All About Reading 1 Review

I have a confession to make. I used Abeka to teach my first three kids to read. I know, super creative. It was all I knew with my first two and by the time I had my third I figured it worked, so, I was boring. Not that Abeka is terrible, I enjoyed using their methods to teach my kids to read but my perspective has changed. I now only recommend it if you have one or two kids. Once you add more than that to the mix it is basically impossible. Too demanding.

Now that I have been homeschooling for over a decade I have learned that Abeka is not the only method out there. I mean, I learned that quickly for other subjects when it was not working out after the first few years but when it came to reading I was afraid to branch out. I am not sure quite sure why. Now that I have a preschooler and first-grader in addition to middle and high schoolers I am ready to explore my options, and I am glad I did!

Now enter All About Reading 1. Of course, over the years I had heard about this program but again I was stuck in my ways. I began using this in December and after a few weeks, I talked to a friend and said how well All About Reading was working for us. Her response? Oh, I have been using that for years! We love All About Reading in our home! I was actually at her house and when she opened her closet I spotted the same bright yellow bag that you see pictured below.

Wow. Was I so closed-minded that I didn't even consider another program for ten years? Yup. My friend was able to give me her tips and tricks for how to use the program and knowing how strong readers her kids are, I was encouraged. 

My older kids are strong readers too, but like I said, I used a different method with them. I truly let out a sigh of relief when I heard my friend's raving reviews. I was thrilled when I received the stunning yellow bag with all of its contents. The quality was impressive. I will also say, after six weeks of use, I am still impressed. The quality of the letters used are superb. In order to use them, I found a great deal on a Melissa and Doug magnetic whiteboard. It is a little smaller than what the curriculum recommends but we have made it work and my kids love the hands-on approach. I even used cookie sheets before I purchased this. 

My son had been doing okay with learning his basic sounds but when it came to reading he was intimidated. He was doing well with reading apps and small readers. He had several wins where his confidence was gained but the thought of reading a whole book scared him. 

The short and sweet chapters presented in the books in this program helped to build his confidence even more. I would require a chapter a day and he would have such a sense of pride when he would finish. Even if there happened to be a struggle, he would push through because they are the perfect length.

This program has taken my son from letter sounds to reading full chapters. He is so proud of himself! He loves the worksheets, the hands-on activities with the letters, and mostly the books. I highly recommend All About Reading for any parent. Whether you homeschool or are looking to tutor your child in public school you will be pleased with the results. Order your kit today! 

Disclaimer: I received the above product at a discounted rate for the purpose of this review. 

All thoughts and opinions are exclusively my own.