These days, practically as soon as kids enter traditional kindergarten, they’re expected to be reading. Reading levels in school are deemed extremely important from the get-go, and the push for more academic early education has led to more kids underperforming in the earliest years of school. Because some kids may not be developmentally ready to read, have shorter attention spans or, in some cases, have learning differences that prevent them from reading, it can be a stressful experience.
As a mom who was told her daughter was falling behind in reading at the young age of five, I know the feeling well. While I didn’t exactly agree that my daughter needed to be a seasoned reader at five or even six, I worried most about how her confidence would be affected if she was falling behind her peers.
I tried to support her the best I could and found that a low-pressure approach worked best. We spent time reading together and practicing sounding out words, but playing reading games on an iPhone and tablet felt more like fun and less like work. I realized that when my kid was relaxed and playing games, rather than stressed or frustrated, she could absorb the information easier. Here are some of the best reading apps for kids that she still enjoys learning from and playing.
