I don't normally like my 3 yo playing on the computer or watching too much t.v. so when I was picked for this review I have to be honest, I wasn't that happy. Yeah, not a very good attitude for a reviewer but I'm just being real here.
So...I received the USB stick in the mail and immediately plugging it in to my laptop. Thankfully it was super easy to load up with almost no help from me! Which is a good thing because I am not known for my technical prowess.
Ooka Island loaded up and within minutes I was playing. Yes, I mean me. I wanted to see what it was all about before turning the 3yo loose on it.
I have to say that the graphics were good, the music catchy, and it was very visually appealing. I could tell my 3yo was going to love it. ;-)
I went ahead and played some games to get a feel for it and see what games there were so I could help direct her to games she could play. I have to say that one game actually made me queasy! I don't do roller coasters and get sick to my stomach at the movies with quick movement so the game in the mine was more than I could take. The kids loved it however.
Here is a little about Ooka Island:
Ooka Island Inc. is an educational company committed to using science-based reading methods and technology to increase literacy skills for children. Our goal is to teach children to read fluently and well through reading instruction that is fun and compelling.
The Ooka Island Adventure is an adaptive learn-to-read technology for Pre-K to 2nd Grade. The combination of the innovative features below make it a powerful tool to accelerate the reading development of emergent readers as they move along the path to fluent reading.
- Created by the founder of the US DOE’s top-rated program for reading comprehension, theEye / Ear Reading Method revolves around the five following fundamentals of reading: phonemic awareness, phonetics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.
- An adaptive learning algorithm called READirect that ensures skill mastery in reading for each student.
- Comprehensive assessment and real-time progress reports provided online in the Ooka Lighthouse and organized into actionable data for multiple end-users.
- An assessment tool called the Ooka Compass for students who already have a reading base to start them at the most appropriate level on the Book Path
- A built-in E-Reader called the Popcorn Library packed with 85 carefully leveled and sequenced Ooka Island e-Books.
- In a complete and rigorous program for beginning readers, approximately 80 hours of proven reading curriculum is presented to our youngest learners in a virtual world format with aheroic storyline and mission.
Take a tour of Ooka Island.
Interested? I thought so! Ooka Island is a download or USB stick to load it onto your computer. It is not a website and it has no ads or pop-ups to worry about. You don't have to worry about your kids clicking on a pop-up and seeing something they shouldn't or visiting questionable websites. Ooka Island is self-contained and that is wonderful to me.
Along with the fun games of Ooka Island come printable activity pages and books to help reinforce what your child is learning. These are really great to keep the learning going while they are sitting right there with the older kids during school. The littles can do their school at the same time as the bigger kids. That's a bonus to this homeschool momma!
Ooka Island is a great way to teach your young ones the basics of reading while sitting right beside you. Or you can have the older kids work with the younger ones like I did. My 11yo and 8yo were thrilled when I asked them to sit with the 3yo. In fact, it ended up being the two older ones taking over when the 3yo had to take a nap!
When the 3yo sat down to play Ooka Island she wasn't sure what to do and the interactive game helped guide her and help her figure it out. It is intuitive and keeps them moving at their pace. If you want to check their progress you can head over to Ooka Lighthouse and find out.
There is a lot of great information on Ooka Island's website. I highly recommend heading over there and checking it all out. Don't miss the FAQ page, Why Ooka page, and their Contact page.
Want to buy Ooka Island for your home? The Homeschool Edition is $19.95 a month or $149.95 a year for a Family with Four homeschooling kids. For an Individual Plan with one homeschool kid it would be $12.95 a month and $124.95 a year. There is also School Edition pricing as well as a Home Edition.
Ooka Island is for children ages 3-7 but my 8yo and 11yo had fun playing it too!Head on over and check out Ooka Island for yourself. We will be using it to help our 3yo learn to read while you do!
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