The 10 best reading programs for kids

The Covid-19 pandemic has been destructive in more ways than one. People lost loved ones, fell ill, and also felt the devastating effects of quarantining.

Besides being detrimental to health, the Covid-19 pandemic upset traditional learning, forced parents to work from home and homeschool, and put immense pressure on teachers to instruct remotely.

The New York Times recently reported that although we are months into the 2022-2023 school year, American elementary school students are still behind.

The rampant school closures led to a decline in academic skills. Fourth and eighth graders saw sweeping declines in test scores, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Unfortunately, several kids are still trying to play catch-up and fine-tune their math and reading skills. The New York Times reports some good news, though. It reports that reading skills are often more influenced by parents and what happens at home.

If your kids are falling behind on reading, there are several at-home reading programs and book and reading subscription kits for kids that will help your children improve reading skills, boost comprehension, and fall back in love with reading. Let’s take a closer look.

The top 10 best reading programs for kids

1. Reading With RIK (for kids ages 5-13)

Reading With RIK is a monthly subscription kit that helps incentivize kids to read more, boost comprehension, and improve reading skills. Best of all, Reading With RIK helps kids learn to love reading.

This subscription kit comes with an age-appropriate book every month and a subscription box. Inside the box, you’ll see anywhere from 5-9 boxes. Inside these boxes are story-related prizes and think pieces for the kids to open as they progress through the book.

Reading With RIK is the subscription box that lights the internal reading fire inside children. We’ve seen hundreds of kids go from being bored and reluctant readers to avid bookworms. You can either use the kit and read aloud with your family, or kids can read the book on their own.

Subscribe to Reading With RIK today.

Reading With RIK testimonials:

"My daughter has struggled with a desire to read, reading fluency and comprehension. It wasn’t until she started using Reading Incentive Kits that her interest kicked in. She looked forward to each new kit. She and I began reading together but soon she wanted to read on her own.  She wanted to share the experience with the entire family, so we bought a kit to enjoy as a family."

–STARR S.

"The reading incentive kits engaged my child at a whole new level! For starters she didn’t want to put the book down. My favorite part was all the discussion that it created within our family. She had so much she wanted to share and discuss and everyone at our home became engaged in that process. We all wanted to know what the next surprise envelope would contain!"

–TONYA M.

2. Reading A-Z

Reading A-Z is an online reading program designed to help children improve their reading skills. The program offers a vast library of reading materials organized according to a child's reading level, making it easier for them to find books appropriate for their skill level. The program includes a range of fiction and nonfiction books, lesson plans, and activities that help with teaching reading.

The program offers more than 2,500 books that cover a range of topics, from animals and nature to history and science, and they are designed to engage children and encourage them to read more.

In addition to its library of reading materials, Reading A-Z also offers lesson plans and activities that help children develop critical reading skills. The program includes printable worksheets, graphic organizers, and other resources that are designed to help children improve their comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills. The lesson plans and activities are aligned with Common Core State Standards, making it easier for parents and educators to track a child's progress and ensure that they are meeting the appropriate learning objectives.

3. Scholastic Reading Counts

Scholastic Reading Counts is designed for students in grades K-12 and aims to improve reading comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency. This early reading program is designed to be used in conjunction with Scholastic books, which are available through the program.

One of the key features of Scholastic Reading Counts is its assessment system, which helps teachers determine a student's reading level and provides books at their appropriate level. The program includes a database of more than 200,000 quizzes that students can take to demonstrate their comprehension of the books they've read. The quizzes are designed to be interactive and engaging, and they provide immediate feedback to students and teachers.

Scholastic Reading Counts also includes a range of tools and resources for teachers and administrators. The program provides detailed reports on student progress, which can be used to identify areas where students may need additional support. 

Teachers and parents can also use the program to create individualized reading plans for their students and children, which can help them improve their reading skills and develop a love of reading.

4. Reading Eggs

Reading Eggs is an online reading program that helps children develop essential reading skills, and is designed to cater to different learners. 

The program is adaptive, which means that it adjusts to the individual reading level and progress of each child. This feature makes it suitable for children of different ages and reading abilities. Whether a child is just starting to learn to read or is already an advanced reader, Reading Eggs can provide the right level of challenge and support to help them progress.

One of the strengths of Reading Eggs is its use of a variety of teaching methods to cater to different learning styles. The program includes interactive games, animations, songs, and videos, as well as reading books and quizzes. These different teaching methods help children develop different reading skills, such as phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. Children who prefer visual or auditory learning can benefit from the program as much as those who prefer hands-on or kinesthetic learning.

Reading Eggs is also suitable for children with different learning needs, such as those with dyslexia or attention deficit disorder. The program includes features such as audio support, customizable learning paths, and progress tracking that can help children with special needs learn to read more effectively. The program can be used at home or in the classroom, and it can be customized to meet the specific needs and goals of each child.

5. ABC Mouse

ABCmouse is an educational software designed for children aged 2-8 years old. It offers a comprehensive curriculum covering subjects such as reading, math, science, and social studies, among others. The software uses interactive animations, games, and activities to engage children and make learning fun and engaging.

The curriculum is structured in a progressive manner, with each lesson building upon the previous one, ensuring that the child acquires a strong foundation in each subject. The software also provides progress tracking and assessments to help parents and educators monitor the child's learning progress.

ABCmouse can be accessed on various platforms, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones, making it easily accessible to children from anywhere. It is available through a subscription model and offers a free trial period for users to explore the software before committing to a subscription.

ABCmouse is a valuable educational tool for children, offering a well-rounded curriculum with engaging and interactive learning activities to help children develop essential skills and knowledge.

6. Raz-Kids

Raz-Kids is an online reading program designed for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. It is an interactive and engaging platform that helps children learn to read, improve their comprehension skills and build their confidence.

The program offers a vast collection of leveled books and quizzes, providing children with a range of reading materials that cater to their individual reading abilities. Children can access these books online and read them at their own pace, with the option to listen to the audio versions of the books.

Raz-Kids also includes comprehension quizzes that children can take after reading each book. These quizzes help to reinforce their understanding of the story, develop their critical thinking skills, and provide feedback to both children and parents.

The program offers progress monitoring tools, allowing teachers and parents to track the child's progress, identify areas where they may need extra support, and adjust their learning accordingly.

Raz-Kids uses a unique feature called "Read Along," where children can listen to the audio versions of the books as they read along. This feature helps to build fluency, improve pronunciation, and build vocabulary.

7. Hooked on Phonics

 

Hooked on Phonics is a comprehensive phonics program designed to help children learn to read using a phonetic approach. The program has been used for over 30 years and is suitable for children aged 3 to 8 years old.

The program uses a multi-sensory approach that combines visual aids, audio, and hands-on activities to teach children phonics, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. It includes a range of materials such as books, workbooks, reading games, and digital resources.

The program starts with basic letter sounds and progresses to more complex phonetic concepts, providing children with a strong foundation in reading. It also includes interactive features such as songs, videos, and games, making learning fun and engaging for young children.

Hooked on Phonics also offers a digital program, which includes reading lessons and activities that children can access on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. The program provides progress tracking tools, enabling parents and teachers to monitor the child's progress and identify areas where they may need extra support

.Overall, Hooked on Phonics is a valuable reading program for children, offering a systematic and structured approach to learning phonics and reading.

8. Lexia Reading

Lexia Reading is an online reading program that uses a personalized approach to help children aged 3 to 12 years old develop their reading skills. The program offers a range of activities and resources that cater to children's individual reading levels, helping to build their foundational reading skills and develop their reading comprehension.

Lexia Reading uses an adaptive learning model that adjusts to each child's reading level and pace, providing them with a customized learning experience. The program includes interactive activities such as phonemic awareness, vocabulary development, and comprehension exercises, which help children to build their reading skills gradually.

Lexia Reading also provides teachers and parents with progress monitoring tools that allow them to track the child's progress and identify areas where they may need additional support. The program offers detailed reports that provide insights into the child's reading skills and offer recommendations for further learning.

The program also includes a range of motivational features such as digital badges and rewards that help to keep children engaged and motivated in their learning. Lexia Reading also offers a mobile app, allowing children to continue their learning on the go.

9. Epic

Epic is a digital library designed for children aged 12 and under. It offers a collection of over 40,000 ebooks, audiobooks, and educational videos that cater to different reading levels and interests. The platform provides children with access to a vast range of fiction and non-fiction titles, including picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, and educational materials.

Epic offers a personalized reading experience for children, allowing them to create their profiles and track their reading progress. The platform includes features such as badges and rewards, which help to motivate children to read and complete reading challenges.

The platform also provides teachers with tools to create customized reading assignments, track student progress, and monitor reading levels. Teachers can use the platform to assign books and educational videos to their students, and provide them with feedback on their reading progress.

Epic also offers a range of additional features, such as read-to-me functionality, which allows children to listen to audiobooks and follow along with the text. The platform also includes a range of educational resources, including quizzes, lesson plans, and other teaching materials, which can be used to support classroom learning.

10. Headsprout

Headsprout is an online reading program designed to help children develop their reading skills. The program uses a systematic approach to teaching phonics and other reading skills, with lessons that are tailored to each child's individual reading level.

Headsprout uses interactive and engaging lessons to teach children phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The program also includes a range of support tools, such as a reading tutor and pronunciation guide, to help children improve their reading skills.

The program's adaptive learning technology ensures that each child progresses through the lessons at their own pace, with lessons becoming more challenging as the child's reading skills improve. This personalized approach to learning helps to build children's confidence in reading and encourages them to take ownership of their learning.

Headsprout also includes a range of progress monitoring tools that allow teachers and parents to track the child's progress and identify areas where they may need additional support. The program provides detailed reports on the child's reading skills and offers recommendations for further learning.

Boost young readers’ reading skills with Reading With RIK

The pandemic certainly slowed kids’ progress in reading in math, but not all is lost. With the help of the children’s reading programs listed above, like Reading With RIK, it’s possible to decrease screen time, improve reading skills, help bring kids back up to grade level, and help them with reading success.

Try Reading With RIK today.