Starfall!

Recently I recalibrated the mouse on our computer so that it was not so responsive. That small change has meant that Elisabeth can now manipulate the mouse very capably. That, in turn, has set me searching for good websites for toddlers.

We have deliberately chosen toys for Elisabeth throughout her first two years that are non-electronic. So she has learned to play with wooden toys, stuffed animals, playdough, crayons, etc. I think it has encouraged her imagination, and has preserved our sanity. However, that decision has also excluded some toys that I think are genuinely helpful, including those that help children develop letter symbol/name/sound associations. Some of this can be well done through parent interaction, such as playing with letter-shaped refrigerator magnets. However, particularly with letter sounds (not names) I have found that other neumonic devices are helpful.

A friend pointed me to a website that has genuinely impressed me: Starfall. It is the most impressive literacy website I've seen. Elisabeth loves it. She now knows the names of the letters, and connects most consonants to their regular sounds (such that I can ask, "What letter makes _ sound?" or "What sound does _ make?")! I wish that I had known of it in my teaching years. It is one of the ALA (American Library Association) Great Websites for Kids, which I also recommend visiting to find the best of the web from their perspective.