Is there anything else like Starfall?

[squeakermansmom]

We've been using Starfall lately and ds loves it. Unfortunately, he's done almost all of the Learn to Read portion. I'm looking for something just like Starfall that I could use in addition. Something with great graphics, songs, etc. like Starfall has. Suggestions?

TIA!

[squeakermansmom]

Oh and I'd be willing to pay!

[Lillian J]

Studydog.

But wait - I just caught the part where you said "he's done almost all of the Learn to Read portion" - so what is it you're looking for? Something for other subjects?

- Lillian

[squeakermansmom]

no, just learning to read. its just that he needs more 'practice' - for instance, the book on there where he learns that when you see two vowels together the first one says its name, well he tends to memorize things quickly and so after reading it just once or twice he then knows all the words and he is no longer sounding them out - he's just reciting what he knows. make sense? so basically i'm looking for something where he can get more practice. of course, he doesn't think of it as that since he loves it so much! he begs me constantly to do 'more starfall!'.

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by squeakermansmom

its just that he needs more 'practice' - for instance, the book on there where he learns that when you see two vowels together the first one says its name, well he tends to memorize things quickly and so after reading it just once or twice he then knows all the words and he is no longer sounding them out - he's just reciting what he knows. make sense?

No, I can't figure out what you're describing, but that's okay. Lillian

[tuffykenwell]

Headsprout is very good...but also very pricey. My DS likes it a lot though and it really did help him learn to read

Steph

[squeakermansmom]

Originally Posted by Lillian J

No, I can't figure out what you're describing, but that's okay. Lillian

let me try again.....example: the rule about if you see an 'ai' together (as in pail) - you 'say' the long A sound. in starfall there is only one book that 'teaches' this concept. now that my ds has read that book he remembers what the words are in the book so that any time we read it now he reads it by memorization but not by really knowing what he's saying. it would be great if starfall had 3 or 4 books next to each concept. b/c i don't think the exposure to one book is enough for him to move on to the next concept. did that make any more sense?

[joandsarah77]

http://www.literactive.com/Home/index.asp might have some things suitable. if you go to downloads there are games for seven reading levels.
http://www.literactive.com/Home/index.asp has games although I've never looked at them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsan...ow/index.shtml long vowels
http://www.helpme2learn.com/games1.htm more games that i havn't checked out yet.
Hope those help

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by squeakermansmom

did that make any more sense?

Got it! Lillian

[Hera]

That's about the time that I pulled out One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss. I know, not a computer game, lol.

[taralv]

There is a site called enchanted learning - sorry, don't have the link - it's 20$ a year, but it has an extensive list of subject matter. For each subject there are numerous activities, including short, printable books for beginning readers. I find this helpful because my dd is at the same place as your ds. She's been doing starfall for so long that she reads by memorization. So we go to enchanted learning, or read some of our beginning reader books together. My favorites - "Go, dog, go!" by P.D. Eastman and "Hop on Pop" - good old Dr. Seuss.

Tara

[True Blue]

DS really likes Headsprout.

[chaoticzenmom]

My kids really liked the jumpstart games. We started with Jumpstart preschool and then went to the phonics one. We never did the kindergarden one though.

My 4 year old loves her leapster and plays those games everynight before bed, she's a night-owl, so this is our compromise. There are so many games available for the leapster that I think it would be hard to go wrong.

Lisa

[Terabith]

www.earobics.com has a site called Goo Games - Games that make learning stick. They are pretty fun.

[minnowmomma]

Originally Posted by tuffykenwell

Headsprout is very good...but also very pricey. My DS likes it a lot though and it really did help him learn to read

Steph

I have four yo dd that also loves starfall and i was looking for something else to help her learn to read.I was wondering how old is your ds and how long did it take him to learn to read using headsprout.I also wondered if you have looked at any other learn to read program and if you had would you use headsprout again? I am looking to make my decision by the end of the week so she can start asap.

[SquirelNutkin]

My daughter loves the first of these listed sites.
Its pricey, and i think the worksheets are a bit odd sometimes.
I like that the books are very incremental, so she feels like she is moving ahead without getting frustrated.
The sites aftterwards are the sister sites, which i would subscribe to if we had more $!

a ProQuest LearningPage website
www.raz-kids.com


other websites:

www.readinga-z.com - Thousands of printable books, lesson plans, and worksheets.

www.reading-tutors.com - Hundreds of comprehensive reading packets.

www.vocabularya-z.com - Thousands of customized vocabulary lessons.

[tuffykenwell]

Originally Posted by minnowmomma

I have four yo dd that also loves starfall and i was looking for something else to help her learn to read.I was wondering how old is your ds and how long did it take him to learn to read using headsprout.I also wondered if you have looked at any other learn to read program and if you had would you use headsprout again? I am looking to make my decision by the end of the week so she can start asap.

I would pay for it again. My DS is 4.5 and right now he is on lesson 65 and progressing much more slowly than at the beginning but he whizzed through the first 55 or so lessons. I think right now his brain is processing all of the stuff that he has learned so when he wants to do a lesson we do one and when he doesn't we don't (and if I think he needs to review a particular lesson we do that too).

He can read pretty well and his sounding out skills are exceptional IMO and that is owed in large part to Headsprout because of the way they introduce sounds.

I think an older child will go through it more quickly and a child of four or so may progress more slowly or may as Rhys did progress quickly and then "hit a wall" so to speak.

If you remember to keep it light and your child enjoys it I think it is an easy to use program with a four year old but you have to be prepared to go at their pace KWIM?

Steph

[minnowmomma]

Thanks Tuffykenwell! I was leaning toward headsprout but i kept coming across other programs and for me too many choices just leads to confusion.

[blessed]

We signed up for a free headsprout trial. It's soooo repetitive! "Click on sssss. Sssss. Click on sssss. Sssss. Click on sssss. Sssss..." Dd looked up at me halfway through the first lesson and said 'why we clicking on it again, mama?'

My dd is really young, so maybe that's part of it. But she loves starfall so I was hoping to find some more sites like it.

[reeseccup]

HI STEPH!! belly rubs to you and congrats!!
Sounds like Rhys and Rich are on a similar stage.

DS (4.5) plays around with various cdRoms as well as Starfall. We also read repetitive stories and allow him the pleasure of reading to us (even though we know it's memorized, he's still following along the words with his eyes). Oh and we have the set of LeapFrog DVD’s which he loves to watch. Along with all that, we also have other videos that we either put on closed caption or have the words highlighted on the bottom of the screen for him to follow along if he desires. Oh and we have a couple of board games/puzzles which address putting words together with connected sounds.

As it is, there are several words that ds can read in any book. He also knows how to sound out letter by letter, but I'm trying to show him a better way than sounding out that way. Instead I’m showing him how to sound out syllable to syllable, makes it easier to put a word together and less frustrating or boring for him.

I wouldn’t pursue anything unless he asked me to help him learn something. He continuously tells me he wants to learn to read, so I provide him the resources and opportunities and allow him to make the call when and how much of what he’s in the mood for.