What the Experts Are Saying

This is a remarkable game - fun, fast-paced, and highly effective at helping kids learn to read.  It consists of six illustrated storybooks, each of which is accompanied by a deck of cards containing the 30 words used in the book's story. Before opening a book, a series of 6 simple word-matching games is played with its corresponding deck during which the student becomes familiar with the book's words. Each game moves quickly, with a winner every few seconds. Only once the student can read all 30 words without hesitation is the book brought into play. The student then experiences the pride and sheer pleasure of successfully reading the story. The games within each deck, and the decks and books themselves, are used in a specified sequence that makes the process unfurl in a highly systematic way that feels utterly natural, leading to a pleasurable experience for both student and tutor. The stories themselves, while purposefully simple, are professionally written and highly entertaining. Excellent!'  - The Tillywig Brain Child Award Judging Panel Review, 2012.

The Reading Game is an amazing tool for all homeschoolers learning to read. Whether you have a pre-schooler, who is ready to move on from pictures, or if you’re teaching the basics to your kindgartener, or even if you are looking for resources for your struggling reader – The Reading Game is for you.. After completing all the levels of The Reading Game, your student will be able to read 180 new sight words. And it meets criteria for four skill sets in the Common Core Standards for Language and Literacy Arts. Although it may sound too good to be true, this program has been field-tested in a variety of settings (both in public school and homeschool settings) with amazing results. There are six color-coded levels to progress through in The Reading Game: Skunk (red), Snake (orange), Bear (yellow), Penguins (green), Unicorn (blue), and Zebra (purple). Each character has cards to play the “matching game,” 3 large flashcards, and a book. All the materials are extremely well-made, user-friendly, and contained within a small box. The stories are fanciful and fun – perfect for sparking your young reader’s imagination. Begin with the Skunk set (all red materials) – the match game cards, flashcards, and book. It’s best to familiarize yourself with the words that will be studied in the matching game, the flashcards, and the book, before you begin to play. Start with the first five words of the matching game cards (can, cat, is, me, and not); these cards are all red, with a skunk, and the number one. First, mix all 10 cards up and then place all of them face down on the table. Select two cards at random to begin playing the “matching game” with your student. Each player should read the words out loud as they pick cards during their turn. Repeat this process until your student has mastered these five words — but keep in mind this is not a race. Students should continue playing Game 1 (and every other Game) as long as necessary. After completing the Skunk (red) Games 1 and 2, show your student the corresponding flashcard. The flashcards help students transition to short sentences, while introducing capitalization and punctuation. This is also an opportunity for you to assess your child’s learning so far. Those students able to read the flashcard then move on to play Games 3 and 4, then the 2nd flashcard; and then work on the last flashcard after mastering the words in Games 5 and 6. Once they have learned the 30 words contained in all the matching game cards, students can apply these new words to the Skunk book. Students move on to the Snake (orange) materials after finishing all 6 Games for the Skunk level. The process is repeated and students learn 30 new words playing Games 1-6 for the Snake level. The 30 words learned previously are also incorporated in the Snake materials, bringing your student’s total progress to 60 words after finishing the Snake book. Each new level continues to incorporate the words learned in the earlier levels, allowing students to apply their knowledge throughout the entire process. The frequent play and fast-paced nature of the matching game stimulates students’ long-term memory; providing your student with the knowledge and confidence to successfully read the book at the end of every level. Kids also love the sense of accomplishment and constant positive reinforcement they enjoy through play. It’s not school, it’s a game! For more information, including ordering information, supplemental worksheets, pricing, and more, please visit their website at www.thereadinggame.com. In the “For Educators” section, you can find pre/post assessments to better understand your student’s reading level. Try using the Pre/Post Card Game Sight Word Assessment before and after each of the six card games. You will be amazed at how far your student progresses and it allows you to identify any challenging words s/he may encounter. JE