The 6 Best Learn To Read Programs for Kids (2025 Guide)

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Are you looking for the best learn to read programs for kids? One top homeschool curriculum tip is to compare various programs and curriculums.

As parents and educators, we understand the excitement of seeing a child’s eyes light up when they unlock the world of words.

But we also know that in a sea of educational apps and programs, it’s easy to feel a bit lost when it comes to choosing the best learn-to-read program for your kids.

Whether you’re a homeschooling parent, a teacher, or simply someone passionate about nurturing young readers, don’t worry – I’ve rolled up my sleeves and dived deep into the world of reading programs, tirelessly testing and ranking the most popular learn to read programs and apps for 2024.

Keep reading for a learn to read program side by side comparison!

You can skip to the list here.

What To Look For In A Reading Program?

There are many things to consider in a program for learning how to read.

• Interesting Content: When choosing the best learn to read program, parents should ask themselves what their child is interested in and how they have already learned about that topic. For example, a child who loves dinosaurs will enjoy a reading program that incorporates dinosaurs. Or if your child really loves all things screens and hates physical books, a reading program will likely serve your child better than a physical program. Parents should always consider their child’s interests when choosing a reading program. This will ensure everybody involved has as good of an experience as possible.
• Engaging Content: The heart of any successful reading program is its content. Look for reading programs that offer a diverse range of engaging stories, texts, and interactive materials. These should be thoughtfully designed to captivate your child’s imagination and keep them excited about their reading journey.
• Phonics Foundation: Phonics forms the backbone of critical reading skills. A solid reading program should provide systematic and comprehensive phonics instruction, breaking down the relationship between letters and sounds. Teaching phonics helps kids decode words and build their reading confidence.
• Progressive Learning: Learning to read is a step-by-step process. The best reading programs guide kids through a gradual progression of skills, starting from basic letter recognition to more complex comprehension strategies. This ensures that your child’s learning is scaffolded and mastery-based as they work toward becoming a confident reader.
• Interactive Activities & Games: Let’s face it, kids love technology. Look for reading programs that offer interactive activities, games, and quizzes that make learning feel like play. These elements not only keep kids engaged but also reinforce the concepts they’re learning.
• Adaptability: Every child learns at their own pace. An effective reading program should be adaptable, catering to different learning speeds and styles. Whether your child is a quick learner or needs a bit more time, the program should be able to adjust accordingly.
• Supportive Feedback: Positive reinforcement goes a long way in boosting a child’s confidence. A good reading program provides constructive feedback, celebrating successes and gently guiding kids through challenges.
• Parental Involvement: For parents and educators, it’s essential to stay in the loop about your child’s progress. Look for programs that offer tools for tracking performance, allowing you to monitor their growth and provide additional support where needed.

So whether you’re looking for a reading program to add to your homeschool curriculum or you’re just looking for some supplemental reading help, this is definitely the article for you.

Why Consider Using A Program To Teach Your Kids How To Read?

Many parents prefer to use a program to teach their kids basic reading skills rather than making it up on their own. When you use a program, you are not going to have to come up with a bunch of resources or ideas.

Instead, all you have to do is follow along to what has already been provided and make sure your child doesn’t have any questions.

This is my personal favorite way to teach kids how to read. I hate coming up with ideas and resources and would much rather outsource the whole thing!

On the other hand, there are plenty of parents who prefer being 100% involved in everything and would rather spend hours finding worksheets and books and other resources rather than purchasing one learn to read kit or program.

There is no right or wrong way to teach your child to read. As long as you and your child are happy and progressing, you’re good to go! Don’t let anybody else tell you that whatever method you chose to use is wrong. 

On that note, it is also important to remember that many children don’t learn how to read until they are well into elementary school – even if they were exposed to learning to read programs at a very young age.

Don’t feel bad if your 7 or 8 year old still struggles with reading. Keep exposing them and keep encouraging them. I promise that if you are regularly working with them, they will pick it up eventually.

I have been homeschooling my 7 kids for more than 12 years. And in my years of experience, I have never had a child learn how to read before the age of 6. In fact, 2 of my kids didn’t figure out how to read until they were nearly 10 years old. 

They will learn how to read in their own time. You cannot force them. But there are some things you can do to encourage progress and one of the easiest ways to encourage progress is by having your child work with a learn to read program a couple of times a week, starting at about the age of 4 and continuing until they are very strong readers.

Questions To Ask Yourself Before Picking A Learn How To Read Program For Your Child

There are a few questions you should ask yourself before you pick a learn to read program for your child.

• Does your child best learn offline or online? If your child struggles with screens, it is probably best for you to choose an offline program. If your child struggles with books or pen and paper, an online program is going to be best for you.

• What learning style does your child have? Everybody has a specific learning style (or two) that they gravitate towards. If you choose a reading program that focuses on a learning style that matches your child, your child is going to have an easier time learning how to read.

• How much time do you want your child to be spending on the program? Some learn to read programs can take upwards of an hour or two per day to complete. If you are only going to have your child work on this for about 15 minutes a day, it is probably not best for you to pick that particular program.

• Will there be specific age requirements for each program? Some reading programs really recommend your child be closer to 6 or even 7 before they get started. Others are open to your child starting at 3 or younger. Consider your child’s age before picking a learn to read resource. Similarly, what is the max age range for each specific program? Do you want this program to follow your child for several years or do you just want to teach basic essential reading skills for a year or so and then be done?

• What other skills do you want your child to pick up? – Most learn to read programs do not just focus on learning how to read or on teaching reading skills. Instead, they’ll focus on multiple topics, such as mathematics, writing and spelling, or typing. Consider the complementary skills you want your child to be exposed to in addition to the critical reading skills.

• How will you be using this program? – Many of the reading lessons included in this list can be used by specific grade levels meaning you can enjoy them in your homeschool or they can be used by classroom teachers in a classroom setting instead. Keep this in mind when picking out a resource.

The Best Learn To Read Programs – A Side By Side Comparison

Today we are going to be comparing some of the learn to read resources that I have worked with over the years. This is not a complete list of every single program, but this list does contain some of the best and I will share with you what I loved or hated about each program.

1. ABCMouse

ABCMouse is an extremely popular reading program. They have put a ton of time and money into advertising over the last few years and it has certainly paid off! Not many families, especially homeschooling families, have not heard of ABCMouse.

In our home, we like using ABCMouse for younger siblings. It is best as a complementary platform rather than a focused curriculum. It also works well at keeping younger kids distracted while the older kids are working with Mom.

More About ABC Mouse

Cost – ABCMouse runs at about $59.99 per year.

Platform – ABCMouse is a digital platform.

Complementary Skills – There are so many complementary skills! Learn music, math, art, science, and more with ABCMouse.

Age Range -ABCMouse is geared towards kids aged 3 – 8

Worth Noting – If you have older kids, ABCMouse has introduced a sister site, Adventure Academy. I have not tried Adventure Academy but I hear great things about it. It is geared towards kids 8 – 13.

What I Love

I love the fun aspect of this program. It doesn’t even feel like schooling! My kids would play on this all day if I’d let them. I also appreciated how there were many different subjects rather than just learning how to read.

What I Hate

I did not feel like my kids really learned anything specific with this program. The learning was passive and subtle rather than straightforward. Was it fun? Yes! Would I count it as schooling? Not really. You can learn more in our review here.

2. Hooked On Phonics

Hooked On Phonics is actually the reading program that I learned how to read with at the age of 3. It is for this reason that I started with this program in my own homeschool.

Hooked On Phonics ended up not working with my children’s learning styles. I started with this program for 4 of my kids and all of them struggled with it. We’re just not a physical bookwork kind of family and prefer the fun and engaging online platforms.

When I first began with Hooked On Phonics, it was only a physical program. Nowadays, however, there is a newly added digital option. This makes the program even more versatile for families with young readers. Learn more in our Hooked on Phonics review.

More About Hooked On Phonics

Cost – Plans start as low as $6.99/month.

Platform – Hooked On Phonics started out as a physical learn to read program, complete with workbooks and flashcards! However, there is now a digital option if your children do better with that method of learning.

Complementary Skills – Writing (physical) and filling in the blank is emphasized with this program. Your child will also have a strong grasp of reading comprehension skills, phonetics, and more.

Age Range – Hooked On Phonics is perfect for kids aged 3 – 8

Worth Noting – Hooked On Phonics is, by far, the most comprehensive learn to read program we’ve ever come across. There are so many aspects to this program and all of them help your children become strong readers. If you’re looking for a complete and thorough learning platform then Hooked On Phonics is what you want!

What I Love

I love how when you buy the physical version, you get books that you can enjoy with your future kids year after year! (Just make scanned copies of the workbooks or write really lightly.)

What I Hate

My kids did not thrive with workbook learning. We do better with exclusively digital platforms.

3. Reading Eggs

Reading Eggs is, hands down, my very favorite learn to read program. This is a digital or online program that my kids work with from our spare laptop.

If you have a tablet, there is also an Android app that works decently enough. But the online version works better more consistently so we generally opt for that.

Reading Eggs takes your kids through various games and reading lessons, including digital storybooks, that are fun and engaging for all ages. Every single one of my kids has enjoyed working with Reading Eggs – and that’s definitely saying something! And the early literacy skills my kids have gained from this program have been incomparable.

Would I recommend this guided reading program for homeschoolers all over the world? Yes. Yes I would. This is one of our family’s favorite learning tools.

More About Reading Eggs

Cost – $9.99/month ($120 a year)

Platform – Online/Digital

Complementary Skills – Reading Eggs goes through basic reading skills including phonetics, letter sounds, sight words, reading comprehension, and more. There is also a space on the platform for even older kids (up to age 12) to enjoy more reading comprehension practice as well as spelling practice.

Additionally, Reading Eggs has a math section (called Math Seeds) that takes kids from preschool through lower elementary through basic math skills. This is a fun and easy way to teach youngsters about counting, adding, and subtracting.

Age Range – Reading Eggs is perfect for kids between the ages of 3 and 12.

Worth Noting – Reading Eggs does tend to follow a bit more of a spiral approach than some other programs, which we really appreciate. However, like most learn to read programs, there is a heavy emphasis on step-by-step learning and doing things in the proper order.

Additionally, Reading Eggs focuses on fun rather than just progress so my younger kids totally think they’re playing a fun game.

What I Love

My absolute favorite part about this program is the fact that kids cannot guess or fake their way through the lessons. With other programs, if your child guesses enough times, they will still be able to move forward and eventually, you’ll have the problem of your child being well into the program and having no clue what is going on.

Reading Eggs is the only program I can think of that avoids this issue. Your child must master the concept before being allowed to move forward. No guessing, no faking it, and no cheating. I absolutely love this aspect of this reading program.

Kids practice reading new words with daily phonics lessons and their reading ability and reading fluency skills increase a little bit each and every day.

Whether you have a preschooler or a Kindergartner (emergent readers) who is being introduced to learning how to read or you have a first grade, second grade, or even third grade child who needs a little bit of extra help, this is going to be a great program. 

Kids get to learn new phonics skills at their own pace so they never feel overwhelmed or pressured. And they’re having fun while increasing their reading skill level too!

What I Hate

Reading Eggs jumps right into sight words very early on. Many of my kids struggle with being exposed to sight words so early and I feel they would do better if they had more time to figure out the letter sounds and the phonetics. However, if your child learns well with sight words, this might be a love rather than a hate.

4. Teach Your Monster To Read

Teach Your Monster To Read has a paid app (that I highly recommend) as well as a free website. While this program did not work well for my older kids (they all had a different learning style from my younger boys), my current 4-year-old is thriving with this reading program. It is just up his alley.

Unlike other learn to read programs which focus on sight words and sounds and piecing letters together as soon as possible (the spiral approach to reading), Teach Your Monster To Read takes a more linear approach to reading.

Kids won’t move on until they’ve mastered what they’ve already been taught. And the reading part comes much further into the program. Instead, kids will focus on learning their letters and the sounds before trying to string things together.

Like I said, this program does not work for all kids, but it’s currently working really really well for my 4-year-old.

More About Teach Your Monster To Read

Cost – Teach Your Monster To Read has a paid app (about $5.) that frequently goes on sale so watch the homeschooling Facebook groups as they’re likely to drop the info when the sale goes live.

There is also a free website that my son uses and it works just as well as the app.

Platform – This is a digital reading program best enjoyed from a laptop or a portable device. I know it works on Android devices but I believe it works on Apple and Kindle as well (don’t quote me on that).

Complementary Skills – Teach Your Monster To Read focuses on early reading skills and takes a very linear approach to reading. Your kids will also practice following directions and problem-solving skills as they work through the games.

There is also a section for math and numbers, but I have not tried that section yet.

Age Range – This reading program is best suited for kids between the ages of 3 – 6.

Worth Noting – This is a very popular program in the homeschooling circles. However, my older kids did not do well with this program so keep in mind that this is not a one-size-fits-all learn to read program. The success of the program really depends on your child’s learning style (as with all programs).

5. Homer Reading App

Homer Reading App is a well-known learn to read program that focuses on beginning readers such as prek students with early reading levels. The main goal of this program is to make learning fun, and they certainly do that!

With Homer, I found it was difficult to get the program to work from my tablet, even though there is technically an app. It worked better from the computer which was okay by my kids.

One of the biggest draws of Homer Reading App is the fact that it takes your child’s interests and integrates them into the program. For example, if your child likes dinosaurs and trucks but hates outer space, Homer can take these interests into account and have your child interact with these kinds of characters. This is just one way that Homer makes learning how to read as fun and engaging as possible.

I actually wrote a Homer Reading App review if you want to check out even more details about this fun program.

More About Homer Reading App

Cost – Homer Reading App runs at about $80 per year.

Platform – This is a digital platform best enjoyed from a laptop or computer.

Complementary Skills – Homer Reading really focuses on early reading skills and phonemic awareness. However, there is also an emphasis on social and emotional skills such as kindness and empathy. I did like that.

The website also advertises the teaching of math skills, however, I did not notice any math skills when my kids were going through this app. Maybe it’s only for older kids? Or maybe it’s farther down the lesson plans? I’m not really sure.

Age Range – This app is best suited for ages 2 – 6. I did find this age range to be spot on.

Worth Noting – It takes quite a bit of time to set up this reading program. It’s not just a plug-and-play app. Additionally, if you live in an area with slow internet, this is not going to be a good option for you. On slow internet days or on days I have to use my phone’s hotspot because the wifi is out, this is the first program to stop working.

What I Love

I love how Homer takes your child’s interests and integrates them into the app. I also love how fun this phonics app is for kids. My kids would play on this for hours if I’d let them. If your main goal is making reading fun, this is going to be a great program for you.

What I Hate

I didn’t feel like my kids really did much reading with this app. They were able to cheat their way through the lessons and move forward in the program without having to master anything.

I also didn’t like that my kids spent more time in the drawing and painting section of the app than they did in the reading and phonetics awareness portions of the app. I would not recommend using this program to exclusively teach your youngsters how to read.

However, if your goal is to make learning fun for your kids, or to keep younger siblings distracted while you’re working with older kids, this is definitely a great option!

6. Reading Kingdom

Reading Kingdom is a fantastic phonics program that will help first graders master the art of reading. What I love about Reading Kingdom is that this program incorporates not only reading but also typing skills.

This program uses typing and keyboarding skills to teach your child how to read. It’s really a fascinating concept! If you’re concerned about teaching keyboarding skills and want your child to double up on reading and typing, this is going to be a great resource.

More About Reading Kingdom

Cost – Reading Kingdom runs at about $200 per year.

Platform – Reading Kingdom is exclusively digital/online. You will need a laptop with a keyboard.

Complementary Skills – In addition to reading and phonetics, Reading Kingdom also has a strong emphasis on learning how to type! Your child will also learn reading, writing, sequencing, and even reading comprehension with this program.

Sentence structure is heavily focused on with Reading Kingdom so if that skill is important to you, this reading app is going to be a great resource. And these skills will follow your kids all through high school!

Age Range -Reading Kingdom is best for ages 3 – 7

Worth Noting – This program must be used on a laptop with a keyboard. It is not (at least it wasn’t when I used it with my child) designed for tablets or phones.

I think it’s really important to teach kids how to type properly and I love how this program takes typing and keyboarding skills into consideration. This is my favorite part about Reading Kingdom!

I also loved how comprehensive this program was. I didn’t feel like just a learn to read program – it felt complete! There were so many skills encompassed in these lessons and I was honestly very impressed. It just didn’t fit with my son’s learning style.

What I Hate

There are no fancy bells and whistles with Reading Kingdom. While it is advertised as being fun, my kids did not find it fun at all. This was a very strict and structured program with little to no game time. If you like this, then Reading Kingdom will not be a problem for you.

Another thing I did not like was that my kids were still able to cheat their way through and progress without mastering any skills. I had to keep starting my son over again because he wasn’t picking skills up.

If you sit by your child and make sure they don’t cheat, this will also not be a problem. I was just always working with other kids so I’d miss the faking it aspect of his learning adventures.

I hope you found this learn to read program comparison guide helpful! And if you liked this article, be sure to check out our other comparison guides.

• Science Curriculum Comparison Chart
• Math Curriculum Comparison Chart
• History Curriculum Comparison Chart
• The Best Homeschooling Apps