Back to School: ABC Mouse Versus Reading Eggs Reading Programs

Disclosure / Disclaimer: No compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to review the products.

Ah Summer- one way we fought the "I'm Boreds" over the Summer and to keep away Summer brain drain, was to start Miss Grace with a Summer reading program, as soon as Summer vacation started.

I won a year's subscription to ABC Mouse on another blog, so we decided to start with it, as Miss Grace has been bugging me to death about it (thanks to all those lovely TV commercials!). As it goes from toddlerhood through Kindergarten, so I though it would be a good Summer refresher for her. FYI- you can sign up on their site for a 30 day free trial.

You can start your child on a path level, and as they complete different activities, they move forward, thorough a map, and get tickets for completion of each activity, that they can use to buy pets, items for their pets, avatar items, items for their classroom and other items. They also win these items upon completion of each set map. They can also complete bonus activities listed on the home screen for additional tickets. The activities range from simple, like coloring a picture, to harder like phonics games.

What I found happening however, was Miss Grace was racing through all the games and activities, and didn't seem to be doing much actual READING. Rather she seemed to be more playing to earn extra tickets to build monster hamster mazes and fish aquariums.While I was thrilled she WANTED to be on the program, I was concerned it was just too easy and not challenging for her reading level. Had I started her on it at age 3/4, she probably would have done better and really learned with it.

ABC Mouse can be subscribed to monthly ($7.95), or by a 12 month rate ($79), and they offer specials, if you subscribe to their newsletter or follow their Facebook page.

So I went off in search of another program and came across a free 2 week trial for Reading Eggs, which seemed to be more of what we actually needed.

The program also has a path, where on each level there are activities that progress and end with a book that is either read to the child, or that they have to read, in order to finish that level. Upon completing the level, an egg (hence the app name) hatches, and the child gets a special character. The character is then used in the next level's activities. The pathway leads up to a 2nd grade level, with 100 sections. I was very happy to see a complete testing that has to be done first, so your child starts AT their level that they can complete (for sense of accomplishment), but quickly leads to lessons that start to challenge their thinking.

I was very surprised to see how well Miss Grace did on her own with the program. In fact, she did not WANT me in the room with her (but of course I went in and out to see how she was doing!). She is already near the end, with only 12 sections left to go. 

I was very surprised to see her SPELLING and breaking down words into syllables very easily, and then making sentences!

I have kept her strictly on the learning path, and not playing with the avatar and 'fun' activities this time. As the program is more structured, I wanted her to concentrate on the lessons, and she has. In fact she frequently will complete 2 whole sections in one sitting, and I have to force her off the computer. Yup, a parent's dream! The other thing that I really like is that after 10 lessons, she has had to complete a Mastery Quiz. Thus she doesn't move on, unless she reaches a certain competence level. And the program DOES catch them if they are trying to skate by. Miss Grace got caught on the last quiz, and had to go back and complete the prior 2 levels again, before she could retake the quiz. The second time I sat with her and made her go SLOW and she passed it with only one answer wrong. So she moved on, which made her happy.

Overall it seems like Reading Eggs is more responsive to what your child is completing and reacts better with the activities it gives them. More like what a teacher would do in the classroom. They also have apps (for apple and android formats) you can download that complement the learning from the program, and your child can work on additional spelling and phonics, in a mobile app game. 

Once Miss Grace finishes the Readings Eggs level, then she can move on to their Reading Eggspress program, which is aimed at kids 7-12, and has more advanced lessons.

They also have a Mathseeds section that is aimed at kids ages 3-6. We did check it our during the free trial and found that like AB Mouse, it was just too basic for her, she was more on an age 7 math level.  Your free trial contains access to it as well.

The Reading Eggs/Math Seeds programs are available in 6 and 12 month pricing plans, so you don't have to buy a whole year's worth, if you don't think you will need it. Additionally if you sign up for the free trial, and sign up for their email list, you will get sent special pricing opportunities (we got ours for 12 months ($69, Eggspress is $75) at 6 month price ($49) on a holiday special discounted rate). You can also follow their Facebook page to receive info on specials.

Over all both programs address the needs of kids at different levels. I would recommend starting your child on ABC Mouse, and then once they start to get competent with letters and beginning phonics, switch them over to Reading Eggs. I think using both programs would keep your child from being bored with just one program, and allow them to be more challenged. They are great programs to use over the Summer, and I can see us keeping up the Reading Egg/Eggspress program during the upcoming school year, to help Miss Grace where she needs the additional help.

I hope this comparison has helped you, if you were wondering which program to get!