CluePoint’s version of The Ant and the Grasshopper allows children to read along with a narrator or read the story on their own. Between each section of the story there is a 3D pop-up activity in which students have to help the ant and the grasshopper gather objects by dragging and dropping them into place. My only complaint is the background music that I found annoying. Fortunately, the background music can be turned off.
Tracing ABC is an app, optimized for phones and tablets, that guides children through drawing letters. The app provides guidance for tracing through a simple star system. If the child using the app traces in the correct direction, stars are “checked off” as the child traces. If the child using the app doesn’t trace in the correct direction the stars aren’t checked off. After correctly tracing each letter a word starting with that letter appears and is read to the child.
What’s Different is simple game of identifying patterns and picking out the object that doesn’t fit the pattern. Children using the app are shown four objects and have to identify the one that doesn’t fit the pattern. When the correct object is selected, a ladybug moves across the screen. The object is to get the ladybug to move all the way across the screen in a Mario Brothers-like manner.
Mix and Match is a simple puzzle game. Students put together simple images by swiping through parts of an image until they find one that matches the other parts of the image.
Last month I featured a nice app for young students to use to practice handwriting. That app, 123 ABC, is offered by Teachers Paradise. This morning I spent some time exploring more of the free app offerings from Teachers Paradise and found many that are appropriate for pre-K and early elementary school years.
The Teachers Paradise apps are a mix of flashcard-style apps, problem-solving apps, and tracing/ coloring apps.
Here’s a short list of some of the apps that stood out to me:
Math PRO presents students with problems that they can answer through multiple choice selections or open-ended response.
ASL Sign Language is a set of flashcards featuring hands modeling the correct hand position for the ASL alphabet. My sister has been teaching my two-year old niece sign language since she was quite small so this app grabbed my attention.
Kids ABC Jigsaw Puzzles is a set of simple jigsaw puzzles that when constructed correctly show a letter of the alphabet with an animal whose name starts with that letter.
Famigo Sandbox is an Android app that allows you to create a “kids-only” section on your Android phone or tablet. With Famigo Sandbox installed and activated when you hand your phone to your child your child cannot accidentally access your contacts, dial the phone, or access apps that are not in the Famigo Sandbox. Famigo Sandbox also provides you with recommendations for new apps for your child to try. Learn more about Famigo Sandbox in the video below.
The Famigo website offers categorized reviews of thousands of Android and iOS apps and games for kids. You can search Famigo by age group, app type, game type, and whether or not the app is free or paid.
123s ABCs is a free Android app for handwriting practice. The app allows students to practice drawing uppercase and lowercase letters by tracing the template on the screen. The 123 aspect of the app has templates for tracing letters. The app also has basic shape templates to trace. Students can practice on each template as many times as they like. If the first attempt isn’t to a student’s liking, she can simply shake the phone or tablet to erase and try again. 123s ABCs also has an audio option that students can activate to hear each letter, number, or shape read to them.
123s ABCs is a nice little app that young students could use to practice identifying and writing letters and numbers. I probably wouldn’t have students use it on phones just because I think they would need more screen space to draw on. 123s ABCs is better suited to tablets than phones.
