Starfall.com Review

www.Starfall.com is  an educational website focused on teaching early phonics skills. It features a number of activities to encourage kids who are learning to read. The activities build on each other, starting with learning the alphabet and its associated sounds, and followed by reading simple online books and more advanced reading activities.

What Does it Offer: There are lots of interactive games and a full curriculum to purchase. There are a few free worksheets which go along with the online activities. Additionally, they sell decodable early reader books from $5-$15. 

Educational Impact: Starfall uses a phonics-based learning system that is supported with both online games and activities and a print series. Skills taught include: phonemic awareness, systematic phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. 

My daughter loves this site. She is learning to use a mouse to point and click and she really enjoys the alphabet chants. 

 They have a whole game and a book about growing a plant. I think I will purchase the book, buy a pot and some seeds, and do a project with her  this year.  

Our Library Trip

Last year, mommy and Skye went to the Winter Park Library for a story time. I'm not sure how other libraries are, but this was mediocre compared to what I expected.  Most kids didn't sit, and parents were allowed to stay in the room with their crying babies. It would be helpful to schedule readings by age. This library  has puzzles and blocks but Skye has those at home.  The books were the main attraction for her and this is good since I am trying to encourage her interest in reading. I think next time we'll skip the story time and try to go when it's quiet and we can read together.. UPDATE: Now in Shreveport we have been going to the Broadmore library. We color pictures and every once and a while attend a children's event such as a fancy nancy party heald last month. This was fun and did boost Skye's intrerest in newly published books. Again e story time leave something to be be desired.. My only hope and/or suggestion is to maybe promote American Girls series. These books seem much more classic and true to history.