Your experience with Reading Eggs

[momto2Cs]

I have read such mixed reviews on the actual effectiveness of this program that I thought I'd post a poll. Just voting is fine, but if you'd like to expand on your answer, I'd love that too!

[raceNzanesmom]

My son loves Reading Eggs. However, I don't use it to teach him reading. I use it as a fun supplement to reinforce his reading skills. I do the same with my 4 y/o day care boys. It's to reinforce what is already being/been taught.

[mommy5]

I've seen a dramatic improvement with my just turned 7 yr old ... he seems to have more confidence in his ability to read and will actually try to read books without becoming so frustrated. When he started the program they had him listed as a 5.5 yr old (he had just turned 7) and now he is at a 6 yr old reading level according to RE. I wasn't using it to teach him ... I wanted it as a supplement but it was far more engaging to him than any of the many phonics programs we had used...

[chepyl]

We just started using it. It is as a supplement. I never would have paid for it. I signed up because I could do it for free.

 

I am hoping it will be a.good review for my almost 4 year old. She always says she forgets her letters. It will be good daily practice in a different style. She is my difficult child....she won't share what she knows, it is a guessing game. I have to catch her when she thinks I am not watching! I hope reading eggs will help me see where she really is. Who knows, the child can probably read already for all I know!! When I ask her a letter I get "I don't know?" We shall see.

Edited February 7, 2012 by chepyl

[Stages]

I just started using this with my daughter (who turns four this month). She's done up to lesson five, but when I worked with her on those skills on a chalkboard, she wasn't too clear on the sight words. She kept wanting to say that "at" was "sat" and "am" was "sam." I'm having her redo those two lessons.

 

She did, however, get "I" down well, and that was a letter we haven't gotten to yet.

 

I can tell this won't be a magic bullet kind of thing, but I do really like it (especially with all the promo codes!).

[Princess Peach]

I voted that we use it as a supplement. I just signed up DS8 with the free codes. He has been loving it so far. I just let him play around on it, but he's doing well with it. He loves video games, so it's a good fit. He can even do it on his Kindle Fire.

[ItoLina]

My son liked it for a couple of months then he was over it so I cancelled the subscription. I definately feel that it was supplemental and just a fun thing for him to do. I don't feel like he got nearly enough out of it to make it his reading program. I more used it as a reward for getting through a tough lesson in our regular school. He doesn't miss it now.

[Kathryn]

Other. DS was placed on map 8 after answering all the placement questions correctly. He got through about two minutes before complaining about the fact that it wanted him to do everything twice even though it was right. I don't know how "high" it goes, but given how easy level eight is, and that's the highest you can place and you can't skip, we are a dislike. I may try it with DS2 when he's older since so many people like it though.

[MistyMountain]

I just signed up and started it with my 3 and 5 year old. Right now I can't see it doing much for dd at the level they placed her at but maybe it will as she goes on. For her it is definitely just a fun supplement for now. I think it will be good for my 3 year old who knows his letter sounds. I like the rhyming and what starts with this letter activities. It is introducing blending right at the beginning. I am not sure where he will be after doing it but he is only 3 and I think it will expand his knowledge and he likes doing it so for him I like it a lot. I didn't vote since I only had the program a few days.

Edited February 7, 2012 by MistyMountain

[QuirkyKapers]

I liked it and had used it as a supplement until the 14 subscription expired. My dd wasn't that crazy about it that she asked to continue. I did enter some of the codes from the other thread and thought I would have her try again.

[Jess4879]

We just started using this. I like it and the kids LOVE it, but we only use it as a supplement.

[boscopup]

Other. DS was placed on map 8 after answering all the placement questions correctly. He got through about two minutes before complaining about the fact that it wanted him to do everything twice even though it was right. I don't know how "high" it goes, but given how easy level eight is, and that's the highest you can place and you can't skip, we are a dislike. I may try it with DS2 when he's older since so many people like it though.

 

Click on the Eggspress link. It's harder - meant for up to 12 years old.

[cbollin]

Other. DS was placed on map 8 after answering all the placement questions correctly. He got through about two minutes before complaining about the fact that it wanted him to do everything twice even though it was right. I don't know how "high" it goes, but given how easy level eight is, and that's the highest you can place and you can't skip, we are a dislike. I may try it with DS2 when he's older since so many people like it though.

 

we tried it to see what it was like....

same situation here.... got all right on placement test. in map 8. only short vowels? really? what are those last three maps like then?

 

we changed over to the other section for older readers... so far the system keeps locking up on us.. so we don't have any "eggsperience" on that part of the site. try again tomorrow?

 

glad I'm not paying for subscription to play with it.

 

There are parts of it that I like with sentence building and other skills. games are fun. I'm hoping the older section will work better tomorrow and see what's that like.

 

-crystal

[Momof3littles]

Click on the Eggspress link. It's harder - meant for up to 12 years old.

Is that part of the regular subscription? I just signed up for our free trial but we haven't gotten to play around with it yet. I have my older two kids signed up, and they are almost 8 (fluent and proficient reader) and my emerging reader 5 yo DD.

 

I saw the Eggspress thing but wasn't sure if that was an additional fee? We are using the free trial in addition to several of the codes that were listed to extend the free number of days.

[Walking-Iris]

I tried a free trial of it with my 4 year old not too long ago. We worked at it everyday to make the most of the free trial and to be honest I hated it. Too repetitive at times (the letters floating around drove me crazy) and by the time he got to the point where he was able to play the games then all chance of getting him to do a lesson before the game was off. I don't think he was learning phonics more than he was learning where to click to make the program respond so he can move ahead as quickly as possible. Which is the main thing I really dislike about these computer point and click/reward programs.

 

Starfall is free and I have had much better luck using that as a fun computer supplement. There's no *locked* stages so a kid can move forward or backward as they will and there's no reward ( i.e. the chance to play games that have nothing to do with reading) and there's real stories available to read. I also like how they can read it themselves, but only click on the word if they want to hear it spoken.

 

I wouldn't waste money on Reading Eggs.

[boscopup]

Is that part of the regular subscription?

 

It's included in the free trial (I did the codes). On the dashboard where the kids' names are, right above each kid's name, there is a "Reading Eggs" on the left and "Reading Eggspress" on the right. Click on the right one, then click on start reading. It takes you to the Eggspress section.

 

We made the mistake of doing the reading test for Reading Eggs also, and DS likewise placed at map 8. We gave it a try for grins, and it was so easy that even he was bored to tears, and he likes stuff like starfall, even when it's easy. He did the placement test for Reading Eggspress and placed at level 5.1 (5th grade). I actually would like to bump him back some, but can't find a way to do that quite yet. The quizzes are a bit difficult when they get into the questions about inference, asking what the point of a sentence is in the passage, that sort of thing. He's used to direct questions about what the passage says, not making logic stage connections between passages. ;)

[momto2Cs]

Okay, so from what I am gathering reading opinions here, and thanks to all those who have chimed in, I should possibly use this as a fun reward supplement to our current line-up of ClickN'Read/Funnix, ETC, and readers. Hmmmm... wonder if I can get dd8 to go for that! :001_huh:

Edited February 7, 2012 by momto2Cs

[Kathryn]

I clicked over on the other side but we were short on time by that point and I didn't see that there was any placement test or anything other than a map where you could walk around a city. DS went to an apartment and changed clothes and then we started our normal school day and haven't gone back to it yet.

[boscopup]

I clicked over on the other side but we were short on time by that point and I didn't see that there was any placement test or anything other than a map where you could walk around a city. DS went to an apartment and changed clothes and then we started our normal school day and haven't gone back to it yet.

 

If you were at an apartment, it sounds like you already got in without taking the placement test. The first time you enter, there is an option to start at the beginning or take a placement test, just like there was with the Reading Eggs portion. Though I wish I'd just started my son from the beginning instead of taking the test. :tongue_smilie:

[Rbsmrter]

I've used it since my daughter was 3 and we've always used it as a supplement. At 3 she knew all of her letter sounds, some consonant blends and could read CVC words. She had a couple of sight words under her belt, but not many. There was no way she could have completed the second map by herself. They would drop in sight words that had never been introduced before. By the third and fourth map they drop in words without introducing the rules (ex: double consonant endings like "buzz"). I realize that she's younger than the target age, but I think any kid would run into the same problems if they are just learning how to read. There were also some timed games that would frustrate her. Rather than motivating her to read more fluently she would just get mad if she couldnt finish it in the right amount of time. I think this was due to the fact that she was young and still familiarizing herself with the mouse, since she seems to do a bit better now. The program lacks the depth to be a stand alone reading curriculum, but I do think it's a great reinforcement for certain skills. The order in which they introduce concepts seems a bit scattered, so I just find the lesson that correlates with what we are doing. I've definitely noticed a huge reading improvement in the last year, but I definitely don't attribute that to just RE. If you have a young, reluctant, or struggling reader I think it would be a great program. I definitely found it to be worth the money.

Edited February 7, 2012 by Rbsmrter

[Jay3fer]

I would have liked a choice like, "Had (having) fun using it as a supplement but saw no appreciable difference." :lol:

 

My kids are both reading okay, and I don't really see this making them more (or less) fluent! Probably won't renew... I'll just warn them a month or so ahead that Reading Eggs is "ending." :D

 

I am doing it more to give them computer skills than reading skills. My ds4 is now getting quite confident with dragging and dropping with the mouse. It's kind of frustrating because I started him at the very beginning and it's still showing him single letters... while in real life, he's already reading Robert Munsch books. I could up the level but I don't want him to lose all the eggs he's already opened. So I pretend he's learning the computer and leave it at that. My dd6 started on level 70-something, so hers is okay.

 

The tasks are occasionally frustrating or weird, but mostly, they enjoy it. We don't do a lot on the computer, so it's partly the novelty that makes it interesting.

[LMD]

We love reading eggs here. It really was a big part of DD learning to read. I did work with her, but RE gave her the confidence to take off. She's a fantastic reader now, many levels ahead of her age.

 

DS1 is using reading eggs at the moment. He's a different learner, he loves RE but is less confident with applying the knowledge he gains from it to other reading. I am having him work on RE especially to build his confidence, while we continue our learning to read stuff.

 

I chose option 1, love it and saw improvement. :) I paid for it and would do so again.

[Jay3fer]

I should possibly use this as a fun reward supplement to our current line-up of ClickN'Read/Funnix, ETC, and readers. Hmmmm... wonder if I can get dd8 to go for that! :001_huh:

 

This is exactly what I do. It's a reward for Rosetta Stone, which my dd dislikes (but which challenges her and she is learning TONS; it's incredible!). I set a timer and after 10 minutes of Rosetta Stone, each kid gets 10 minutes of Reading Eggs, and usually 5 minutes of "Reading Eggs free play" after that.

 

But if your dd is 8, it might be far too simple and if she's used any "real" games, it's going to seem babyish and silly.

[sewingmama]

I voted other.

 

I originally subscribed for my DD. She has never really liked it and I have to require her to do a lesson before she just plays the other stuff. There hasn't been any difference in her reading using it.

 

My DS4 has just started using it. He really likes it and I see his level of reading improving quickly -but I don't know if that is the program or if he was just ready to start reading. I found out last week he could actually read my DD's phonics readers and I've given him a weeks worth of phonics pathways lessons and he is just really catching on fast and shooting off - hard to tell if the game is useful to him or not but he is almost passed my DD's level in one week what she has accomplished over 8 months of use LOL.

[Element]

I chose "Other." My kids never used Eggs but they have been using Eggspress for a couple of months and they love it! I don't know if they are learning anything new but it certainly isn't hurting them.

[sewingmama]

They would drop in sight words that had never been introduced before. By the third and fourth map they drop in words without introducing the rules (ex: double consonant endings like "buzz"). I realize that she's younger than the target age, but I think any kid would run into the same problems if they are just learning how to read.

 

That is an issue I had with it. My DS4 did the placement test and they put him on Map 4 (Umm I didn't even know he knew his letter sounds LOL) and he was just going along fine but then they keep dropping in these huge words with no introduction. They asked him to spell cat, rat and then kitten???? and he was so upset that he couldn't work it out when he has been doing so well on his own previous.

 

I have to sit next to my kids when they do it because they can do it mostly on their own but then some random thing shows up and they get all confused and can't do it.

[joannqn]

My 4 year old (will be 5 in three weeks) has been very resistant to doing anything involving learning letters. He doesn't like to be read to for the most part. The few times I've gotten him to listen to me read a picture book was when I was reading to my younger child and he ended up listening to some of it. I feel he is behind where he should be because of his aversion to letters and letter sounds.

 

Reading Eggs has him begging to do it every day. Right now, it's the only reading/phonics training he's getting. According to the program, he went from age 3.5 to age 5 in a month. Because of Reading Eggs, he'll occasionally build a word in the Leapfrog Fridge Words I bought him where he wouldn't touch it before.

 

I don't like the number of sight words, but for him I love it and don't care. At least he's learning his letters and their sounds...finally. I bought a subscription for him half price when I found a special for it.

 

My 2 1/2 year old also demands to do Reading Eggs though she has a hard time with any page that requires more than clicking on the letter.

[courtney.byrum]

We love reading eggs here. It really was a big part of DD learning to read. I did work with her, but RE gave her the confidence to take off. She's a fantastic reader now, many levels ahead of her age.

...

I chose option 1, love it and saw improvement. :) I paid for it and would do so again.

 

:iagree:

 

We used Reading Eggs with my son when he was 4 to give him the confidence he needed to prove to himself he could read. He started reading at 3 but didn't 'think' he could and we saw a huge improvement in confidence with RE.

 

With my daughter we used it along with teaching her to read and it gave her the confidence that she really could do it. She loved it and asked to do it almost every day (she was 4) and is a phenomenal reader many levels above her age. She is enjoying the Eggspress part now as well but hasn't played it too much right now.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Other. DS was placed on map 8 after answering all the placement questions correctly. He got through about two minutes before complaining about the fact that it wanted him to do everything twice even though it was right. I don't know how "high" it goes, but given how easy level eight is, and that's the highest you can place and you can't skip, we are a dislike. I may try it with DS2 when he's older since so many people like it though.

This.

Dd was put on map 8 and even though she is excited to play she gets bored fast or aggravated because she isn't challenged. I am glad I have 70 days free, but will not be spending any money to keep her on it.

[boscopup]

This.

Dd was put on map 8 and even though she is excited to play she gets bored fast or aggravated because she isn't challenged. I am glad I have 70 days free, but will not be spending any money to keep her on it.

 

Did you try the Reading Eggspress section?

 

I do wish they would add in some extra questions if the kid gets 40/40, to see if they can just test out of Reading Eggs altogether. I knew that my son *should* test out of it, and I was surprised when it put him on map 8 of 12! That was ridiculous. So he just does the Eggspress section, which is quite challenging for him (they placed him in 5th grade level for comprehension, and he's not quite ready for some of the questions they're asking - he comprehends the words, but isn't ready to make the logical connections, inference, etc.).

[Radish4ever]

My kids did Reading Eggs about a year and a half ago and LOVED IT. They STILL talk about it! Well now I got the extended free trial with all the codes and they are just plowing through. I believe there's a place where you can change your child's placement because DD is way past map 8 even though that is where they placed her, but I know that she loves it too much to simply be done or close to done... So I'm letting her continue on through the lessons anyway. :)

 

My 2 year old has shown some interest, but I honestly doubt he's retaining anything. I'm just letting him do it because the other kids get to. ;)

[AdventureMoms]

We just started, DD plowed through the first 10 lessons in a couple of days. So far it is giving her a HUGE amount of much-needed confidence in her ability to read. It's good reinforcement too. I do have to be right near her coaching her for a lot of it though. A lot of the time I just need to repeat the instructions because she gets so excited by the game that she just clicks right through them without listening. Or I have to remind her mid-activity what word she's looking for, etc.

 

I don't think it would teach her to read all by itself though, even if she had the focus. But it helps her to be more patient with me trying to help her sound out words while we read, etc, because she "knows" she can sound out words since she did it on Reading Eggs. Before she just told me "mama I can't do that", now she's blending pretty well...

 

It's a decent program, I think, and a nice supplement, but I do think it is a supplement.

[boscopup]

I believe there's a place where you can change your child's placement

 

I found it! When looking at the child's progress from the parent section, there's two boxes on the right side, the top one being to change placement, and the bottom one to delete the child.

 

I went ahead and put him on the highest level for the Reading Eggs section and lowest level on the Eggspress section. It will be easy at first, but he can work up to where he really is.

 

The little ones are still enjoying their lessons. My 2.5 year old has done 4 lessons so far, and passed them all no problem. :001_huh: My 5 year old is getting some much needed practice with repetition. He's in the sound-everything-out-a-million-times stage, and he's been there for a year. I haven't done the repetition thing with him, so this should be a nice supplement to our regular reading lessons (which just aren't regular enough ;) ).