Best ABC/letter learning apps for a preschooler

[Anonymous]

DD will be in kindergarten this fall and I’ve neglected to work on letters with her. I’d like to teach her letter names, sounds, and how to write them.

Of course I will sit down and work with her, but I’m also interested in downloading a few good apps that could help.

I’m looking for recommendations. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Put away the apps.

Look around -- point out letters on street signs, trucks, cereal boxes.

Talk about your names. You, dad, the dog, her friends etc.

Give her manipulatives. Fridge letters. Sidewalk chalk. A paint brush and a bucket of water to paint her name all over the sidewalk. Paper and crayons. Make letters and words out of play doh.

Has she been in preschool? She may know some of this already. Have fun!

[Anonymous]

No apps for preschool.

[Anonymous]

i agree generally about not using apps - never used any apps with my typically developing dcs.

However, my youngest has special needs (learning, speech, motor disabilities). We use teach your monster to read and duo abc. These are both evidence based. DS has difficulty using an ipad or iphone, so this also helps him isolate his pointer finger and practice crossing midline (we put the phone diagonal from his body). We will let him work on an app after breakfast/before the bus comes for 10-15 minutes if he gets ready on time.

[Anonymous]

Khan Academy Kids

[Anonymous]

No apps

Do they still make the Leapfrog fridge magnet letter thingy? That with reading and pointing out things in the house, nature, grocery, etc.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely no apps.

1. Sing the alphabet song a LOT
2. Get those magnets with letters and put them on your fridge and talk about them.
3. Read the book "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom"
4. Find one of those books with words that go with every letter from A-Z. There are MANY. Read it every day with your daughter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i agree generally about not using apps - never used any apps with my typically developing dcs.

However, my youngest has special needs (learning, speech, motor disabilities). We use teach your monster to read and duo abc. These are both evidence based. DS has difficulty using an ipad or iphone, so this also helps him isolate his pointer finger and practice crossing midline (we put the phone diagonal from his body). We will let him work on an app after breakfast/before the bus comes for 10-15 minutes if he gets ready on time.

Stupid idea. Get the kid an actual reading program.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean by “an actual reading program”? Why stupid? It is just something he does during breakfast when he wouldn’t have time to do much else and I don’t want to leave a mess behind

[Anonymous]

^. It is not replacing school instruction or parenting. He is in K and does not have dyslexia but still needs reinforcement of reading. I also don’t want OT minutes going to teaching him how to use the iPad (as much as I’d like to avoid it, they do teach your monster to read in K as one of the reading centers)

[Anonymous]

Endless ABCs and Elmo loves ABCs were big hits for my kids when they were in preschool.

When they were in K & 1st, we moved up to Teach Your Monster to Read which was amazing. I've also heard great things about Reading Eggs.

Offline, I recommend the book Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Endless ABCs and Elmo loves ABCs were big hits for my kids when they were in preschool.

When they were in K & 1st, we moved up to Teach Your Monster to Read which was amazing. I've also heard great things about Reading Eggs.

Offline, I recommend the book Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.

Me again, one of my kids has mild dyslexia that was essentially remediated with these phonics-based programs plus an OG tutor once a week who approved of the apps.

[Anonymous]

Duolingo ABC

[Anonymous]

Less apps

[Anonymous]

DD3.5 has been enjoying Duolingo ABC. It’s on DH’s phone and they do it together once a week for maybe 10 minutes at a time. She’s known the alphabet since 2 and most of the letter sounds. It’s the only app she’s ever used.