Starfall.com

Outstanding learn-to-read site!

(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)

About Our Ratings
Common Sense rates it
5
Seen the site?
3965_orig.gif
details
  • URL: http://www.starfall.com/
  • Entertainment Value: High

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that there is no advertising on this site, although supplemental educational materials may be purchased at the online store. Families who visit this site will discover that learning to read can be fun for all ages.

Families can talk about the importance of learning to read and how this site helps. Why is it important to learn how to read? Does this site make it fun to learn?

Message

Social Behavior:

Consumerism:

Online store but no ads within kids' content.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Educational Value:

Violence

Sex

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Jean Armour Polly

Aimed at children learning to read, STARFALL.COM has four main sections plus many special occasion areas featuring holidays and other themes. The "Get Ready to Read" section highlights the alphabet and letter sounds. In the "Learn to Read" area, you'll find fifteen different modules that teach various letter sounds and skills, such as "left to right." The next section, "It's Fun to Read," appeals to many different types of learners. There are activities involving art, music, and even tricky tongue-twisting rhymes. The advanced "I'm Reading" part contains real online storybooks including well-known folk tales and myths.

Is it any good?

5
Starfall offers an outstanding free learn-to-read method based on numerous studies and educational research. Practice in letter sounds, word recognition, and reading comprehension is presented in a fun interactive style. Kids will love the opportunity to express their opinions after each story and activity. There is also an active bulletin board discussion for parents who are teaching their kids to read.

Nuts and bolts

  • Playability: Easy
  • Reading Required: Preschool to elementary
  • Graphics: Animated cartoon

Other choices

Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 15 reviews.

Age 5+
5


Posted on 06/09/08 by eswanson Adult contributor

Great site for young readers at many levels

This is one of the websites that my son's 1st grade class goes to during computer class. He liked it so much that we bookmarked it at home. He is a fluent, above grade reader but it holds his interest and does the same for the less proficient readers in his class.
Age 5+
4


Posted on 02/22/08 by knautel Adult contributor

Age 5+
5


Posted on 01/23/08 by boxofws Adult contributor

Age 5+
5


Posted on 09/14/07 by sadiethompson Adult contributor

Kindergartener Learning to Read

My daughter has just started Kindergarten, and she has taken a shine to the Starfall site. I am very pleased with the quality of materials, and the fun she has while experiencing the website. The PDF printables are also very cool. I try to give her Starfall printouts that are similar to what she is learning in school (today we are working on the letter B!)
Age 2+
5


Posted on 07/07/07 by napple Adult contributor

Great way to learn the ABCs and to read

I teach technology K-5. I started using this with my kindgergarteners to help them with some mouse control excercises while at the same time learning something. I then showed it to my four year old and he loved it. It is now something my almost 4 year old asks to do with me. The flash videos are engaging and the begging reading section has some great beginning sound exercises. It teaches some basic skills using technology to enhance and not be bells and whistles. I don't use it on any of my students above 1st grade as the content even on the higher "know how to read" can be too juvenile.
Age 5+
5

Posted on 04/09/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

0


Posted on 02/11/07 by baconman_lol Kid contributor, age 14

Age 5+
5


Posted on 01/26/07 by jkstec8 Adult contributor

A real help to afterschool literacy tutors!

As an afterschool literacy teacher, I was overjoyed to find this site! Many of my students need help sounding out words and moving through stories, but I just don't have the time to help each of them to read the stories that interest them. Many of the activities on www.starfall.com are just like having a tutor helping the student along, and even my most reluctant readers love to "play" with the interactive stories. A real find for an underfunded afterschool program!
5

Posted on 01/26/07 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 7

I love starfall.com

(Written with help from Mom)... I learned to read with the help of this website. My favorite part is the videos and where I make up the story all about me. I like to play that over and over. I also learned how to "chunk" words if they look too big, and now I can read really really big words!
0


Posted on 10/28/06 by allisonpet Kid contributor, age 8

See all 15 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 10 reviews.

Age 5+
5


Posted on 06/09/08 by eswanson Adult contributor

Great site for young readers at many levels

This is one of the websites that my son's 1st grade class goes to during computer class. He liked it so much that we bookmarked it at home. He is a fluent, above grade reader but it holds his interest and does the same for the less proficient readers in his class.
Age 5+
4


Posted on 02/22/08 by knautel Adult contributor

Age 5+
5


Posted on 01/23/08 by boxofws Adult contributor

Age 5+
5


Posted on 09/14/07 by sadiethompson Adult contributor

Kindergartener Learning to Read

My daughter has just started Kindergarten, and she has taken a shine to the Starfall site. I am very pleased with the quality of materials, and the fun she has while experiencing the website. The PDF printables are also very cool. I try to give her Starfall printouts that are similar to what she is learning in school (today we are working on the letter B!)
Age 2+
5


Posted on 07/07/07 by napple Adult contributor

Great way to learn the ABCs and to read

I teach technology K-5. I started using this with my kindgergarteners to help them with some mouse control excercises while at the same time learning something. I then showed it to my four year old and he loved it. It is now something my almost 4 year old asks to do with me. The flash videos are engaging and the begging reading section has some great beginning sound exercises. It teaches some basic skills using technology to enhance and not be bells and whistles. I don't use it on any of my students above 1st grade as the content even on the higher "know how to read" can be too juvenile.
Age 5+
5

Posted on 04/09/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Age 5+
5


Posted on 01/26/07 by jkstec8 Adult contributor

A real help to afterschool literacy tutors!

As an afterschool literacy teacher, I was overjoyed to find this site! Many of my students need help sounding out words and moving through stories, but I just don't have the time to help each of them to read the stories that interest them. Many of the activities on www.starfall.com are just like having a tutor helping the student along, and even my most reluctant readers love to "play" with the interactive stories. A real find for an underfunded afterschool program!
Age 5+
5

Posted on 07/22/06 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Great Site... totally reccommend it!!!

this site is awesome for children to learn from and my son can play on it for hours! there are no links to other sites so you don't have to worry about your child accidentally browsing away from the site to find something they should not on the internet. It is good clean fun and very educational. the site was started by a man who is a DR. now but learned to read very late in life and does not want that to happen to any other kids. So he puts this website out there free of charge for children to enjoy and most of all it helps them learn to read!!! Awesome site!!!
Age 5+
4

Posted on 11/06/05 by Anonymous Adult contributor

free reading help

I absence of an adult reading with a child, this is a great alternative to expensive reading toys. Allows child to read words they know as well as get help help sounding out words they don't know.
Age 5+
5

Posted on 10/12/05 by Anonymous Adult contributor

See all 10 adult reviews>

Kids Reviews

There are 5 reviews.

0


Posted on 02/11/07 by baconman_lol Kid contributor, age 14

5

Posted on 01/26/07 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 7

I love starfall.com

(Written with help from Mom)... I learned to read with the help of this website. My favorite part is the videos and where I make up the story all about me. I like to play that over and over. I also learned how to "chunk" words if they look too big, and now I can read really really big words!
0


Posted on 10/28/06 by allisonpet Kid contributor, age 8

0


Posted on 10/16/05 by queenrachie2 Kid contributor, age 14

Iffy

Person who thinks this is a show, you are a sick pervert you want a website to have kissing
5

Posted on 09/16/05 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 8

i think it is a real nice show.it has no bad language or kissing a7 year old can watch it.but it would be better with more kissing
Review It
more
What do your kids do online?
Surf
34%
Homework and research
19%
Download music
10%
Chat with friends
37%
132 votes