I was asked by BrillBaby to participate in the program and post a few reviews along the way.
First off, let me say that I don't necessarily think the goal of a baby reading is accessible for everyone. And I also think that there are so many different elements to pre-reading and reading skills that not everyone's experiences, desires, or abilities will be the same. I'm always a little bit skeptical of companies that claim to be able to teach babies and toddlers to read. I read as a toddler, but I was definitely not the norm, nor did my parents "work" with me - they just read to me.
So before I get into my experiences so far, let me just say that, bottom line, whatever you do to work with your child on reading and pre-reading skills is great. If that's working on letters, reading to them, or using a packaged curriculum, as long as you and the baby/toddler are enjoying it, and they are getting positive experiences with literacy, it will help them in the long run.
As far as this program goes, I've only been using it a few weeks. Essentially, the lessons combine written words with pictures and actions. Looking ahead from where I am now, they also get into simple phonics by changing one letter at a time.
Pros: it keeps her interested, that's for sure - she loves looking at the pictures and she's figured out how to hit the laptop mouse button to get the image advanced to the next screen; she is learning more English words (I speak German to her at home); the online forum provides a wealth of resources that can be used to provide educational, fun activities for the kids.
Cons: I'm not sure whether she'll actually learn to "read" or just develop sight words; it's hard to find the time to do it on a regular basis; it is pricey ($30/month, paid upfront, with discounts for 12 and 18 month subscriptions).
For more information, you can check out the followings links:
BrillBaby's take on early learning
Little Reader and Little Math products
BrillBaby Forum
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