Table of contents:
Intro: Are Reading Apps Right for Teaching Kids to Read?
App #1: Learn with Homer
App #2: Hooked on Phonics
App #3: Reading.com
App #4: Readability Tutor
App #5: LingoKids
App #6: Epic!
App #7: Teach Your Monster to Read
App #8: Khan Academy Kids
App #9: Starfall
Affiliate Disclosure: Some links below are affiliate links to the Amazon marketplace. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep our content free and accessible to everyone. We may also have other affiliate links within the article.
UPDATED FOR 2025
Intro: Are Reading Apps Right for Teaching Kids to Read?
The question of whether to use apps to teach reading is a hot topic, sparking passionate opinions on both sides. Technology in education, particularly for foundational skills like reading, can be viewed with both enthusiasm and skepticism. Are these digital tools genuinely helpful, or are they just another distraction in an already screen-saturated world?
After extensive research and hands-on experience, my perspective has evolved. It’s crucial to differentiate between genuinely educational technology and the attention-grabbing nature of social media. Well-designed educational apps and websites offer an immersive learning environment, allowing children to deeply focus on the subject matter. This focused engagement is a stark contrast to the fragmented attention often fostered by social media, with its constant stream of notifications and distractions.
My initial stance on technology was quite negative. I considered it primarily a source of distraction, especially for young learners. While I still firmly believe that technology should never replace direct, human instruction, I now recognize the valuable role that high-quality educational apps can play in learning to read. The emphasis here is on quality. Not all literacy apps are created equal.
In 2025, the digital marketplace is flooded with apps claiming to teach children to read. Navigating this landscape to find truly effective tools can be overwhelming for parents and educators. To help you cut through the noise, we’ve rigorously tested a wide range of learn-to-read apps. This article presents our carefully curated ranking of the Best Learn To Read Apps available in 2025. We are committed to keeping this list updated as we discover and evaluate new, high-quality resources.
However, it’s essential to preface this ranking with a crucial point: no app, regardless of its quality, is a magic bullet for reading proficiency. These apps are powerful supplementary tools, designed to enhance and support reading instruction, not replace it entirely. Think of them as valuable aids to complement a comprehensive reading approach.
With that understanding, let’s dive into our 2025 ranking of the best apps to help children learn to read:
#1: Learn with Homer
Highlights: Learn with Homer excels at building the foundational skills necessary for reading fluency. It offers extensive customization based on a child’s age, interests, and current literacy level. The app employs a synthetic phonics approach, a method supported by current research as highly effective in reading acquisition. Beyond reading, Homer also incorporates beginner math, social-emotional learning, arts, and creative expression activities. A generous 30-day free trial allows ample time to explore the app’s features.
Price: 30-day free trial. Subscriptions are available monthly at $12.99 or annually at $6.66 per month.
How to Get: Access the free trial here.
What is the Learn with Homer App?
Learn with Homer is a comprehensive, app-based program designed to build reading foundations for beginner readers. Its curriculum focuses on key pre-reading and reading skills:
- Phonemic Awareness: Developing the crucial ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds within words – a cornerstone of reading success.
- Phonics: Introducing letter names and sounds, blending sounds to decode words, practicing spelling of simple words, and introducing essential sight words.
- Vocabulary Expansion: Enriching children’s word knowledge through context and engaging activities.
- Cultivating a Love for Reading: Making the learning process enjoyable and fostering a positive association with books and stories.
- Storytelling: Developing narrative skills and comprehension through engaging stories.
Targeting children aged 2 to 6+, Learn with Homer achieves these goals through fun, interactive, and age-appropriate activities, earning it the top spot in our ranking. The app dynamically adjusts activities based on a child’s age, developmental stage, and literacy proficiency.
Up to four individual child profiles can be created under a single account. For each profile, parents input the child’s age, interests, and answer questions about their existing literacy and numeracy skills (e.g., letter recognition, counting). Based on this personalized information, Homer creates a customized learning path tailored to each child’s needs.
Try Homer for FREE!
What Reading Approach Does Homer Use?
Homer is built upon an explicit, systematic, and sequential phonics approach to reading instruction. Let’s break down what each of these terms means in practice:
- Explicit: The app directly teaches letter-sound relationships in a clear, unambiguous manner. There’s no guesswork or implicit learning; concepts are directly presented and practiced.
- Systematic: Homer follows a structured, pre-planned system for introducing phonics concepts. Skills are taught in a logical order, building upon previously learned material.
- Sequential: The order of instruction is carefully sequenced, ensuring that new concepts are introduced in a developmentally appropriate progression, building on prior knowledge.
Within phonics instruction, various approaches exist. While debates continue about the “best” method, synthetic phonics has consistently demonstrated strong results in numerous research studies. Synthetic phonics focuses on teaching children to blend individual letter sounds together to read words (e.g., sounding out “c-a-t” to read “cat”). For instance, the influential Johnston and Watson report (2005) revealed the long-term impact of synthetic phonics. Students taught with this method showed significant advantages at the end of primary school (over a seven-year period), outperforming their peers in word reading (by 3 years and 6 months), reading comprehension (by 3.5 months), and spelling (by 1 year and 8 months). These findings highlight the robust effectiveness of the synthetic phonics approach that Homer utilizes.
Beyond Reading: What Else Does Homer Offer?
Homer extends beyond literacy, fostering holistic early childhood development by incorporating activities in:
- Math: Engaging with numbers, exploring mathematical relationships, and immersing in math concepts through stories, games, and songs.
- Social and Emotional Learning: Developing crucial social skills, empathy, perspective-taking, and self-awareness through stories and opportunities for self-expression.
- Creativity: Encouraging imaginative play, using art as a means of communication and self-expression, and exploring learning through music and topics aligned with a child’s individual interests (e.g., animals, world cultures, how things work).
- Critical Thinking: Building essential cognitive skills such as following instructions, understanding cause-and-effect relationships, and nurturing curiosity.
For a more in-depth exploration of Learn with Homer, you can read our comprehensive review here.
Verdict: Learn with Homer is exceptionally effective for developing phonemic awareness, mastering letter names and sounds, practicing sound blending, building phonics-based spelling skills, and gradually introducing sight words. We particularly appreciate the extensive library of read-aloud stories that cultivate a love for reading and the app’s robust customization options. The design is engaging and visually appealing, and the app’s foundation in synthetic phonics principles for reading instruction is a significant strength.
TRY HOMER FOR FREE!
#2: Hooked on Phonics
Highlights: Hooked on Phonics boasts a charming and engaging design. It aligns with Common Core standards and its own well-established Learn-to-Read curriculum. They offer a valuable subscription option that combines app access with physical curriculum materials (workbooks, readers, etc.) delivered monthly to US (here) and Canada (here) customers.
Price: A 7-day free trial is available, or opt for their bundle trial: $1 for the first month, which includes full app access and curriculum materials. After the trial period, the subscription is $12.99 per month. There are no long-term contracts, and cancellation is possible at any time.
How to Get: Take advantage of their almost-free trial ($1 for a month) here.
Does Hooked on Phonics Ring a Bell?
If the name “Hooked on Phonics” sounds familiar, it’s likely because of its long history. Originating as a phonics program in 1987, Hooked on Phonics has been a household name in reading education for decades.
The program has significantly evolved since its inception, adapting to the digital age with the creation of the Hooked on Phonics app.
What is the Hooked on Phonics App?
The Hooked on Phonics app comprises 42 phonics-based lessons, systematically progressing from pre-reading skills to more advanced phonics concepts. The curriculum covers:
- Basic pre-reading skills
- Short vowel and consonant sounds
- Reading simple words
- Blends and digraphs
- Concepts aligned up to a 2nd-grade reading level (Common Core standards).
What are Common Core Standards? Common Core Standards are educational benchmarks that outline what students should know and be able to do at each grade level from kindergarten through 12th grade. Adopted by many US states starting in 2010, these standards aim to create consistent educational expectations in English language arts and mathematics across different states. The goal is to ensure a degree of uniformity in the quality of education children receive, regardless of location. However, Common Core standards have also been a subject of debate among parents and educators.
Upon downloading the app, users are prompted with questions to assess a child’s current reading level, including alphabet knowledge and letter sound recognition. This assessment helps place the child at the appropriate starting point within the app’s curriculum.
Stages within the Hooked on Phonics App
The Hooked on Phonics app is structured into distinct stages:
- Pre-Reader Stage (12 steps): Focuses on foundational alphabet knowledge, letter sounds, and uppercase/lowercase letter correspondence.
- Learn to Read (30 steps): Progresses to blending sounds for reading, introduces more complex phonics patterns (letter combinations), word families, and decoding strategies.
- Hooked on Spelling (10 Steps): Included for free, this section specifically targets spelling skills, covering spelling patterns, rhyming words, and spelling words with suffixes.
Hooked on Phonics App: Pros
Here’s a summary of the key strengths of the Hooked on Phonics app:
- Excellent Uppercase and Lowercase Distinction: Hooked on Phonics effectively addresses the potentially confusing concept of uppercase and lowercase letter forms. While lowercase letters are typically taught first, children must understand the relationship between each sound and its corresponding uppercase and lowercase representations. Hooked on Phonics provides ample opportunities to learn and practice this crucial distinction, going beyond a superficial treatment of the topic.
- Direct Alignment with Hooked on Phonics Curriculum: The app seamlessly complements the traditional Hooked on Phonics Learn-to-Read curriculum. It feels as though the app was designed as a digital extension of their established literacy program. For families already using the physical Hooked on Phonics curriculum, the app serves as an ideal supplementary tool, reinforcing concepts learned in workbooks and readers. If you are using the curriculum, the subscription bundle offering both the app and physical materials is a worthwhile consideration.
- Common Core Alignment: The app’s content and activities align with Common Core standards, extending up to a 2nd-grade level. This is a relatively rare feature among literacy apps, making Hooked on Phonics particularly useful for parents seeking standards-aligned educational resources.
- Appealing and Clear Design: The app’s design is modern, visually appealing, and uncluttered, allowing children to focus on letter recognition and phonics concepts without distractions.
- Multiple Profiles and Device Access: Up to three child profiles can be created under a single account, and the subscription allows simultaneous access on up to three devices.
Hooked on Phonics App: Cons
While the Hooked on Phonics app is generally well-designed and effective, there are a few areas for potential improvement:
- Pacing in Pre-Reading Stage: In the initial pre-reading stages, the app could benefit from a greater emphasis on simultaneously teaching letter names and sounds. More activities to ensure mastery of letter-sound associations would be beneficial. The current pace might be slightly too fast for some very young learners, possibly due to the app’s origin as a curriculum supplement. Pairing the app with supplementary materials, ideally the Hooked on Phonics curriculum workbooks, could address this pacing issue.
For those considering this approach, the Hooked on Phonics App & Practice Pack Subscription Special Offer offers excellent value. For a low introductory price of $1 for the first month, subscribers receive unlimited app access and the Hooked on Phonics Learn-to-Read curriculum materials (books, workbooks, and more) delivered monthly. This risk-free trial allows ample time to assess the program’s suitability. The bundle subscription is $12.99 per month thereafter, with no long-term contracts. However, this bundle offer is currently limited to US and Canada residents.
- Emphasis on Word Families: The app places considerable emphasis on word families, particularly when practicing phonetically decodable words. While word families can be helpful, a stronger focus on individual sound blending for decoding might be more beneficial, aligning with current phonics best practices. This is a matter of pedagogical preference.
- Occasional Load Times: While infrequent, some activities may experience slightly longer load times, which could be noticeable for young children.
- Initial Navigation Learning Curve: For the first day or two, children might need a short adjustment period to understand the app’s navigation and the options available within each step. However, the app’s consistent structure quickly becomes intuitive and user-friendly. The consistent lesson format ultimately makes the app easy to navigate and use.
- Limited Explicit Sight Word Instruction: The app does not appear to explicitly address irregular sight words and exceptions to phonics rules.
Who is Hooked on Phonics For?
The Hooked on Phonics app is particularly well-suited for families in these situations:
- Accelerated Learning Pace: If you want a reading app that progresses at a relatively quick pace, Hooked on Phonics might be a good fit. It could be useful for children who are slightly behind in reading at school and require focused reinforcement at home. This app prioritizes literacy skills, unlike some apps like Learn with Homer that also incorporate numeracy, creativity, or logic activities. If literacy is your primary focus, and you prefer a program without these broader elements, Hooked on Phonics is a strong option.
- Common Core Alignment Preference: Parents seeking a reading app that aligns with Common Core standards will find Hooked on Phonics suitable.
- Spelling Reinforcement: The inclusion of “Hooked on Spelling” makes this app valuable for reinforcing spelling skills alongside reading.
- Hooked on Phonics Curriculum Users: Families already using or planning to use the Hooked on Phonics curriculum for homeschooling will find the app a perfect complement, especially with the Hooked on Phonics App & Practice Pack Subscription Special Offer.
Verdict: Hooked on Phonics is a strong contender if your primary focus is literacy, particularly phonics and sound blending. The app’s consistent lesson structure makes it user-friendly for both children and parents. The design is modern and appealing, and the catchy songs add to its engagement. It’s an essential addition if you choose to use their comprehensive Learn-to-Read curriculum.
#3: Reading.com
Highlights: Reading.com offers a complete literacy curriculum within an app, based on the Direct Instruction (DI) model. It features 99 fully scripted lessons, a library of decodable digital books with scaffolding, printable worksheets, and educational games to reinforce learning.
Price: 7-day free trial, followed by a yearly subscription at $6.25 per month.
How to Get: Start your free trial here.
What is Reading.com?
Reading.com stands out as a comprehensive learn-to-read curriculum delivered through an app. This isn’t just a collection of games; it’s a structured program designed for consistent use. With dedicated engagement, Reading.com has the potential to guide a child from initial letter recognition and pre-reading skills to fluent reading.
The app’s methodology is grounded in the Direct Instruction (DI) model of teaching reading. If you’re unfamiliar with Direct Instruction, you might find this article helpful. In essence, DI emphasizes:
- Clear and explicit instructions: Lessons are designed to be unambiguous and easy to understand.
- Carefully planned lessons: Each lesson is meticulously structured and sequenced.
- Gradual learning: Concepts are introduced incrementally, building upon prior knowledge.
- Scripted lessons: Teachers (or in this case, the app facilitator) follow a script to ensure consistent and accurate delivery of instruction, minimizing misinterpretations.
Direct Instruction has a robust history dating back to the 1960s, and research consistently demonstrates its highly positive impact on student learning outcomes.
Reading.com includes 99 guided lessons, each lasting between 5 and 20 minutes. It is designed for parent-child interaction, requiring adult involvement to read instructions and provide corrective feedback.
What Makes Reading.com Special? Reading.com Pros
Reading.com earns its place in our 2025 ranking due to several compelling features:
- Ease of Implementation: The scripted lesson format makes Reading.com incredibly easy for parents to use. The script provides clear guidance on what to say and do at each step, eliminating guesswork. The app is user-friendly for both facilitators and children.
- Direct Instruction Foundation: Reading.com is unique in being one of the few reading apps grounded in the Direct Instruction model, a research-backed approach with a strong track record of success.
- Parent Involvement as a Strength: While requiring parent involvement might seem like a limitation, it’s actually a significant advantage. Research consistently shows that parent-guided app use dramatically increases learning outcomes. Studies indicate that children are 19 times more likely to learn effectively from an app when a parent actively guides their learning experience. Reading.com capitalizes on this crucial element of parent-child interaction.
- Excellent Design for Focus: The app’s design is both visually appealing to children and intentionally crafted to minimize distractions, promoting focused learning. Children are drawn to the cute and modern interface, while parents can appreciate the design’s contribution to a concentrated learning environment.
- Engaging Alphabet Song: The alphabet song within Reading.com is a standout feature. It effectively helps children learn letter sounds and sets a positive tone for each lesson, as every lesson begins with this song. [Link to video example – timecode].
- Smart Co-Reading with Decodable Books: Each lesson concludes with a decodable book designed for “co-reading.” Initially, children read only the words aligned with their current phonics skills, while the parent reads the remaining text. This approach allows for more engaging and enjoyable stories, as word choice isn’t overly restricted by the child’s limited decoding abilities at the early stages.
- Tactile Digital Sliders for Blending: The interactive digital sliders beneath letters as sounds are pronounced are an exceptional and unique feature. This tactile element is incredibly effective for developing blending skills, a cornerstone of reading acquisition. This feature alone elevates Reading.com in our ranking.
- Reinforcing Educational Games: Engaging educational games are unlocked upon lesson completion, serving as effective reinforcement of the concepts taught in the lesson. These games are thoughtfully designed to be genuinely educational, not just frivolous entertainment.
Reading.com – TRY FREE!
Cons
- Platform Limitations: Currently, Reading.com is available for iOS and Android devices only. However, versions for Amazon, Chromebook, and Windows are reportedly in development.
- Requires Parent Involvement: As mentioned, parent involvement is essential. If you are seeking an app for independent child use, Reading.com is not the ideal choice. However, for younger children, parent-guided learning is generally considered a significant advantage.
- Limited Personalization: Compared to apps like Homer, Reading.com offers fewer customization options in terms of themes or specific interest-based paths.
- Reading-Focused Curriculum: Reading.com primarily focuses on reading skills development. It does not incorporate other subjects like math or social skills, which may be a consideration for families seeking a more comprehensive early learning app.
Verdict: Reading.com is a high-quality app that can effectively teach children to read when used consistently (ideally at least 3 times per week). Its standout features, particularly the tactile sliders, are unique and highly beneficial for developing blending skills. However, if you need an app for independent child use or one that encompasses subjects beyond reading, Reading.com might not be the best fit.
Reading.com – TRY FREE!
#4: Readability Tutor
Highlights: Readability Tutor utilizes cutting-edge technology, combining Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Voice Recognition to analyze a child’s reading, detect errors, and provide real-time corrections.
Price: 30-day free trial.
How to Get: Start your free trial here.
Readability Tutor is truly innovative, offering a unique approach to reading practice. It’s unlike most other reading apps currently available, providing a digital reading tutor experience.
What makes it so special? Readability Tutor aims to assist busy parents who wish they had more time to read with their children. It essentially acts as a digital reading partner, providing feedback and support in a way that mimics a parent or tutor.
Let’s explore how it works:
What is Readability Tutor?
Readability Tutor leverages Artificial Intelligence and Voice Recognition to actively listen as a child reads aloud. The AI analyzes the child’s pronunciation and instantly identifies any misread words. The app then provides immediate corrective feedback, similar to how a parent or tutor would guide a child during reading practice. After each book, Readability Tutor includes comprehension questions to assess understanding of the text.
Furthermore, Readability Tutor offers interactive vocabulary support. Children can tap on any word within the text to hear its pronunciation, access its definition, and add it to a personalized vocabulary list.
Readability Tutor is compatible with both Android and iOS devices, although it is not currently available for computer use.
Pros of the Readability Tutor App
- Increased Reading Practice for All Readers: Readability Tutor provides invaluable extra reading practice, particularly beneficial for beginner and struggling readers. Consistent practice with appropriately leveled texts and immediate feedback is crucial for reading development. While parental reading support is ideal, time constraints often limit the amount of dedicated reading time parents can provide daily. Readability Tutor offers a practical solution, supplementing parental support and providing additional reading practice opportunities.
- Advanced Comprehension Questions: Beyond basic recall, Readability Tutor’s comprehension questions are designed to promote deeper understanding. Unlike typical multiple-choice or yes/no questions, Readability Tutor utilizes open-ended questions that require children to formulate their answers in their own words. This encourages critical thinking and active engagement with the text.
- Comprehensive Parent Dashboard: Parents have access to a detailed dashboard to monitor their child’s progress. This accountability report tracks key metrics such as reading accuracy, reading time, reading speed, and more. This data provides valuable insights into a child’s reading development and areas for potential focus.
- Personalized Book Library: Upon setting up a child’s profile, the app assesses their age and reading level. Based on this assessment, Readability Tutor curates a personalized library of books that are appropriately challenging and engaging. Matching books to a child’s reading level is crucial for successful reading development, especially for beginners and struggling readers.
- Reduces Reading Anxiety: For some children who experience anxiety or apprehension about reading aloud to a person, Readability Tutor’s “no-judgment” approach can be highly beneficial. The app provides a safe and pressure-free environment for children to practice reading at their own pace, without feeling self-conscious or judged.
- Vocabulary Building Tools: The interactive vocabulary features are excellent for expanding word knowledge. The ability to instantly access pronunciations and definitions and create personalized vocabulary lists empowers children to actively build their vocabulary. Vocabulary lists are conveniently organized alphabetically for review.
Cons of the Readability Tutor App
- Occasional Glitches: Some users have reported occasional minor glitches with the open-ended question feature. Software updates and improvements are likely to address these minor issues over time.
- Limited Error Analysis in Parent Dashboard: While the parent dashboard provides comprehensive data, it currently lacks specific details about the types of reading errors a child makes. Providing information about specific mispronounced words or error patterns in the dashboard would further enhance its value for parents.
Verdict: Readability Tutor is a revolutionary digital tool that provides valuable extra reading practice and personalized feedback. Its innovative AI-powered technology offers a unique and effective approach to supporting reading development. It is particularly ideal for children who need additional reading practice and for busy families seeking to supplement their child’s reading instruction.
#5: Lingokids
Highlights: Lingokids is exceptional for vocabulary development, building pre-reading skills, and fostering a love for reading through enjoyable, play-based learning. While not a comprehensive reading program, its safety features, offline accessibility, and progress tracking make it a superb choice for parents of young children, especially bilingual families or English language learners.
Price: Free trial available, followed by a monthly subscription of $14.99.
How to Get: Access Lingokids here.
What is Lingokids?
Lingokids is a top-tier learning app specifically designed for preschoolers and children in the early stages of reading readiness. Its core philosophy is learning through play, using engaging songs, vibrant visuals, and interactive games to make acquiring pre-reading skills fun and effortless.
The app’s partnership with Oxford University Press ensures high-quality English language content, making it a particularly valuable resource for English Language Learners and bilingual families.
What Makes Lingokids Stand Out?
Lingokids excels at building vocabulary and nurturing a positive attitude towards reading. The app offers a wide range of activities across various subjects, keeping children engaged and motivated. Reading-related content is seamlessly integrated within this broader learning environment. The catchy songs are a particular highlight, effectively introducing new vocabulary in a memorable and enjoyable way. This approach, combined with the app’s emphasis on making reading fun, effectively prepares young children for formal reading instruction.
Is Lingokids a Complete Reading Program?
Lingokids is not designed as a comprehensive, step-by-step reading program. However, its numerous strengths make it a valuable addition for families with young children, English Language Learners, and those seeking a safe, play-based learning environment to reinforce early literacy skills.
Parents can feel confident in allowing their children to use Lingokids due to its safety features and the ability to monitor screen time and track progress. Screen time limits can be easily set within the app’s administrative section. The progress tracking feature provides helpful insights into a child’s learning journey.
A free trial is available, and a basic version can be used indefinitely.
Verdict: Lingokids is an excellent app for sparking a child’s enthusiasm for reading in a fun and engaging way, particularly for bilingual children or those learning English as a second language.
Try LINGOKIDS FOR FREE!
#6: Epic!
Highlights: Epic! is a vast digital library for children aged 2 to 12, offering a massive collection of books. It includes read-aloud and read-to-me options, books in multiple languages, and reading comprehension quizzes. Educators can assign books to students. With its extensive library catering to diverse interests, Epic! is perfect for cultivating a love of reading in children.
Price: Free basic plan available. Unlimited plan options range from $6.67/month (annual plan) to $11.99/month (monthly plan).
How to Get: Available on the App Store, Google Play, and their Website.
Think of Epic! as a “home library” or “the Netflix of books for children.” With over 40,000 fiction and non-fiction titles for children aged 2 to 12, Epic!’s library truly caters to every interest and reading level. This vast selection makes it an ideal tool for igniting the “reading bug” and fostering a lifelong love of books.
What is Epic!?
Epic! is a digital library specifically curated for children, offering over 40,000 book titles for ages 2 to 12. The platform makes book discovery easy, with relevant suggestions based on user preferences and settings.
For children in the early stages of learning to read, Epic! provides a wealth of read-aloud and read-to-me books. These features are invaluable when an adult is unavailable to read aloud more challenging books. The read-to-me books also enhance early reading skills by highlighting each word as it is narrated, supporting word recognition and print awareness.
Pros
- Extensive Book Collection: Epic! boasts a massive and diverse collection of children’s books.
- Comprehension Quizzes: Many books include comprehension questions to assess reading understanding.
- Personalized Recommendations: The app provides relevant book suggestions to keep children engaged and encourage exploration of new titles.
- Audiobook Library: Epic! also offers a substantial collection of audiobooks.
- Educational Videos: Beyond books, the platform includes a library of educational videos.
- Multilingual Content: Books and content are available in multiple languages.
- Book Assignment Feature: Educators and parents can assign specific books to children.
- Intuitive and Appealing Design: The app features a user-friendly and visually appealing interface.
- Free Basic Plan: A free basic plan offers limited access, providing a taste of the platform’s offerings.
Cons
- Limited Multilingual Content: While multilingual content exists, expanding the library of books in languages other than English would be beneficial.
- Basic Plan Limitations: The free basic plan is limited in its features and book access.
Verdict: Epic! is a fantastic resource for any family with children. Access to a vast digital library at home, even with the limitations of the free plan, is a significant benefit.
#7: Teach Your Monster (to Read)
Highlights: Teach Your Monster to Read is a game-based program grounded in phonics principles. It aligns with the synthetic phonics curriculum recommended in schools across England and Wales.
Price: Free to use on a PC or $9.99 for the app version on Android or iOS.
How to Get: Access the game here.
What is Teach Your Monster to Read?
Teach Your Monster to Read is a computer game specifically designed for beginner readers. It targets children in the very early stages of reading development, ideally between the ages of 5 and 7.
It’s an excellent supplementary tool to reinforce phonics instruction learned at school or through homeschooling. The game provides engaging practice and review of phonics concepts.
[Reading Horizons Affiliate Link – Placeholder]
How Does it Work?
In Teach Your Monster to Read, players begin by creating their own monster avatar. This monster then embarks on a series of games, tests, and tasks designed to teach it to read. Players earn rewards for their progress and achievements within the game. All activities are centered around letters and letter sounds.
The game follows a sequential approach, introducing sounds in a logical order. It is structured into three levels:
- Level 1 (First Steps): For children just beginning to learn letters and sounds. Activities focus on the most common letter sounds, basic two-letter combinations (e.g., “ck,” “ss”), blending sounds to read consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words, and introducing some “tricky” sight words.
- Level 2 (Fun With Words): Designed for children who are already comfortable with basic phonics. This level introduces more complex letter combinations and digraphs (e.g., “ch,” “sh,” “ng”).
- Level 3 (Champion Reader): For children who can confidently read short sentences and know most basic letter-sound combinations.
Our Experience with the Game
We found the mini-games section particularly useful for targeted practice of specific sounds. This feature allows children to repeatedly practice sounds needing extra attention in a fun and engaging way. For example, children can focus on practicing the /sh/ sound or the voiced /th/ sound (as in “they”).
The “sighties” game was also a favorite.
It’s worth noting that the game’s voiceovers and sounds use British English pronunciation. This might be a benefit or a drawback depending on your home language environment.
Verdict: Teach Your Monster to Read is a fun and educational synthetic phonics game. It’s a great supplementary resource for extra phonics practice, especially when used alongside a phonics-based curriculum. For families in Wales and England, its alignment with the national reading curriculum is a significant advantage.
#8: Khan Academy Kids
Highlights: Khan Academy Kids is a comprehensive educational program encompassing literacy, numeracy, arts, logic, social-emotional skills, and more. It aligns with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and Common Core standards.
Price: Free.
How to Get: Available for Android (here) and iOS (here).
What is Khan Academy Kids?
While not solely a reading app, Khan Academy Kids is a comprehensive early learning program covering a wide range of subjects, including math, arts, and logic, in addition to literacy.
Its inclusion in this list is due to its exceptional value as a free, high-quality educational resource. Khan Academy Kids aligns with both the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and Common Core standards, making it a standards-aligned option.
Regarding literacy development, Khan Academy Kids offers:
- A library of over 300 fiction and non-fiction books available in both “Read-to-Me” and “Read-by-Myself” formats, many including comprehension questions.
- Literacy activities tailored to a child’s reading level.
- Phonics lessons covering letter sounds, uppercase and lowercase letter recognition, and early word reading skills like CVC words.
Pros
- High-Quality and Engaging Content: The app’s content is well-designed, educational, and engaging for young learners.
- Comprehensive Curriculum: Khan Academy Kids is a comprehensive program covering multiple subjects, making it a strong option for families seeking a broad-based early learning resource.
- Free and Ad-Free: The app is completely free and contains no advertisements, a significant advantage for a free educational app.
Cons
- Phonics Approach: While Khan Academy Kids incorporates phonics, it is not strictly a systematic synthetic phonics program. However, its approach to reading instruction is still generally phonics-based and effective.
Verdict: Khan Academy Kids is a high-quality app offering a wide array of activities across multiple subjects, including literacy, numeracy, and more. Its free and comprehensive nature makes it an excellent choice for early childhood education.
Download Khan Academy Kids: Android, iOS
#9: Starfall
Highlights: Starfall offers a substantial variety of free learn-to-read activities and games, particularly in its web version. It can be used for children learning to read from the beginning or as a supplement to a phonics curriculum.
Price: Free (limited access to games and activities, web version only). Unlimited access to all games and activities is available through paid memberships (ranging from $35 to $355 per year).
How to Get: Access Starfall here.
What is Starfall?
Starfall is both a website and an app providing a range of learn-to-read and math activities for pre-K through 3rd grade.
It operates on a “freemium” model, offering some free content while requiring a paid annual membership for full access to all games, lessons, and activities.
Starfall is particularly strong for beginner readers, offering numerous activities for children just starting to learn the alphabet, along with engaging games and videos.
The app is available for both Android and iOS, and the web version offers additional free content.
The “Learn-to-Read” section, with its games, interactive stories, and activities, is a standout feature.
Starfall is not intended as a comprehensive reading curriculum, at least in its home version. It is best used as a supplementary tool to reinforce concepts and provide extra practice alongside a primary phonics program.
Pros
- Free Content: The free version offers a decent selection of games and activities that are perpetually free.
- Multi-Sensory and Interactive: Starfall’s stories and games are multi-sensory and interactive, making learning fun for children.
- Sequential Phonics Approach: Starfall follows a sequential phonics order, gradually increasing word complexity as children progress through the program.
- Interactive Books: In the “I’m Reading” section, children can click on words within books to check their decoding accuracy.
- Read-to-Me Library: Starfall includes a “talking library” of read-aloud books.
- Numeracy Activities: Starfall also incorporates numeracy activities.
Cons
- Outdated Design: The website and app design can feel somewhat dated compared to more modern apps.
- Not a Comprehensive Curriculum: Starfall should not be considered a complete learn-to-read program but rather a supplementary resource.
- Free Content Limitations: Free activities and games are primarily limited to the web version.
Verdict: Starfall is a worthwhile option if you are seeking supplementary activities to reinforce reading and math skills. It is best used in conjunction with another phonics program or phonics-based materials.
Laura
Hey there! I’m Laura – an author, YouTuber, blogger, and the creator of Learning Reading Hub. I’m passionate about effective reading instruction and dedicated to sharing the importance of using research-backed methods for teaching reading. I hold a TEYL (Teaching English to Young Learners) certification and a Journalism degree from the University of Navarra in Spain, along with a Master’s Degree in Communication.
I’ve always been driven by research, writing, connecting with people, and sharing knowledge. My background spans marketing, digital projects, and education, particularly language learning. I thrive in multifaceted roles.
My journey into reading instruction began when my eldest child started learning to read. This experience opened my eyes to the complexities and challenges of literacy acquisition. I navigated a path of self-education, insightful discoveries, and some frustrating setbacks. The abundance of conflicting information and ineffective methods in reading instruction became apparent, highlighting a widespread issue.
Now, I channel my passion into Learning Reading Hub, aiming to share my experiences and insights in an accessible and helpful way. My mission is to simplify the learning-to-read journey for others who are on a similar path.
My family and the Learning Reading Hub project are my central focus. I live with my husband and two young children, raising them in a bilingual (English and Spanish) environment.
