Reading Programs for Kids

The best reading programs for kids, reviewed by tens of thousands of parents, tested with a group of a dozen kids and approved for “fun factor,” and vetted by trained teachers and child life specialists. If you’re looking for a great reading program for kids,, these are the best ones we’ve found to help them learn to read - and love learning to read.

At Modulo, I’ve asked thousands of parents what their favorite reading programs are, and then tested them with our students to see how well they engage them - and actually learn to read. Every child learns differently, so it will be good for you to test out different types of programs to see which works best of all.

  1. Editor’s choice: the BEST reading program for kids

    Homer.. All around favorite for early readers, a fun and engaging learning app. They also have math.  Your kid will love Homer and you can sit with them while they play the adaptive, mastery-based games or let them play on their one. Not that engaging with kids in screen time, rather than leaving them alone, is preferable for learning and social-emotional development. $9.99/month

  2. Best FREE online/learning app reading program for kids:

    Duo Lingo ABC. Best free learning app for learning to read. 

  3. BEST offline, traditional reading program for kids

    How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. This book has an easy-to-follow script for parents to follow. Best choice for a traditional, effective phonics-based  that involves no screen time. 

  4. BEST (AND ONLY) nature-based reading program for kids:

    Wild Reading. Best and only nature-based reading curriculum that is easy for a nature and caregiver to follow. 

  5. BEST reading program for kids with dyslexia

    Nessy. Best choice for children with dyslexia or struggling with other approaches to teaching programs. 


Other reading programs we recommend to try. 

Read Along

Teach Your Monster to Read

Reading Eggs

Read Along

Teach Your Monster to Read

Bob Books

Explode the Code

Learning RX

Whatever reading program you use, I hope you’ll supplement it by with reading a great bedtime story with your child every night,  cuddled side by side looking at the page. 

As you read, and their brain takes those first steps to understanding that those codes (strings of letters) to the page are symbols that turn to sounds to words to stories... to a magical new universe of ideas and modes of creative expression... 


To a magical new way to perceive and communicate with the world.

Manisha Snoyer (co-founder of Modulo)

For the last 20 years, I’ve taught over 2000 children in 3 countries (of all socio-economic backgrounds). I pioneered an English language program in a conflict region in the Middle East. I’ve worked as a bilingual public school teacher at some of the highest and lowest performing public schools and in all five boroughs of NYC. I’ve tutored 18 subjects in three languages to some of the wealthiest families in NYC, San Francisco and Paris to make up for shortcomings in private schools they were paying up to $60,000 a year to attend.

Since 2015, I’ve helped hundreds of parents start microschools (way before this was a household buzzword). I founded CottageClass, the first marketplace for microschools and learning pods that was part of the Techstars 2018 class. In 2019, I created a virtual learning program to help families through the pandemic, a free online math tutoring program (masteryhour.org), and schoolclosures.org, a hotline developed in collaboration with Twilio and 80 other partners including Khan Academy, Revolution Foods and the Crisis Text Line, that served 100,000 families impacted by school closures.

I’ve climbed trees with children in forest schools in San Francisco, and tested new digital apps with kids in seven countries.

I’ve also coached dozens of families at different stages in their homeschooling journey. Most recently, I founded Modulo with homeschooling dad, best-selling author and tech entrepreneur Eric Ries, to help families curate their children’s education, social and childcare experiences drawing from a diverse array of in-person and online resources.


During the last three years, I’ve devoted much of my time to reviewing and testing secular homeschooling curriculum and other resource. I’ve spent the last three years talking to thousands of secular homeschooling families, and poring over tens of thousands of secular curriculum reviews and testing physical curriculum and digital apps for with hundreds of students to find the highest quality, most engaging, personalized learning materials for every type of learner.

I’ve spoken about homeschooling and modular learning at multiple venues including SXSW EDU, NY Tech Meetup, and on the LiberatedEd podcast.

In 2022, Modulo was one of 8 organizations who were awarded the Bridge Grant from the Vela Education Fund to expand access to homeschooling and modular learning to under-resourced communities.

My experience in education and homeschooling has led me to believe that there is no perfect education for every child, but families have an extraordinary amount of wisdom they can apply to building the perfect education for their individual child.

My goal with Modulo is to make it possible for any family to easily build a customized education that their child will love, and that will empower the whole family to thrive, taking into account, social, emotional and academic needs.

I love to answer questions from parents and receive feedback on how we can improve Modulo, so feel free to reach out anytime! I personally answer all the questions and comments readers leave on my blogs.

In my free time, I like hiking, traveling the world, tasting ceremonial grade matcha, enjoying dark chocolate.

I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Brandeis University with highest honors, with a double degree in French Literature and American Studies and minors in Environmental Studies and Peace & Conflict Studies.

And I love to learn!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/manisha-snoyer-5042298/
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