I really do believe that reading is the most important skill that children can learn. Reading not only lets you read your favourite stories, but it helps develop language skills, listening skills, develops the mind, gives you a greater vocabulary, helps with focus and concentration, can help reduce stress (although I hope that children are not under that much stress) and lots more. It helps you in every aspect of education, whether that’s in school, college, work or even for pleasure, and will stand you in good stead for the rest of your life.
While I was a foster carer, I became aware of children being taught phonics. This was the first time I had seen this system being used (I was taught in a different way at school) and was really impressed at how it works and how the children responded to it. It really is a fantastic system for helping children to read and understand how language works.
When I was offered My Epic Life Word Book from Mrs Wordsmith, I was very intrigued. I had never of Mrs Wordsmith before and it sounded like a good concept, and a good way to teach children vocabulary.
“Mrs Wordsmith is the world’s most innovative vocabulary programme. They combine data science and creativity to illustrate the 10,000 words that matter for academic success.
Launched in 2016 in London, Mrs Wordsmith is one of the fastest-growing, VC backed startups in the UK. We help young people learn efficiently through engaging content from the Hollywood artists behind Madagascar. Our words are carefully selected and curated by Cambridge University data scientists to ensure that children learn the words they will come across at school and in the books they read.
Loved by teachers, parents and students.”
My Epic Life Word Book is a dictionary of 1000 words that help children with counting, shapes and measurements, hygiene, outdoor adventures, arts and crafts, social skills, and emotional awareness.
This is a dictionary with very big differences. It is not laid out like you would expect a dictionary to be, it is more of a story. Children cannot look up a word, it is not is alphabetical order and there is no index. It can be read from cover to cover or just dipped in and out of. Now, that seems quite boring, and what children wants to read a dictionary anyway?
This dictionary only contains 1000 word, curated from global curriculum lists. It is split in different categories and all the words are accompanied by excellent quality, humorous illustrations. While some words have an explanation of the meaning, i.e. POUT – stick your lips out in a moody way, others have a second word below or above it which demonstrates on how to use that word and gives children an idea that it can be used in different ways to slightly change the meaning, i.e. WINDOW has WIDE before it making it WINDOW or WIDE WINDOW.
The words are great for children aged 4-8 years old but the Hollywood quality illustrations are just fantastic – animal based, humorous and really bright, bold, vivid and engaging.
I believe that this is an excellent way to learn for children to learn new words, as well as how to use them. The kids have really enjoyed picking it up and reading it, learning new words without realising that they are learning.
It not only gets children picking up a book, but gets them reading, increasing their knowledge and understanding, and all while enjoying the humorous cartoon illustrations. While a child may know how to read a word, My Epic Life Word Book will help them understand the meaning of it.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £16.95
For more information visit www.mrswordsmith.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
