A Phonics App to Keep Little Ones Distracted by HOMER Reading

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Keep Little Ones Distracted and Learning with an Engaging Phonics App

Are you homeschooling multiple ages? Have you ever considered using an engaging phonics app to keep your little ones distracted while focusing on the older students?

If you’ve ever tried to educate an older child while a toddler is running around, then you’ve certainly asked yourself, and possibly even asked the internet, “What do I do with this active little kid while I’m busy with his older sibling?”

little boy distracted by a phonics learn to read app by HOMER while his bigger siblings do homeschool

As a homeschooling mom of seven kids, I’m here to share with you one of my go-to large family homeschool tips, and that is to keep the little ones learning with engaging educational activities. And one of my favorite ways to distract younger siblings is with a learning phonics app.

You might call me a learn to read app junkie. I have tried just about all of the learn to read programs on the market, and each of my seven kids has probably experienced two or three different learn to read programs themselves.

Why? Partly because every child has a different learning style and therefore different reading programs will work differently for various children. And partly because out of all the educational skills, I consider learning to read to be the most important one.

When you can read, you are free to learn anything else your heart desires! Reading opens doors and sets you free. Reading will empower you to become absolutely anything.

Our other formal schooling subjects don’t tend to start until ages six or seven, but I always get my young children learning to read, usually with a phonics app of some kind, as soon as they are coordinated enough to manipulate the program of choice.

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Why Do I Use Learning Apps?

I learned a long time ago that when kids are having fun, they are better able to learn. Lessons learned through games are more easily remembered than lessons learned during a lecture or while reading a textbook.

In fact, there is a popular quote about this very idea.

The late Dr. Karyn Purvis, Director of Texas Christian University’s Child Development Center stated,

“Scientists have recently determined that it takes approximately 400 repetitions to create a new synapse in the brain – unless it is done with play, in which case, it takes between 10 and 20 repetitions!”

Dr. Karyn Purvis – Texas Christian University’s Child Development Center

little boy playing on a learning app that teaches kids how to read - HOMER Reading

Using learning apps in my homeschool allows my kids to have fun playing games with little to no mess or prep on my part. All I need to do is stay close enough to supervise the little ones and they are free to learn and play on their educational apps to their heart’s desire.

And we don’t just use phonics apps in our home. My kids are no stranger to math apps, geography apps, and video games that teach history and vocabulary too. I am a huge fan of digital homeschooling resources and am happy to take advantage of the wonderful learning resources available today.

Why Teach Your Preschooler or Toddler Early Reading and Literacy Skills

So why do I start working with my toddlers and preschoolers so early? Why do we focus on early childhood reading and literacy skills at such a young age when we don’t tend to look at any other subject until much later?

There are many benefits to teaching kids early reading and literacy skills. According to teachreadingearly.com, benefits of being exposed to reading at an early age (such as pre-k) results in many advantages, including but not limited to:

Neurological
Educational
Psychological
Social
Linguistic

If you have ever watched a child learn to read, then you can attest to the increased confidence levels that happen the instant your child gets a word right. Learning to read is an amazing thing and will change your child’s whole future.

Now I am not the most patient person on earth. I am embarrassed to say that the few times I have sat down with my young kids and gone over workbooks and worksheets with them while they were learning to read, the results ended in crying kids and a very frustrated and upset me. I just don’t have what it takes to physically teach my kids to read all by myself.

And that is why I am so grateful for phonics and reading apps, such as HOMER Reading, that do all the heavy lifting for me.

HOMER Reading Phonics Games

When your child engages in the HOMER Reading app, he will be engaging in a customized learning experience. While the idea of a customized learning experience sounds cool enough, I was blown away at how unique and customized this learning game really is.

When you first set up your child’s profile, you will get to go through a series of questions. These questions will ask you about your child’s current reading capabilities as well as your child’s interests. Is your child interested in space or bugs? What about flowers and animals, or kindness and friendship?

You can truly customize your child’s HOMER Reading profile so that as your child is playing the interactive games within the app, he is engaging in things that are actually interesting to him, which will naturally increase the levels of retention.

little girl learning to read with the HOMER Reading phonics app

As an example, I have one child who selected space and another child who selected animals when setting up their profiles. When they were learning the letters of the alphabet, I was surprised to see that the space-loving child was presented with ‘astronaut’ as the word corresponding with the letter ‘A’ whereas ‘alligator’ was shown to my animal-loving child. This was a fun way to make their learning experiences even more special and unique.

HOMER Reading App Activities for Young Learners

There are many learning games and apps for kids that can be included in your homeschool routine, but as I mentioned before, programs and games that encourage early reading skills are my favorite.

little boy tracing letters with the HOMER Reading phonics app

Just some of the interactive learning activities and fun games kids will get to explore within the HOMER Reading app include:

Learning letters of the alphabet (Learning ABC’s)
Recognizing uppercase and lowercase letters
Tracing letters
Recognizing colors and shapes
Learning letter sounds (including short vowel and long vowel sounds)
Sight words
Simple words
Word families
Digraphs
Phonics sounds and skills
Phonemic awareness
Word building
Creative thinking with drawing, coloring, and stickers
Other early reading skills

Who is HOMER Reading For?

Now I’m going to be honest and tell you that the HOMER Reading app is not for everybody. If you have a more structured homeschool and prefer workbooks and worksheets, this is not the program for you.

HOMER Reading is a very flexible program that allows kids to learn at their own pace rather than trying to keep up with their peers or meet some elusive standards set on them by public schools. If you are trying to keep up with your public schooling neighbors, or if you have a child who needs a more rigid structure to help him thrive, then you might consider a different reading program.

However, if your child loves learning through play, and you love hands-off learning programs that teach your kids for you rather than leaving you in charge of everything, then you should give HOMER a try.

little boy learning colors with the HOMER Reading app

Or if you’re just looking for something to keep your younger kids entertained for a bit while you focus on something else (housework, older kids, etc) then rest-assured, HOMER Reading is a great app, offering families a child-friendly, safe, and guilt-free program.

Try the HOMER Reading App For Free

Sign up for a free trial of HOMER Reading and see if it works for your family! And when you sign up for the 30-day trial, you will also unlock a 60% off discount, making your year’s subscription only $45. That’s a great price for a year’s worth of homeschooling sanity.

HOMER Reading is available on both Apple (iPhone) and Android devices.

Charlene Hess

Charlene Hess is the founder of Hess UnAcademy. She spent many years teaching before she had her own kids. She now has 8 kids of her own, whom she has been homeschooled for over a decade.

She has now moved on from Hess UnAcademy to focus on her family and her new site, Secret Life of Homesteaders.

Keep Little Ones Learning with a Phonics App by HOMER Reading