This post is part of an ongoing partnership with Ooka Island early reading program. All opinions are 100% my own.
You see, tonight I realized Lucy isn’t playing Ooka Island enough. Someone made the asinine comment that, “early reading doesn’t really matter in the end. They all learn it at school anyways.”
Here’s the thing, it isn’t just that I want her to be reading before anyone else. Early reading actually has a huge documented impact on a child’s educational success and therefore financial success.
Basically, it’s this: if a child struggles with reading skills, it can impact all areas of school. All of them. Reading is essential. And not being able to read at the same level as their peers can be socially embarrassing and therefore make it even more difficult to catch up. (Have you ever lost confidence in yourself because you just felt like you’d never get it? Kids go through this all the time)
Reading isn’t only essential, but early reading is critical to educational success.
And what better way to learn to read than to do something fun, something that gives them confidence and they thoroughly enjoy doing? Something they will ask to do?
Welcome to Ooka Island!
Lucy begs me to play it. I need to download it onto her Android phone (yes, it is finally available for droids too!). Sometimes I get home too late for her to play it on my phone.
She is a 5 year old preschooler and goes to daycare. She has mastered the alphabet and their sounds. Now she is working on putting sounds together to make words.
I know all this because whenever Lucy plays, Ooka sends me a progress report with the early reading skills she is excelling at and ones I can work with her more on. They even send me resources for additional help in specific reading areas.
Go Tour The Island
Check out Ooka’s Website and see for yourself. Then let me know what you think!
I can’t wait to read Lucy’s next progress report. Soon she will be reading as well as her brother! I am so excited for her!
Getting kids to read at a young age is soo important! I always buy my nieces and nephews books!
I have been reading to my boys since they were still in my tummy! I agree that its super important.
My daughter is a teacher and she made sure her kids starting learning as early as possible. They all love to read and they learned their alphabet way before starting preschool. I did the same thing when my kids were little. It’s amazing how much kids can learn at an early age.
This is a great thing to do. It makes kids learn earlier and be able to relate
Early reading is so important. It really does make a difference. I am glad there are apps and games like Ooka Island to help kids learn to read in this age of technology.
I started reading to my kids regularly when they were infants. As a toddler and preschooler now, they love books! My preschooler is really getting the hang of sounding out words now, so that’s a really exciting new step for her!
Early reading is so important. I have dyslexia but I taught myself to read when I was 4. It helped me overcome my difficulties because I already had a foundation. I wish this app would’ve been around when my middle daughter was having trouble. This looks positively worth the money.
Reading can really be a good hobby for kids. The sooner they get to learn the fun in reading the better they get at it and it improves their comprehension growing up.
Yes, yes, I couldn’t agree more. I’ve seen the difference. I’m really proud of daughter,she is doing a great job with our granddaughter. She is super smart.
Early reading is so important and a must, it can be so embarrassing for the child if they can not read at same level as their peers and that can have a knock on effect on them. Great post
I totally agree about the importance of early reading. My kids are all a bit older now, but I know this is something they would have enjoyed!
I read to my son a lot especially while in kindergarten. By the end of the school year he was able to read to me. I didn’t put any pressure on him, I just let it happen organically.
My daughter is 4 and complains that she doesn’t know how to read.
My 3 year old was suppose to be sleeping but when I went to check on her, she was “reading” a book. I smiled. She really wants to read so I will look into this program.
Early education is great! It’s very important to motivate children to read. My kids love reading, we try to read at least 2 new books a day
I agree that early reading is so important!! It really a great things to do and does make a difference.
Early reading is one of the best things you can do for children! I’ve always read since a very young age!