The Sensible Mom

Food, DIY, Chicago Mom Blogger

Homeschooling

The Importance of Reading to Your Child 20 minutes a day and a LeapFrog Giveaway!

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leap frog

It pretty much goes without saying that reading to your children is important. It’s valuable, special, and one of the greatest gifts that you could ever give your child.

What Reading Does for Your Child

Reading builds relationships, character, imagination, critical thinking skills, and the bottom line is that reading makes our children smarter. Specifically, reading to our children 20 minutes a day helps them be better able to excel academically and grows in their hearts a lifelong love of reading, which leads to our children becoming lifelong learners.

Better Readers become Better Writers

I had a fierce love of reading as I grew up, and I know it all started because people who cared about me took the time to read to me. I want the same for my kids. I want them to see the importance of books in their lives and how it can help them to be better in everything they put their minds to do.

I know that for me, reading eventually led to a love of writing. As I read my way through school and came to love the stories and characters I read about, I became a better writer and excelled in my creative writing class and pretty much all of my English classes.

Math, on the other hand…that’s another story (pun intended). But let’s get back to the point of this post. 😉

When you read to your child, you show them that reading is not dull and boring

Children who are read to 20 minutes a day learn to see that books are not a chore but rather an adventure….an entrance into another world even. Because you’ve spent time reading with your child, you’re likely to find them wanting to explore books on their own. Or you may find them always asking you to read “just one more book.”

leapfrog

What if you haven’t been reading 20 minutes a day to your child?

Don’t feel guilty. No way. You can start today. All you need is a book, after all. One thing I know is that you won’t regret one single minute spent reading to your child.

Tip: You can visit LeapFrog’s website for free resources and ideas to help get you started.

And now for the GIVEAWAY!

One of my readers will win one (1) LeapFrog Prize Pack!

The Prize Pack includes:

  • Tag Leap and the Lost Dinosaur
  • Tag Get Ready for Kindergarten
  • Tag Junior Toddler Milestones
  • Tag Junior Animals Around the World

{Approximate value of prize pack items is $50.}

Here’s How to Enter the Giveaway:

Just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter. I’ve included options for extra entries, too!

This giveaway will run from today, March 18th, until next Wednesday, March 27th. The giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above. The winner will be randomly chosen. I will promptly send the winner an email notifying the winner that they’ve won, and the winner must respond within 48hrs. of the giveaway’s end, otherwise I will have to draw a new winner. Now go ahead and enter below! 🙂

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More Good Stuff from LeapFrog

JOIN THE LEAPFROG “READ 20 MINUTES A DAY” PLEDGE TO GIVE BOOKS TO AMERICA’S SCHOOLS

In honor of Reading Month, LeapFrog is donating $2 million of books to America’s schools, and you can help! Go to Facebook and share the “Read 20 Minutes a Day” pledge, and LeapFrog will donate 5 books for every pledge!

GET TIPS, ACTIVITIES AND MORE TO GET YOUR CHILD READING ON LEAPFROG’S READING MONTH PAGE

LeapFrog is raising awareness of the importance of reading with your child 20 minutes a day to help kids reach their potential. Discover how to keep your little learner engaged in reading on LeapFrog’s Reading Month page, where you can get tips, videos, activities , and printables!

GET $3 OFF TAG BOOKS:

LeapFrog is offering special deals on reading products all through March, in honor of Reading Month, including $3 off of Tag and Tag Junior books.

CHECK OUT LEAPFROG’S LIBRARY OF LEARN-­‐T0-­‐READ BOOKS AND GAMES:

LeapFrog has a huge library of learn-­‐to-­‐read content for its best-­‐selling, award-­‐winning learning platforms including Tag and LeapPad2:

• Tag and Tag Junior: the #1 selling reading system has a leveled library for children age 1-­‐8, with 80+ interactive books, maps, games and more! Check out these new releases: Leap and the Lost Dinosaur and Toddler Milestones.

• LeapPad2/LeapPad1: ultra e-­‐books automatically adjust to a child’s reading ability and keeps them learning. Check out the recent ultra e-­‐book release: Mr. Pencil, which teaches reading AND writing!

I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective but content and opinions expressed here are my own. To take the LeapFrog Reading Month pledge, please visit their Facebook page. #LFReadingMonth #spon


Readingeggs.com – The Sensible Mom’s Review of a Great Homeschooling Resource

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readingeggs.com

Have you ever come across a homeschooling resource….book, website, chart, anything…..that instantly clicked with your child?

It just worked.

Automatically.

They loved it.

Instantly.

I have never had that experience before until I was given the opportunity to receive a free 3-month trial subscription of the program, Reading Eggs. As a member of The Homeschool Lounge’s review team, I had the opportunity to try out this online program. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was very pleasantly surprised. All 3 of our older kids, ages 11, 9, and 5, all loved it.

Why do my kids love it?

It’s like they’re playing a game, but they’re learning. They’re constantly learning, and this program is so well done, it keeps them interested and wanting to go on to the next level.

Why I love it?

It starts out with giving your child an assessment to see where they are at in terms of reading and spelling, and then based on the results of the assessment, your child starts the program on the appropriate level. There are 120 levels in all. After they finish those levels, they can go on to “Reading Eggspress” where they choose stories to read and are then quizzed on the material. Nathan and Breanna are both using Reading Eggspress and have enjoyed reading the stories. They often share what they’ve read about with me, and it sparks a conversation with my kids.

I also love the quality of this program. As a designer, I can appreciate well done graphics and effects. This program has both. I was very impressed by the high quality of the animation and characters in Reading Eggs. Very impressed. Because we’ve used other computer based programs in the past, and the graphics generally aren’t high quality and done well, which can take away from the program and make it less interesting.

I like that the developers of Reading Eggs are still working on the program to make it better and add more quality, educational content to it.

Who is Reading Eggs for?

This program is geared toward children 3-13 years old. I mentioned my older kids using the program. They’re 11,9, and 5yrs. old, but about a month ago, I started our youngest son, David, on the program, too. David is 3yrs. old, and after learning how to use the computer mouse pad, he’s been learning with the program, too.

When do we use Reading Eggs?

We’ve been using the program for almost 3 months now, and its become a regular part of our homeschooling routine for reading and spelling. When we first started using the program, it was hard to tear the kids away from it on the weekends.

If you don’t homeschool, would you still recommend Reading Eggs?

Yes! We use it for homeschooling, but it can be used to help your child learn the reading and spelling even if you don’t homeschool. It’s geared toward all children ages 3-13yrs. old. This would be a GREAT resource to help a child who is struggling in reading or spelling, too.

What do you need to use the Reading Eggs program?

You will need internet access. Unlike another computer based program that we’ve used called Switched-On Schoolhouse, which does not require internet access, Reading Eggs does.

Will we be purchasing the program after the free trial ends?

Resounding, “Yes!” I was able to find codes (internet search) to use for all the kids (except the baby) to try Reading Eggs (only 1 child got the free 3 month subscription provided my Reading Eggs) on a trial basis, and next week I will be purchasing 1yr. access to the program for Nathan, Breanna, Isaac, and David.

The bottom line?

This program works. How do I know? Nathan and Breanna are doing better in reading and spelling, and Isaac has grown in leaps and bounds in knowledge of letters, their sounds, and sounding out words. Go check it out and see for yourself. You can get a free trial for your child on their website.

Disclosure: I received a free 3 month trial of Reading Eggs in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own. I would have totally recommended Reading Eggs anyway. It’s a great program!