Hot Dots Junior: Kindergarten Math and Reading {Review & Giveaway!}
Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
Every once in a while a review product comes through my home and really, really impresses me. Hot Dots Jr. Kindergarten Reading and Math sets from Educational Insights are my new favorite resource to use with Mr. Man.
Hot Dots Jr. Kindergarten Reading
This set starts with the basics, and builds skills slowly. Topics covered include:
- Letter recognition
- Upper and lowercase letter pairs
- Beginning consonant sounds
- Ending consonant sounds
- Short Vowels
- Sight Words
- Color Words
- Shape Words
- Number Words
- Long Vowels
- Basic capitalization rules
- Basic punctuation rules
Hot Dots Jr. Kindergarten Math
- Recognizing numbers
- Counting
- Patterns
- Addition facts
- Shapes
- Basic fractions
- Subtraction facts
- Sequencing numbers
- Number words
- three dimensional shapes
- Weight
- Legnth
- Reading graphs
- Money
How it works
Each set of two books (reading or math) comes with a pen in a cute dog shape. The pages have black dots (hence the “hot dots” name) next to the answers to the questions. Your child will look at the question, determine the answer, and then press the pen to the corresponding black dot.
The pen then gives them immediate feedback to let them know if their answer is correct or not. The dogs eyes light up, red for incorrect, and green for correct. The pen also has multiple sayings to let the child know if they are right or wrong. The last 15 pages of each book has a challenge section with skills from the next grade level which helps get them ready to move on to the next book.
My Thoughts
The Hot Dots Kindergarten Math and Reading sets have been so helpful to use along with our homeschool curriculum. The assignments in the book are in a quiz format, so they are fantastic for review and practice of topics we covered in “class” time. After our lessons for the day, I look in the hotspot book for complementary pages, and send Mr. Man to go work on his book. He isn’t a solid reader yet, so most of the time I have to explain to him what he needs to do on each page, but once that step is finished, he can work independently.
A happy child, surrounded by his hot dots books. (don’t mind the foot of the other happy child)
I love that the only answers given from the pen are positive “good job!” messages, or “try again!” instead of the pen reading him the words or content on the page. Mr. Man has to read the words himself and figure out the answers without being spoon fed them, which works really well for him. He loves when the pen lights up and the dog cheers him on. The positive reinforcement encourages him to keep going, and he loves working independently with them.
These books are printed on sturdy, glossy paper, and are the perfect size for little hands. They are not written in, so we can use them over and over, and Mr. Man has yet to get bored of them. They are recommended for kids 5+, but even Little Miss loves to look at them and can do the counting sections and letter matching pages. I may need to grab the preschool set for her soon!
Where to Buy
Hot Dots are available at Educational Insights and retail for $24.99.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
I would love the reading set!
I would also choose the Kindergarten Reading Set
The Kinder Math set!!
We love reading your blog. We are a missionary family overseas and you help us so much in our homeschooling. We’d love to use the math set for our kindergardener.
Kindergarten set would be awesome!!
I would love the reading set!
I think these sets look great! I’d pick math this time around. Thanks for the great review and giveaway!
Oh I would love the K set!
Tough choice, I would probably choose the reading
I’ve been wanting to try these, look perfect to keep the little guy busy during our homeschool day!
This looks great!
I’d love the K set!
My kids love these kind of electronic pen things. Nice idea.
These look awesome! I’m so torn on what one I would pick! I think I would pick the reading one. I have a Kindergartner and a 2nd grader so I think I would get it for 3rd grade so I can be used for a while!
I would pick the Kindergarten reading set!
How fun! My boy would love this!
Oh, the reading set would be phenomenal for Short Man!
I would love the math book if I won.
I would get 2nd grade math
i think we’d like the K math set!
i think we’d like the math set
Its hard to choose. i have a k and a 2nd grader who would love this…i guess 2nd 🙂
I would choose the reading set because that is where I need the biggest help for that age level.
K reading!
Hard to choose….math!!
Oops, kindergarten math =)
I would love to win the Kindergarten reading set!