My baby boy is in his final weeks of preK and after this summer, he’ll be starting Kindergarten! It’s hard to believe that I’ll be sending off my youngest child to Kindergarten in just a couple of months, but such is the reality! He’s already learned so much in his primary years – both at home and during his time at preschool and preK, so I can’t wait for him to enter elementary school and take his learning to another level. We’re amazed at how well he’s already reading, his interest for certain authors (Mo Willems is definitely a favorite), and his love of math. To ensure he keeps up with his learning and is prepared for Kindergarten come August, our summer will have a great mix of learning, relaxation, and fun! The best part for me is that it won’t require a ton of time or effort on my part with the vast array of tools and resources available, such as this new reading app we received a complimentary subscription for, Speakaboos! Read on to see how we’ll be using it this summer with baby boy!
Summer Reading & Learning with Speakaboos Reading App
Speakaboos is a reading app for kids (ages 2-6) that helps turn screen time into reading time by motivating children of all reading levels to engage with digital stories. Developed by educational media experts (including Dr. Alice Wilder of Blue’s Clues and Super WHY!), Speakaboos features a library of over 200 stories categorized by high interest topics such as vehicles, robots, princesses, animals, classic stories, and more. Stories include animated characters, rich illustrations, and touchscreen interactions, all to keep children engaged while reading and learning!
After watching my baby boy try out Speakaboos, I was impressed with the attention he paid to the stories. He browsed the various categories, picked those that interested him the most, and read along with the narrator. Here are a few of the things I liked about Speakaboos and why it’ll be a great summer learning tool for him:
- He can choose from three reading modes: Read to Me, Read & Play, or Read it Myself (most stories have all 3).
- As the story is read, the text is highlighted underneath so that he can follow along.
- There are many familiar characters and stories he already loves (such as Sesame Street, Sid the Science Kid, and Harold and the Purple Crayon), but he can also learn about and become more familiar with classic stories and characters such as Humpty Dumpty, Where the Wild Things Are, and Frankenstein, to name a few.
- There are Spanish-language stories available! While my children are not fluent in Spanish, it’s wonderful to listen to stories in Spanish and help them in their quest to learn more. Plus, there are also Little Pim stories available in both Spanish and French for even more language learning fun!
- He can use Speakaboos anywhere since it’s not dependent on Internet connection. That means he can read a story in the car while we’re out running errands or on a road trip!
Speakaboos is available for free download on Speakaboos.com or via iTunes for iOS and Google Play for Android. If you want to give Speakaboos a try for yourself this summer, take advantage of their 7 day free trial offer (available to everyone). After the 7 day trial, you can choose from a monthly or yearly subscription for unlimited access to the 200+ story library. Be sure to subscribe using this link to receive an exclusive modernmami reader discount of 30% off your monthly or yearly subscription! Watch the video below to learn more and see why it’s easy for your kids to #ChooseReading with the Speakaboos reading app!
How do you encourage your children to #ChooseReading over the summer months?
All photos © Melanie Edwards/modernmami™, except where noted
Disclosure: As part of the Type A Parent Blogger Network, I was compensated for my time and effort in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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