Seeking "Zoo Phonics" Reviews

This was used in my daughter's kindergarten class. She enjoyed the song (and dancing)- it is catchy and it does teach the individual letter sounds- but I'm not sure what it does beyond that. I assume that the classroom had the whole package, but I don't remember her learning how to blend the sounds or identify sight words using the zoo phonics. But then again, my daughter was a step ahead of the classroom and was already reading some very simple books, so it is hard for me to judge just how effective zoo-phonics might be for someone starting from scratch. If you want to keep reading this response I will tell you about another program that we had great success with and that I whole-heartedly recommmend to everyone I know with young children. We started my daughter at 3 1/2 with an online reading instruction called Headsprout (headsprout.com). It is a very thorough program we purchased to use at home. Instruction is all done online, plus you get some books sent to you and can print others from home. The website is easy to navigate and can answer any questions better than I can in this limited space. My daughter, now in first grade, is top of her class in reading.

My daughter learned it in preschool and loved it. I still have the song ringing in my head FIVE years later.

Hi!
I have volunteered at my school for 10 years now. When we were in Kindergarten, the teacher I help always used Zoo Phonics. She is an outstanding teacher, from a family of teachers, who really teach. She was very picky about them pronouncing the letters right. When we were done with our Kinders, they were advanced to the middle of 1st grade. The other Kinder teacher didn't use Zoo Phonics, and her kids were behind ours. They need to know how to pronounce the letters so they will know how to sound out their words.
I highly recommend Zoo Phonics. They learn to recognize the letter by the animals and the gestures that go with it.
I hope that helps you make your decision!
M.

They use Zoo Phonics in the Pre-K and Kindergarten classes at my son's preschool. He (4) loves it.

He actually read before he started, and this program manages to hold his interest even though the content (individual letter sounds) is stuff he had down two years ago which makes me think it would be fun for many kids in that the learning is wrapped in fun. It's all about meeting new friends - zoo animals named and positioned to mimic the letters. There's a song. It's cute.

I have no idea how well it would actually TEACH a child to read, but it IS cute.

Both my kids have gone through it at their preschool (different preschools). The Kindergarten at my daughter's school used to use it but switched to something else that the Kindergarten teachers do not think is as good.
My dughter was already advanced by the time she started preschool, my son is behind. But they both have taken to it.

I bought the Zoo Phonics for my mother's preschool classroom after using it as a substitute in preschool classes in Hawaii. I was very impressed with the program. My mom loves it and her class of 3 and 4 year olds can identify all of the letters and the sounds that each letter makes though using the Zoo Phonics program.