Reading Kingdom program review
Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.
If you are teaching your child to read be sure to check out the online reading program Reading Kingdom. This blog post is a review of the online Reading Kingdom program. Check out my review below to find out if Reading Kingdom could work for your child.
What is Reading Kingdom
Reading Kingdom is a captivating online reading program that also teaches the keyboard layout. The program works on computers and also on the iPad. Each lesson introduces a new word to learn.
There are several different activities to help learn the words. The new word is introduced and then you have to type the letters in the order. Sometimes there are letters between so the child had to distinguish which letters are correct and the correct order. If after a certain time the child has not selected or typed the word correctly, the right answers are shown on the screen. The time can be adjusted as shown in the picture below.
Since typing on the keyboard is required for the Reading Kingdom program it is nice to see that there is a game included for keyboard typing practice. The game uses a Space ship to shoots words by typing them on the keyboard. There are several levels starting with the top row of the keyboard and then other rows are added and more words appear.
Reading Kingdome shows overall progress. You can see the word being learned in the current level. You can even move students to the next lesson or have them do a lesson again. There are five levels and a placement test which determines which level the student begins with.
What we thought about Reading Kingdom
To start the program my son took the online assessment. Since my son knows simple words the program started him with words like kid and girl. My son hasn’t learned sounds like ir but the program introduces them in a way that they get plenty of practice.
Even though my son knows how to use the iPad he actually doesn’t really know they keys on the keyboard. Initially, it frustrated him but thankfully there is also a game included with the program to practice typing.
We tried both the computer and the iPad. With the iPad, you have to use the on-screen keyboard which reduces the size of what is displayed on the screen. I thought some of the words were a little small. On the computer, you can either use the onscreen keyboard or the physical keyboard. We ended up using the computer more than the iPad.
Overall my son enjoyed the activities but he got a little frustrated since he was not very familiar with the keyboard. After some practice games, he got a little better and it was a little easier for him to continue on the program. I also tried to help him a little with the general location where the letters were on the keyboard. It also helped to extend the program response time so he had more time to find the right letter. I would definitely make sure your child has a beginning knowledge of the keyboard for Reading Kingdom. Once my son started to get to know the keyboard a little better, he really started to enjoy the program more. I would recommend checking out Reading Kingdom and try the 30-day free trial to see if it will work for your child.
Be sure to visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read more reviews of Reading Kingdom.