In the several years that I have been an elementary school teacher and a mother of two, I have come across my fair share of tools and teaching strategies designed to help young children learn to read. Many of these tools had certain characteristics that stood out as effective in building upon the basic skills required to become a fluent reader. When I think of what makes a teaching tool so successful, I think of its ability to appeal to a variety of learning styles, such as visual, auditory and tactile. Combine this with a personalized reading program based on 25 years of research, that also motivates the learner by way of gamification, and you have a unique reading experience that supports the learner in a way that is fun and engaging. Enter Ooka Island, a game-based reading app designed to help build confident readers.

Given the educational value of Ooka Island and the creative design and functionality of their iPad app, I have given it 4 1/2 stars out five. I would have given it a full five stars if there were a way of adjusting the settings so that we didn't have to see the intro to every game. You do have the option of clicking on "skip" but I feel it's an unnecessary added step. I would also love to see the addition of new games in future version updates and, if possible, a way to access the library when offline.

Share your love of reading with a budding bookworm in your life by gifting them a subscription to learn to read on Ooka Island!

Available now for the web and iOS, so kids PreK to Grade 2 can play and learn anywhere.

The Gift That Lasts a Lifetime

• STARTER SUBSCRIPTION - $39.99 - Gift a 3 month starter subscription to Ooka Island and jumpstart them into reading. An excellent choice for any kid!
• 1 YEAR PROGRAM - $99.99 - Gift a 12 month subscription and watch them become a confident reader! Recommended to complete program.
• 1 YEAR + FIRST LIBRARY - $149.99 - Gift their first paperback library by bundling the One Year Program with a colourful collection of 11 Ooka books!

The holidays are just around the corner and have I got a gift idea for the preschooler on your list! I'm talking about Ooka Island, where children become confident readers. Available via the web and iOS, kids in PreK to Grade 2 can play and learn anywhere. Ooka Island is a game based reading program built on 25 years of research and scientifically proven teaching methods. And now you can share your love of reading with a budding bookworm in your life by gifting them a subscription to learn to read. Each subscription provides all-inclusive access to 1000's of educational games and 85 eBooks wrapped in a 24-level adventure.

Luckily, I have not one, but TWO one-year Ooka Island subscriptions to give away. Winners will receive a special code to use or that you can pass along as a gift. Simply complete the Rafflecopter form below.

It is almost December and the colder temperatures are drawing near. This is always the time of year when I wish we could go on a family vacation to an exotic island and enjoy some outdoor fun in the sun. While we won't be traveling to an island in the Caribbean, my son will still be able to escape the winter weather and travel to Ooka Island, a virtual world where letters and words come to life and children become confident readers.

Ooka Island is a game-based learning program that blends educational games with fundamental reading skills to help children learn to read. Through exploring a super cool island, children must find missing books and return them to the Popcorn Library while rescuing Ooka Elves along the way. One of the first challenges takes place inside Cave of Sounds where they must listen for a sound and tap on the gate to proceed throughout the mine. Once they have arrived at their destination, children must use a magnifying glass to find the letters that make a particular sound. This game was an instant hit with my son, who pretty much loves anything on wheels.

Next up is Alphabet Mountain where children practice the order of letters in the alphabet by tapping on the next letter. Their avatar jumps to that rock until they make it to the top of the mountain and then they hop on a skateboard to enjoy a fun ride down the mountain. They can jump off ramps, do tricks and practice the alphabet along the way. Of course, my son loves 'riding the skateboard.'

My son also harbours a need for speed so Z-Doo is another one of his favourite Ooka Island games. This is where children practice saying each of the 44 sounds in the English language which unlocks the gate and lets them speed around Ooka Bay. My son enjoys  speeding up when approaching water ramps or jumping over docks.

Enter to win a one-year Ooka Island subscription here!

Give the Gift of Reading

Pssst! I have a little secret I want to share with you.

It isn't something I talk about often but you may be surprised to learn that English was never my forte. In fact, I struggled with it when I was very young, especially when it came to reading. I dreaded book reports. I cheated on reading based fundraisers. And I even rented movies and purchased Coles Notes based on books I was "reading" in high school, all to avoid having to read more than I had to. If I could go back in time and change one thing, it would be to motivate my younger self to read. Read. Read. And read some more. Decoding was never the issue. I mastered that at a very young age. It was comprehension and vocabulary. If only there were something that could have helped me surmount that obstacle when I needed it most. Something like Ooka Island.

If there is one thing I can attest to as a teacher and as a parent, it's that reading plays a crucial role in the life of a child, not just academically but in real-world experiences as well. This is why the sooner a child learns to read, the greater his or her successes will be in school and beyond. Unfortunately, I have witnessed first-hand how the opposite can have the adverse effect. With the latest advances in technology, however, there are many ways to motivate early readers. Today children can stream their favourite videos that teach phonics or play online games that help with phonemic awareness. They can even build their vocabulary through flashcard apps and entertaining songs. But how about learning all this and more in one easy-to-use program that personalizes learning based on the child's needs? And dare we add the fun factor? That's pretty much the premise behind Ooka Island, the "coolest reading app ever" according to my son.

For the past month, my son has been testing out the Ooka Island iPad app and having so much fun playing games and unlocking new books. He thoroughly enjoys riding the virtual train through the Cave of Sounds and finding hidden sounds with the magnifying tool. But more than that, he loves succeeding and being rewarded with new e-books. And that's what I love, too. Watching him as he takes on mini challenges while building his level of confidence. It melts my heart. Because there is very little that I want more than to raise children who love to read. I want them to open their minds to amazing adventures and to experience the joys of reading without having to struggle.

Enter to win a one-year Ooka Island subscription here!

Disclosure: I am participating in the Ooka Island Blogger Program and have received special perks. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.