local library?  Ours has a really great bin of early reader books.  We like to go and just grab a chunk to read at home.