Review of Kid Scoop

For the past month, I have had the opportunity to review Kid Scoop's Reluctant Reader Solution with my seven year-old son.  The program was provided free to me in exchange for my review.  Sometimes I have trouble wrapping my mind around the concept of a reluctant reader, but since my son is perfectly capable of reading just about anything he chooses...but chooses not to most of the time, I decided that he could qualify for this title.

The program consists of a combination of the online Kid Scoop newsletter,

 which is filled with activities and short reading selections geared around educational topics which don't feel educational at all.  Because the newsletter is interactive and on the computer, it feels very much like a game, and not nearly as much like homework or learning.

The second component of the Reluctant Reader solution, and the primary means of addressing reluctant readers, is the downloadable set of activities.

Each set of sheets revolves around a particular topic and consists of 5-7 pages of readings, activities, experiments, and other fun and topical subjects.  The best thing about the 60 or so topics included is that there is no particular order in which they should be done.  Thus, if you start the program in May, the Mother's Day packet is right there for you to access.  If your child is a baseball fan, introduce him to this new program with the baseball worksheets.  More "academic" subjects like Constitution Day are also included, but every one of the topics is presented in a fun and non-threatening way.  

My son, Nicholas, enjoys this program.  He doesn't object to working with the worksheets, and he really enjoys the online Kid Scoop newsletter.  The graphics and colors are reminiscent of a restaurant menu for kids, with all of its games and activities and riddles, etc., and what kid doesn't love to be presented with one of those? I know Nicholas is savvy enough to realize that this is "school", but it sure is more palatable to him than being handed, for example, a dry history book.

The Kid Scoop Reluctant Reader Solution includes a subscription to the online edition of the Kid Scoop newsletter, along with the 60 topic downloadable set of worksheets.  The program costs $97 and comes with a 365 day unconditional satisfaction guarantee.  In other words, you have absolutely nothing to lose by giving this program a try if your child is hesitant about stretching his reading wings.

To find out more about Kid Scoop's Reluctant Reader Solution, visit their very informative website.  Any potential question you might have will be addressed there.  To find out what other Crew members thought of the Reluctant Reader Solution, visit the Crew blog.