Learn to Read and Have Fun with Starfall.com

Our son has been using our computer for a while now, and, in true younger sibling style, our 3-year-old daughter now wants to play on it, too. We don't mind if they do, but we also want to make sure that their limited "screen time" is more than just playing around. We also want to limit their exposure to commercial kids' websites and the ads that accompany them. One of the websites that all of us love is Starfall.com.

Starfall is free public resource that we were introduced to through our son's kindergarten class last year. It's a non-commercial website full of activities, games, and stories for preschoolers through elementary students. The focus with Starfall is on learning to read using a phonics approach, and is divided into sections range from the "ABCs" to the more challenging reading materials included in "I'm Reading!" Activities take the form of fun stories, often with interactive elements and animations to help get children involved. Each word can be clicked and read aloud.

We try to use Starfall as a way to augment the children's learning experiences, and spend a lot of time reading to and with them. With Starfall, they can play and learn independently, and gain a sense of accomplishment when they complete games, finish stories, and learn to read. We've also noticed that they often play games on Starfall together, with our son, who is already a very good reader, helping to guide his younger sister through the activities.

Other fun activities on Starfall include a make-your-own calendar activity and seasonal elements, such as this pumpkin patch activity that teaches the short "u" sound. You'll need to make sure you have Flash player installed to use Starfall. It's definitely worth checking out.