Your Baby Can Read as Seen on TV

Those infomercials are really impressive! From what I've read about this program, and others like it...yes, they work...sort-of. Children (and, incidentally, monkeys as well) can be taught to read at extremely early ages, but it's largely a mechanism of memorization. The one thing I read that made me decide against using it with my 19 month old mentioned that children taught with these types of programs don't show any additional advantage once their peers are reading as well. The article also mentioned that some of these kids also show some difficulties with logic and reasoning...presumably from the early focus on memorization rather than the usual progression of child learning. Good luck with whatever you decide!

My daughter is 13 months old and my parents got the My Baby Can Read system for her for her birthday. She LOVES it! I was skeptical...but told my parents they could get it and I would use it if she enjoyed it...but I wasn't going to force anythign on her. Well, she begs to watch the video...it is about the only TV she watches...and she watches it once or twice a day. It also came with books and flash cards...she is ok with the flash cards...but LOVES the books...she will let me read it to her ten times in a row... Personally I was really impressed with the quality of the product too...everything is made very well and the video is entertaining and not annoying...I don't mind watching it over and over! I don't know that it will teach her to read...but she has learned to say sevral new words already...she's been watching the video and reading the books for just under a month. We probably watch the video at least once a day and read the book at least once a day...somtimes several times a day...just depending on if she asks for it. I didn't want to push anythign on her...but she loves it and it doesn't feel like I'm pusing her to read...etc. It is just fun to her. Anyway...I would vote yes!

I have not used this particluar method. Years ago I bought a book called Teach Your Baby To Read (by Doman). The program comes in a kit or you can get a computer version on Ebay. I made my own. It's very easy to do. I started with 10 flash cards the first week and added at least five a week.My son learned to read by 2 years old. I am currently making new cards for my daughter who is 2. I started a bit late with her due to pregnancy #3. She knows approximately 300 words by sight. I started with items she sees every day. See if your local bookstore has it in stock. It's not really necessary to read the whole book. There is also a website. He has other programs...math, science, encyclopedic knowledge etc...

http://www.gentlerevolution.com/
You can sometimes find used copies of the kits on eBay too.

Hello T., I also have seen this on tv. It looks amazing, but like you I have hesitated to purchase it. I would love to know if you get any feedback on this. Please keep me updated. ____@____.com
thanks, T.

I bought the group of DVDs Your Baby Can Read.. and find it to be really outdated. I was greatly disappoited with my purchase.

It is informative but I found it to be a waste of money... JMO

my daughter saw that on tv last night.(2/8/29).she is very interested in this as well.she is 21 and has a 2mth old son that she is very interested in training up with biblical and natural knowledge.if you find out any information concerning this will you please be so kind to let me know.thank you kindly.

Hello, T..

I bought the set when my daughter was about 9 months old (she is 4 now); she used to LOVE watching the tapes, mostly because there were songs, catchy tunes, bright colors, pictures of animals, and best of all, other kids!
I didn't make/buy any flashcards, so I can't say how effective the "system" is on teaching her to read, but I can tell you she absolutely LOVED watching them!
What she did learn was the meaning of lots of words.. gorilla, jacket, roll over, hands up!, and many, many other little phrases that helped me communicate with her.. She learned to talk (well) very early, and I think these videos really did help.

I am still unsure if this is typical, but my daughter has always loved books and the TV... if it is on, she will watch. I think that is why the tapes were so rewarding to her. Now that she is 4 (and NOT a baby, incidentally ;), I think the words on the screen will benefit her much more.
My son, on the other hand, who is 15 months now, will glance @ the TV and go on playing... It would be more of a battle to get him to sit down and watch tham it would be worth.

Bottom line: my daughter did not learn to read; however, I am sure I didn't follow the "regimen" as it was intended... The tapes were purely entertainment/learning (but not learning to read.. LOL), and they were great for that!

So, if your daughter is the type who will pay attention, I would say it is a good investment.

I hope this helps... If you want to know anything more, feel free to contact me!

J.

T., I have a Usborne business and I just want to say we were selling it but no longer are and IF you can get it DO IT!
I have seen first hand if you use it the way it is intended with the repetition, it will help a ton!
Plus keep in mind I actually homeschool my daughter who just turned 6. Now I haven't used this program but my daughter is an accelerated learner. Many of her peers are just in K and she is finishing up her work in First grade and it is only the beginning of FEBRUARY!

REading is the key to everything.

I got the DVD set when my daughter was 2-1/2 yrs old. (I got it free from a book show - so no investment). She would watch the DVDs then, but now that she is 3-1/2 she is not so interested in sitting and watching. When we sit and go over the words that came with it, she does great. We did invest in the additional word sets of the sliding cards. If we used them more regularly it would be a terrific educational tool.

As Ginny pointed out, while these programs show amazing results in the short term, the long-term studies indicate that children who learn to read through such rote/memorization programs do not show any greater reading or language skills than children who do not. And, echoing Ginny once more, some actually seem to be constricted in overall learning skills.
My grandson was reading and writing - very simple and cursory words and sentences - when he was three or four years old but this was not by virtue of a concerted learning program but merely by being read to and picking up words and phrases. He asked a lot of questions, too. "What's that word?" kind of thing. So I have done a lot of research into early learning programs. What I have found it that, as with the system you mentioned, there is no real advantage to starting a child on memorizing words that early.
Conversely, what has been shown to be an exceptional learning advantage for a child - across the board - is to get him or her involved in music. Piano/keyboards seem to be the greatest assist but children who have learned to play any instrument seem to score consistently higher than their classmates in all areas, including social. The general belief is that learning to play music triggers the same parts of the brain as does a complex mathematical equation. Exercing the brain, like any other muscle in the body, makes it stronger and better able to tackle a challenge. So, if you really want to help your toddler's brain grow the right way and give him the greatest help toward success in school and thereafter, start playing music for him now. Later, when he is in first or second grade, get him involved in playing the piano (it's easier for a youngster than, say, manhandling a cello or double-bass). Make music a part of his life and his brain will thank you for it later. (You might even pat yourself on the back when his college education is paid for by scholarship money instead of student loans!)

I have not tried this but want to. I have seen the tv adds also. I lookd up on their website and it is $200. They have the same thing on ebay for $165.
If you get any good info about it, let me know. I would like to get it also.

my friend has twins who are like 19 months old and she has used this program for her kids and the one twin actually read a flash card with the word and without a picture on it she said its working for her kids. I believe her and all I can say is try it out it cant hurt them to learn stuff like this.

Developmentally children are not ready to read until Kindergarten. Some children are ready to begin pre-reading skills at age 4, but the vast majority are not developmentally ready to read until Kindergarten.

There is so much for a baby to learn and to do - like getting dressed, colouring, using the potty, cutting food, catching a ball, throwing, digging, pouring, measuring, sharing, taking turns, jumping, skipping, climbing, drawing, scooping, running, pedaling...

My daughter learned to read at 2 like she learned all these other things - as a natural part of life. A lot of it was just sitting on our laps reading books she loved, especially ones where she followed along "reading" the rebus-like pictures like in the book about the horse looking for where all the apples went. The alphabet she learned by singing and because at day care there was the alphabet along the wall.

This way, she learned it like everything else and it became a deep part of herself. The goal was not to "teach her to read." But she learned anyway - sounding words out, and was thus reading "The Little House on the Prairie" series as she turned 4 and "Anne of Green Gables" & "Little Women" series at 5.

BUT There is a downside to this! Think about the newspaper. It is very scary! We had a two year old questioning what was in the paper. There are very scary things written everywhere, and I never thought I would EVER censor what my child would read, but at such a young age, I had to, especially since she could speed read at 4 faster than I can read. You have to be really careful. That's a big downside. You have to be careful. I had to make sure she didn't read even the books her older sister read for pleasure or for school (except textbooks) because there is dark contenet not suitable for a toddler/preschooler. They are not emotionally ready for the content even though they can read it. (The upside was that at 5 she could help her 8th grade sister with homework).

Oh well. I didn't even know there was a way to teach two year olds to read books on purpose. But we all expose them to a rich variety, and I see nothing wrong with it as long as we don't get frustrated with letting them go - or not go - at their own pace in whatever particular area... unless its an LD... sigh... and then it is work work work on that area.

The program you've seen on TV is likely a gimmick designed to make money -- not to do something good for young children. Babies are not developmentally ready to learn to read, and pushing it would likely do much more harm than good. The most powerful thing you can do as a parent to encourage reading is to read to your children from the day they're born. It teaches children how language works, and when they're ready to try it themselves, it will be natural and fun. Surround them with books, and read every day!

A little about me:
I'm a retired reading specialist.

I wouldn't waste your money, however, I appreciate your enthusiasm for reading. A little toddler needs to learn other stuff first. Use these few years to teach him the basics so that he'll have the imagination to make good use of future reading skills.

My son can take pictures, water the garden, ride a bike, swim, play the recorder, sing nursery rhymes, name different plants, hike a forest trail and many other things we trained him to do before he started to learn to read.

By all means teach him his ABC's, letter sounds, and read to him everyday. If you get those basics then reading will be fast, cheap, and easy a little later on.