Hooked on Phonics App Reviews - My Own & What I Found Through Research!
Are you a parent looking to purchase the Hooked on Phonics app for your beginning reader or pre-reader? If you are like me, you'll be searching for Hooked on Phonics app reviews online to make the best choice before you spend your hard-earned money.
I've taken the time and really dug into the ins and outs of this app for you (and the boxed sets), as a mom, and as a former teacher and I'm happy to share all that I've learned with you so that you can make a great choice!
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You can learn more about that here. Also, I received one or more of the products or services mentioned in this article for free for my honest review of the product on my blog.
As you read, you may want to go ahead and download the app so you can get a look at what I'm talking about. Since you are a reader of the mythreereaders.com blog, you are welcome to use this link >> Hooked on Phonics App FREE for a 30 day trial << (Use THAT link to get the 30 days!)
Also, while you are here, you can check out the Hooked on Phonics Complete Learn to Read Kit that is a FABULOUS DEAL, which just includes a TON of material, including:
- 36 Original Storybooks written to reinforce the skills your child learns in the program, including 8 books written by award-winning children’s book authors such as Rosemary Wells and David McPhail.
- 8 Workbooks that will guide you and your child through all of the lessons and many fun activities
- Video streaming of all DVD and bonus content on MyHOP (available on any device)
- 2 Sets of Letters and Picture Flashcards designed to reinforce letter names and letter sounds
- 8 Sets of Stickers to proudly display in the workbooks and celebrate reading success
in the picture:Hooked on Phonics Complete Learn to Read Kit (Pre-K through 2nd Grade | Ages 3-8)
Get more info: https://amzn.to/2Xd67Dj
in the picture: A look insde the Level One portion of the complete kit.
Get more info: https://amzn.to/2Xd67Dj
All levels are included in the complete kit (picture above). BUT you can also purchase each Level individually if you choose to do so.
Table of Contents
- Is Hooked on Phonics worth it for beginning readers? What about struggling readers?
- Take a look at this Hooked on Phonics YouTube Video for more information..
- A Summary of Hooked on Phonics Amazon Reviews
- Hooked on Phonics Age Ranges
- Hooked on Phonics - Good for Pre K?
- Hooked on Phonics - Kindergarten Student Use
- Using Hooked on Phonics For Adults
- Final Hooked on Phonics App Review
Is Hooked on Phonics worth it for beginning readers? What about struggling readers?
It's a fact of life that kids need to learn phonics. In order to really become a great and proficient reader, your child should have a firm grasp of phonics.
In short, they've got to understand the sight and sounds of letters, and the combinations of letters put together into blends.
Hooked on Phonics is the master at this. When I mentioned to my husband that I was putting together this review, he asked everyone in his office to raise their hand if they had heard of "Hooked on Phonics". 19 out of 20 people their hands lifted!
So - you know already that Hooked on Phonics has a great reputation for having success in teaching kids to read. These days, having a long-term brand that you know and trust is gold. And Hooked on Phonics has certainly achieved that.
As for struggling readers, I have two of my own. And really, with my youngest son, we had emphasized sight words waaay too much, to the detriment of not realizing that he had "missed" some of the phonics learning that he really had needed.
He is a little older now for the Hooked on Phonics material, but we went back anyway and began to shore up his learning of some blends and do a little review. IT WAS WORTH IT!! And he was able to fly through the lesson, not knowing he was giving himself a great review - one that he really needed.
I'm so glad we went through it! He feels even more confident now, and he can visually see and feel proud of his own progress as he moves through the stories and levels and he gets to see the little "rewards" he gets in the app. It makes him feel great!
Take a look at this Hooked on Phonics YouTube Video for more information..
A Summary of Hooked on Phonics Amazon Reviews
I don't know about you, but I'm a bit fanatical about checking out all the reviews I can find on a product before buying. I'm pretty picky.
The reviews from Amazon buyers for the Complete Learn to Read Kit are overwhelmingly high ratings (5 stars).
The first review I read was this (plus a lot more), "As a homeschool Mom to 4 kids, one with dyslexia, I have been delightfully surprised with how excellent HOP is!". She goes on to talk about her experience with Hooked on Phonics as a good purchase.
Hooked on Phonics is definitely a great product to lay a base for your child's reading.
CLICK HERE to check out the reviews from Amazon's customers for the Complete Hooked on Phonics Set.
My personal review for the Hooked on Phonics APP:
I'll go into more detail below, but in general, I think that this little program is beautiful, engaging, fun, and kids are going to learn from it.
Hooked on Phonics allowed me to try this app in exchange for my fair and honest review of their product. I mentioned before that I let my youngest son try out the app, and that even though he is above the stated age for the program, he is also a struggling reader, so it was worthwhile for us to go back and practice some of the higher levels.
In the upper left corner of the home screen, there is an area for parents with FAQ, Account Settings, etc. I found this pretty easy to navigate and helpful. There is a nice section explaining how to use the program, and the basic steps that the Hooked on Phonics app is divided into.
Back on the home screen, your child can see their own progress by level. They drag a finger in a circle to view the level, or to head over to the "Big Reading Show" screen.
Once your student passes one level, she can move to the next one. Each level consists of several different activites to learn letters/sounds/words through each progressions.
Your child might watch a video (VERY cute and creative, well-done videos!), or they might have to play an activity that drags a letter to make a word, click on words read aloud, etc. to pass.
Once your child completes the activites, they get to move on! And the app is easy to manipulate, so if she likes the game, song, or video, she can watch it over and over again as often as she likes.
I mentioned an additional area in the app called "The Big Reading Show". This is a fun area described as a place that "introduces pre-readers to the critical skills they'll need when they begin Step 1 of Hooked on Phonics."
It's full of stories and songs that really shore up the alphabet and letter sounds for kids, so it's especially great for pre-readers or children just getting kicked off in reading.
All in all, I would definitely recommend this app to friends! My son used this and I looked over it using my iPhone 6, so that is the platform my review is coming from.
Hooked on Phonics Age Ranges
According to Hooked on Phonics, "if your child is between the ages of 3 and 8 and reading below a 3rd grade reading level, he should be ready to use this program, either to get ahead in his learning or to improve his reading skills.
Based on my use of the app, this assessment seems right in line. And since children develop at different rates for their ages, they can move around to the levels of the program that fit them best according to where they are.
Hooked on Phonics - Good for Pre K?
For sure! The "Great Reading Show" area in the app is a great way to introduce the alphabet and letter sounds if a pre-reader still needs these skills before diving in.
The workbook/dvd set for Level 1 is perfect for ages 3-4, where children are in the pre-reader, early emergent stage of reading. So this age group is perfect for the app or workbooks as well.
Hooked on Phonics - Kindergarten Student Use
The box sets of Hooked on Phonics ranges from Pre-K up to a Second Grade reading level. Any child in Kindergarten would definitely benefit from the program.
I would say that the perfect target age for the app would be Kindergarten, so if you have a child within the Kindergarten ages, you may want to consider the app for them!
Using Hooked on Phonics For Adults
There is no reason why the Hooked on Phonics program will not work for adults who also struggle to read, or who want to become more proficient readers.
An adult who would like to use the program can use the 30 Day Hooked On Phonics trial opportunity to determine where in the program he or she fits, and then purchase the Level that would be appropriate.
Although the graphics and songs are geared towards keeping the attention of a child, it can absolutely be entertaining for any adult, and provide the reading basics that anyone may be lacking in order to become a great reader.
Final Hooked on Phonics App Review
As a child, I remember using Hooked on Phonics, in the classroom and at home. Today, I am definitely what you might call a bookworm, with a great love and passion for reading and books.
Looking at it today, Hooked on Phonics has stayed true to the basics that children really do need to learn phonics to become the best readers they can be. Even though there have been different trends in the ways we teach kids to read, we always come back to phonics.
Hooked on Phonics provides a solution to teaching kids those basic reading building blocks. I'm glad I was able to use the app with my son to give him a much needed review, and I know it will be very helpful to other children starting their journey into reading books!
More reading curriculum and app reviews you might be interested in! 👇
We purchased the ‘Hooked on Phonics’ program back in the 90’s. The methodology WORKS!! We had followed the instructions and had our preschooler learned to phonetically sound the letters prior to entering kindergarten. Long story short, while our daughter was in the second grade, she was reading at an 8th grade level. Elementary school teachers would bring their history textbooks to watch and listen to her read. Later that night at dinner time, she asked me what does ‘colonial’ mean. I explained the time in our history and asked her where did she learned that word. She explained the scenario about the teachers bringing in a book for her to read. Our daughter is an adult that continues to love to read, converse with people from various walks of life.
As a preschool teacher and parent, I wish all schools would invest in this program. I would implement the ‘Hooked on Phonics’ as a director in my preschool program. Thank you for making a positive impact in our youth.
Sincerely,
Patty Garcia
Thank you for your thorough assessments on the different reading programs offered on the market. These are super helpful. You have written great reviews for both ‘4 weeks to Read’ and ‘Hooked on Phonics’. Between the two, which would you recommend for a mom who is just starting to teacher her 3 year old how to read? Thank you!
Could the app benefit a child who is about to start second grad but didn’t progress much from her reading level at the beginning of first grade to the end of first grade?
Hi! I do think it absolutely could. I’d let her play the app, just for good practice in phonics, and then read aloud to her often. Good luck!