Learning to read with Hot Dots Jolly Phonics cards

When we were flying yesterday, Daddy T was playing Little Builders on my iPhone, Baby Boy was asleep on his SkyBaby mattress, and Big Girl was playing with the Hot Dots First Words cards I’d packed for her. We’d forgotten to bring headphones on the plane, so she couldn’t watch the iPad as planned, but I was thrilled to have found something fun and educational in my bag instead.

Hot Dots–a Learning Resources brand featuring talking pens, practice cards and booklets designed to teach children literacy and numeracy skills–offers interactive activities to boost confidence and let children self-check answers.

Three-year-old Big Girl received Hot Dots Jolly Phonics First Words card set with 72 activities and Hot Dots Jolly Phonics Inky Mouse Pen to review, and I’ve started bringing different cards when we’re out and about.

Each card features three words and a picture, and one of the three words describes what’s in the picture. When pointing the pen to a Hot Dot, she finds out if it’s the right or wrong answer, meaning she can practise without help too.

The cards are printed on both sides, and I like keeping a couple of them in different bags to bring out when we have a spare moment. Sometimes we’ve used them without the pen on the go too, simply reading all three words on each card.

The pen makes Hot Dots stand out though, and we can use the pen for other Hot Dots products too. I think the talking Hot Dots pens, which give positive feedback, buzz or light up, and gentle correction if the answer is wrong, are fun for young children, and products, such as the Hot Dots First Words cards are good for teaching children to read.

There are so many ways to teach children to read first words, but sometimes it helps to have a little gadget and simply enough different activities to keep it interesting when there are a few extra minutes to fill on a plane journey!

Tags: 3 years, Educational toys, Growing up, Hot Dots, Learning Resources, Learning to read, Preschooler, Reading, Review, Toys