Disclosure: As a Bookboard brand ambassador, I am a strong advocate for children’s reading! There are affiliate links included in this review…I will receive a small commission for Bookboard downloads from links contained in this post. All opinions represented here are my own.
When my oldest son was in kindergarten, they didn’t expect kids to be reading at the end of the year. He really didn’t learn how to read until the middle of first grade. Nowadays the expectations are very different. I spoke with a local kindergarten teacher, along with a first grade teacher to learn more. Children coming into kindergarten now are expected to know their alphabet, as well what the uppercase and lowercase letters look like. They also need to know the sounds the letters make. By the middle of the year, they need to know 26 sight words; be comfortable with rhyming words like cat-bat and bug-hug; and be able to sound out phonetically spelled words. In addition, they need to be able to recognize the beginning, middle and end of the story. By the end of the year, they need to be reading at a level four or above.
These are high expectations, given that there can be a wide range of development in children this age. Boys develop at different times from girls, and a few months can make a huge difference as well. But children who haven’t mastered the “basics” are definitely at a disadvantage, especially with diminishing resources available in the classroom.
The Bookboard reading service is a great way to give your child a headstart and help him (or her) get ready for kindergarten. For older children, it can reinforce the reading skills they are learning during the elementary years. When I was a child, reading held sort of a “magic” for me…I could get lost in the words and the story, and it fueled my imagination outside of the pages as well. Today there is so many more distractions. Technology has taken over much of our children’s entertainment. With video game apps, and learning apps that resemble video games, I love that Bookboard offers an option similar to an old fashioned book, right on the iPad! This isn’t one of those interactive reading experiences where you play a game in the middle of your book. It gives children access to more books than they have on the bedroom shelf. It gives them the option of moving at their own pace and allows them to explore different interests. And it’s not dependent on a trip to the library. Bookboard isn’t intended to replace the physical book or sitting down with your child to read. But it does give your child the option to read without you and improve his skills at the same time, using technology.
This summer I introduced Bookboard to my four year old nephew. While we were reading, he pointed out the sight words he knew, and we tried sounding out others together. He was excited to discover that he could also have Bookboard read to him as well.* “Aunt Shell,” he said, “Can I sit here and read by myself for a while?” He sat there for over an hour, mesmerized, as Bookboard read to him. When he was done, he handed me the iPad and said “I’m ready to do something else now,” and off we went to play in the pool. I was surprised that it held his attention as long as it did!
I was so impressed by Bookboard that when they contacted me about joining them as a brand ambassador, I was thrilled to accept. Child literacy is an important topic…being a strong reader is important to every part of our children’s education! But in addition to the educational benefits, reading has many benefits to our children’s personal growth as well. Many books for young readers, like The Berenstain Bears, reinforce important concepts like good manners and learning how to be a good friend!
With books available for up to age twelve, Bookboard can grow with your child. A trial with Bookboard is FREE, and if you choose to subscribe, a six month subscription is $29.94 ($4.99 a month) and includes access for up to four children! Subscriptions include unlimited reading and over 400 unlockable books; audio books that will read to your children; and offline storage so your children can read books anywhere! If you have young children up to age 12, I’d highly recommend giving Bookboard a try. The trial is free; there is no obligation.
Give your kids a headstart on reading with Bookboard…and a great resource to improve their reading skills!
Disclosure: As a Bookboard brand ambassador, I am a strong advocate for children’s reading! There are affiliate links included in this review…I will receive a small commission for Bookboard downloads from links contained in this post. All opinions represented here are my own.
*only available on paid subscriptions
Linking up with Reading Book Club and the Kid Lit Blog Hop
Renee
Wednesday 9th of October 2013
This sounds like a great resource. Thanks so much for sharing in the Kid Lit Blog Hop. Happy to share with my followers.
Michelle Nahom
Wednesday 9th of October 2013
Thanks so much for sharing! I am definitely impressed with the program! It truly is a great resource, and I really appreciate you helping spread the word!
Julie Grasso
Sunday 6th of October 2013
Thanks Michelle for bringing this great new resource to our attention on the Kid Lit Blog Hop. I will definitely check it out for my 2 year old.
Michelle Nahom
Sunday 6th of October 2013
Let me know what you think! I have been really impressed with the program! I think it's a nice complement to printed books and it's nice to have access to so many new books!
Maria
Sunday 6th of October 2013
Thank you for linking up this post at the Kid Lit Hop! I will check out Bookboard! It sounds like a great resource as often parents need to be able to have a variety of ways to teach their child to read! Maria
Michelle Nahom
Sunday 6th of October 2013
It is an awesome resource! I am a Bookboard ambassador but I am so impressed with the program! It doesn't replace the printed book, but it does offer a lot of different options. And we all know kids love their technology! Mine are way ahead of me in so many ways. I love how much they will just sit there and read with Bookboard instead of wanting to play something on the iPad instead! To me, that is a huge win!
catherine gacad
Saturday 14th of September 2013
michelle, i am booking marking this for when i have a kid. it sounds like such a great resource, especially the fact that you don't have to trek to the library to get books and then return to the library by a certain deadline! it sounds like the little kid version of khan academy. have you heard of that? it's this genius (sal khan) who records himself teaching any topic (algebra, chemistry, physics, you name it) and breaking down the topic so you really understand. my boss told me about khan academy and i swear, we use it to understand finance concepts like credit default swaps and other complex transactions! and at the same time, teenagers or college students can go to khan academy to brush up on topics that they're not understanding at school. he is backed by the gates foundation. the whole point is that you can pause or go back if you need the concept repeated vs a teacher or tutor who keeps asking you, "does that make sense? do you get it now?" which can be embarrassing and not useful for learning.
Michelle Nahom
Saturday 14th of September 2013
It really is a great program! Kids really love it! The Khan Academy sounds interesting as well! I will definitely let my older kids know about it...it sounds like it could be a valuable resource!
Colette
Saturday 14th of September 2013
Anything which encourages children to read at home with their parents is a huge win for me!
Michelle Nahom
Saturday 14th of September 2013
I agree! And I love that Bookboard gives kids the option to read even if their parents are busy at the moment or in the car...I'd much rather have my kids reading than playing video games or watching tv! The fact that it held my 4 year old nephews attention for so long is a testament to how excited it can get kids about reading!