The Best Website to Practice Reading for Kids at Home: An Epic Review

If you need a good resource to help practice reading for kids at home, Epic is a great website that has many benefits and the kids love it!

Practice Reading for Kids at Home

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At least once a day I see an article online about how important it is for kids to read books. Kids need to practice, practice, practice reading. When they are young, the best way to do this is to read, read, read to them. Honestly, it has gotten me a little worried, at times, about my daughter’s reading abilities and my son’s, as he gets older. I mean, we read books, but is it enough? And then there are weeks where we get out of the rhythm of reading and I start to feel a little guilty. Can you relate?

I have read those articles about how important reading is, and I do agree. It’s a vital part of a child’s learning. However, I also don’t think it should be a huge stressor in our lives, either. Don’t be like me. As long as we are doing our best, and reading when we can, I think we’re off to a great start. So, I started thinking if I could do more to facilitate my daughter’s reading, in a low stress kind of way. Of course, this went on for a few months, of just thinking, until I learned about Epic. I guess I can thank COVID for that.

When we started doing home school in March, our teacher gave us access to the classroom Epic login. I noticed how much my daughter loved to be on it, and learned so much. So, we ended up getting the subscription once school was over in May. It is an amazing resource for keeping your kid’s reading going for the Summer months, as well as getting extra practice if they are struggling or falling behind. It’s also great to use for electronic time because it’s very educational and fun!

Here’s why I love it.

What is Epic?

First, what is Epic?

Epic is an online digital library with kid books and videos to help kids read and enjoy books. Well, that’s what it is in a nutshell.

The founders wanted an easier way to get books to kids, so Epic was born. It has 1,000s of books and access to videos and quizzes. You can use it on their website, or their app. They have different reading levels, and even some Epic original books. Epic has turned into a paid monthly subscription, which gives you access to their entire library.

Why Epic is one of the Best Websites to Practice Reading for Kids at Home

Let me tell you why we love Epic, why we have made it a part of our normal routine, and why it’s worth the subscription.

It’s Easy to Navigate

My daughter, who started using Epic when she was six, can easily navigate the website. It’s super simple and user friendly. My son, who is 3, needs a little more help, but he is able to push the next button and play buttons to complete a book.

Profile

You can create your own profile so that Epic knows which books and videos to recommend, and knows your reading level. Take time to build your profile in the beginning because it makes it super easy for your child. If you have multiple kids, you can create more profiles. They can each have their own separate accounts.

Read a-long

This is probably my favorite option. Epic actually reads the books to you! My daughter, who knows how to read, loves having it read to her. She said she loves it so much because they read it with such character. It’s super entertaining to her. My son, who doesn’t know how to read, loves to look at the pictures and follow along. There are great books geared for him.

Create Assignments

You can create assignments for your kids on their account. If you see a book that might challenge them or you know they will like, you can add it to their assignments on their profile. This also comes in handy if you’re a teacher, or their teacher, if you home school.

Huge Library

Epic really does have a giant library. It’s not just some dinky library with only obscure books. I was happy that it has Wayside Stories, which was one of my favorite books when I was a kid. They have books in different languages and in all kinds of categories. If your child is crazy about a certain topic, search for those types of books. They have a ton!

Favorites

You can mark your favorite books, and store them for later. It will also track what you recently read, and then give you suggestions on books just like it. You can also “hide” books so they don’t keep showing up as suggestions if you don’t want to read them.

It can track your progress

The program will also track your books and show you how many minutes you’ve read each time you get on. It keeps a reading log that you can actually download and share with others. It will also give you stars or badges when you’ve hit a certain limit. You can get all different badges like when you finish your first book, when you’ve ready two in one day, or when you finish 10 books.  It helps give the kids a little bit of incentive to make and keep goals.

Honestly, my favorite part of Epic is how simple it is. There is nothing hard or complicated about it. My daughter got it down super fast, and can navigate it like a pro.

Is Epic right for You?

Epic is right for you if…

You have a child from 3-13. I feel like Epic is geared toward these ages.

Your child loves to read, and just can’t get enough.

Your child struggles to read.

You want more books in your child’s life, and can’t always read to them.

Need a good Summer or break activity that aids in their education.

Would rather have your child doing an educational activity than playing video games.

If you have a child, I think you’ll love Epic. If you aren’t sure if it’s right for you, you can do a FREE 7 day trial and see if you like it.

Side note: I would also reach out to your school and see if they have a log-in that they might let you use and you can have it for free.

Reading for Kids

In conclusion, the Epic subscription takes the stress out of reading. You don’t have to worry about your kids not getting in the reading they should. It’s a great way for kids to practice reading at home and love it!

If you do LOVE hardcopies of books

However, I want to make a shout out to Second Sale which is a huge website of used books that you can get super cheap! So, if you are one that loves a book in your hand, check them out.

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