Our Return to Ooka Island

Disclosure: We received a 6 month subscription to Ooka Island to facilitate our Ooka Island review. Regardless, all opinions are my own and those of my family. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Back in July we had a chance to review Ooka Island, which is a fun learn-to-read program for PC and Mac for preschoolers (as young as age 3) through 2nd grade. Our children (ages almost 4, 6, and almost 8) love it and really learned a lot in the month we had to review it. It is versatile in that it teaches a wide range of skills such as: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Ooka Island is presented in a way that is fun and engaging. Kids really WANT to learn with Ooka Island!
When we were presented with the opportunity to review Ooka Island again we were ALL excited! We’re definitely not the only family that loves Ooka Island, check out another experience:

What I loved most about this review is we were able to pick back up where we left off. The kids’ accounts were still saved, and their reports were all still available in the Lighthouse Reports. They were definitely ready to get started again!
Plus, our preschooler has been using the computer more and actually getting more involved in homeschooling this year, so I knew if he loved Ooka Island before, he would really take off with it now, and I was right! He is still hesitant about some of our homeschooling lessons, but as soon as we get started for the day he often asks if he can get on Ooka Island. When you have a child that is reluctant like that, it is music to your ears when they actually ASK to do something!
The progress our preschooler is making in Ooka Island is amazing. Teaching reading has been a struggle around here due to our children’s special needs, so to see our almost four year old get a jump start like this is just amazing. He already recognizes letter sounds in a way that I never imagined! I seriously just watched him the other day and was almost in tears because he was doing so well. I know that may sound silly, but knowing how our older two children have struggled and feeling like this has given him a head start so he won’t have those struggles is really an amazing feeling.
Our daughter has also been enjoying Ooka Island again and moving right along! She works so hard and loves her Zopet!

I also love that our oldest hasn’t “outgrown” it. In fact, it’s just what he needs as he does still need to work through some of his reading struggles. Returning to Ooka Island has started building his confidence and allows him to enjoy his time learning to read. He loves to receive my messages of encouragement that I can send through the Ooka Lighthouse.
Of course, as a mom (and particularly as a homeschooling mom), I love that I can send these messages as well as check on their progress. Although I’m usually involved in their time on Ooka Island, it also allows them to have some independence, which they also need, so the reports allow me to check on their progress.

I appreciate that they can work in Ooka Island by themselves and not have to worry about their clicking on ads or clicking the “back” button on accident, clicking out of the tab, etc. and all those other inconveniences of working on an website. Ooka Island is downloaded to the computer, so it is a secure environment. So they can have that independent time, and I can work with one of the other children one-on-one during that time.
Ooka Island is really a fun and rewarding learn-to-read program, and I definitely recommend it whether you’re a parent who appreciates education enhancement, a teacher with many students, or a homeschooling parent like myself. They offer a plan for everyone. Plus, if you like physical products in addition to the virtual learning, they offer workbooks in the Ooka Lighthouse and paperback books in the Ooka Bookstore as well!

For More Information:

Visit the Ooka Island Website
Connect with Ooka Island on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube

*Giveaway!!*

Enter to win a 6-month subscription to Ooka Island! The giveaway will run from 4/10 at 7pm – 4/24 at 11pm Central Time and is open worldwide ages 18+. Enter the giveaway!