It’s better than ABC Mouse.

Yup. That’s right. It is better than ABC Mouse.

This online program has helped my son with autism get basic reading skills he lacks due to his Developmental disabilities. He didn’t speak until six and he didn’t start to try to write independently until eight. So, in all his education he was learning lower skills or then age/grade level skills.

I really want my son to read. I want his confidence and skills to improve so he can be more independent in the classroom. Reading is a fundamental skill for life and for awhile I questioned if my son would ever read.

After seeing his success in quarantine with the online math program, I started searching for something similar in reading.

I found Reading Eggs from a recommendation from a Facebook group for parents with autism!  

You can try the program free for 2 weeks without putting in your credit card information! (actually it says they are offering 30 days) 

That in itself is a win. 

What I like: 

1. parent dashboard with measurables: reading age, sight words, phonics skills
2. assessment to start 
3. assessment at the end of each map (about every 10 lessons)
4. little extra distractions or easy access to fluff
5. highly focused lessons
6. repetitive concept lessons
7. free printable worksheets that match the lessons with multiple pages of practice
8. cute and excitable characters with built in praise within each lesson
9. micro goals within a lessons: get to 10 with a counter at the top or five stars on the side in order to finish
10. time to complete a lesson- pace is good at one lesson a day with the computer and paper practice
11. has different levels as kids become better readers and grow older.  for ages 2-13
12. use of the math worksheets 
13. cost- $60 for one student 
14. crashes and program freeze- this has never happened with reading eggs.  We had free access to ABC Mouse during quarantine and could not access it during the day because it wouldn’t start, would start and not load, or just turn off while the kids were using it.   

I don’t have any dislikes but maybe other people would want to know:

• cost-  have to pay more for more users.  Unlike other sites where you get three accounts or more, this site you pay for users. So, if you had three kids to use the program it would be much more costly.   
• other features- like songs, art, library are pretty odd to work and find fun stuff to do.  I find that I like this feature because on ABC Mouse my kids just want to color.  I’m not paying 60 dollars for you to color online.  
• kid usage-I do think it is best to do this with your child.  Often with ABC Mouse you just let your kid play and “it’s educational” because the platform is user-friendly for kids at a young age.  I think sitting with your kids and doing Reading Eggs together, saying the sounds, words and reading the sentences together is way better and more effective with learning.  They also get your praise as they are working, not just the computer. 

I have no affiliation to Reading Eggs, haven’t even written them a review and I don’t get any discounts if you decide to try it and buy it.   

I just found something that works and is helping our son learn reading skills and wanted to share so that if anyone else needed help, they could try it too.