TOS Review ~ Brill Kids Little Reader

Tweet

When I found out I was selected to review Brill Kids Little Reader program a few weeks ago I  was a bit apprehensive.  Never in my life have I thought about trying to teach my baby to read. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the whole program.

What is Little Reader?

The website describes it as follows:

"The Little Reader software curriculum will guide your child in a systematic and progressive fashion over a 12-month period from sight-reading single words, to sounding out groups of words, to reading complete stories. During that time, your child will see over 3,000 words in more than 140 subject categories"

 

 

      What do you get with the program?

Little Reader software installation disc
2 Content discs with 12-month, ready-made curriculum
Lifetime usage of the learning system
2 Brill Kids Presentation Binders
40 Customizable Flap Cards
20 Customizable Flash Cards
160 sheets of word and picture prints:
Content Printouts for 8 core categories
5 Little Reader Storybooks
2 Weekly Lesson Planners, one for each semester
10 Sheets of Sticker Labels for playing the labeling game
"Everything you need to know about teaching your baby to Read" booklet
Teaching with Little Reader" booklet
Brill Kids Loyalty Points

The Little Reader program sells for $149 for the Basic and a Deluxe version is available for $399. The software we received included a one year (two semesters) format that will expose your child to over 3,000 words. You can choose  to personalize lessons for your child by adding pictures and voices from your child’s life to the flashcards.  For example, for the word “eye” you can add a picture of your child’s eye, or Mommy or Daddy’s  eye.  You can also choose to record Mommy, Daddy, Grandma or anyone else saying the word “eye”. 

Our thoughts on the program

I used this program with my 13 month old, McKenzie. She loved her computer time and enjoyed watching the screen. It’s recommended to implement the program twice a day, which I found to be rather challenging these last few weeks. But you know what, after using the program for about a week and a half she started signing and pointing more, something that she did not do beforehand. She hasn’t said any new words, but the signing has increased and she is communicating which is great for everyone!  For now I think we are content with just exposing her to lots of real books, but I will definitely be looking to Brill Kids when we start transitioning to more talking and less signing.

Do you want to give it a try with your baby or child? Sign up for a FREE 14-day trial and test it out for yourself! There is also a download for  free teaching tools, such as activity sheets, flashcards, and power point presentations to use with your baby or child. Be sure to check out what my TOS  crewmates had to say by going to the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and as such received a copy of Brill Kids Little Reader software in exchange for a thorough and honest review.  Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews.  The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but are not influenced by the company or the free product provided .

It’s coming…

Tweet

it’s almost time for the 12 days of handmade CHRISTmas hosted by Edie @ Life in Grace. I loved all the project ideas from last year and we even  made and gave away a couple of dish mats.

Head on over and grab a button and be entered to win your own dish mat.

Can you guess…

Tweet

Mikayla has her Candy Day costume picked out. Can you guess what she is going to be?

 

The Egyptian Queen Nefertiti.  She is really loving the Tapestry of Grace three week Egyptian trial, and I am over the moon about it too. Her interest in history has peaked and she is wanting to do her history first thing in the morning.

Yesterday we practiced putting on the makeup and doing her hair. This weekend we will put the finishing touches on her crown and get started on her dress.  

 

I think we need a brighter shade of red for the lips, what do you think?  This picture is from December 2006 as we were gearing up for the new cheer competition season. Isn’t she so cute, our little Superstar.

She loved the hair and makeup session and got into the Queen role rather quickly. I asked her to fold up the linen napkins and she looked at me and replied: “Queens don’t do laundry.” Oh my!

Wordless Wednesday

Tweet

Wordless Wednesday ~ pantry raider

Tweet

   

TOS Review ~ Read, Write & Type

Tweet

We had the opportunity to review Read, Write & Type by Talking Fingers, Inc. this past month, and let me just say, Mikayla had a blast playing this game and defeating the evil green blob, Vexor! I loved it too because she was learning a new skill, typing, at the same time. Who would have thought a program could teach reading, writing, and typing at the same time? Well, I am here to tell you that Read, Write & Type by Talking Fingers, Inc. does!

Read, Write & Type Learning Systems  is an exciting interactive computer program that builds reading and phonics skills while children learn to write and type.  Children in grades K-3 help to defeat Vexor  who tries to steal the letters with the aide of colorful talking hands, Lefty La Dee and Rightway McKay.  Lefty and Rightway help guide the student through 40 different levels of play.  The program also includes games and activities that help build speed and accuracy, a place to type a story, and games to practice beginning sounds. All these activities build phonemic awareness, blending skills, and the ability to sound out and type words and sentences.

This program has two different options for purchase. For $35. you can purchase a five-year home license to the online version. This is only good for one child, but once that child has passed through all the levels their progress can be archived so that another child may play as long as it is within the five year time frame for the license.  For $79. you can opt for the CD-ROM version and receive additional bonus material including an activity book with stickers, a laminated keyboard, and 18 leveled readers.  With the CD-ROM version you are able to use it with multiple children for as long as you wish.

Mikayla thoroughly enjoyed this program and frequently requests to play it. If you are looking for a excellent all around program this may be a good fit for your family too. Check out what my other crewmates had to say about this program here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and as such received a copy of Read, Write & Type online software in exchange for a thorough and honest review.  Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews.  The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but are not influenced by the company or the free product provided .