Have I mentioned how I really love our iPad? Oh yes, I believe have devoted almost as much blog press to it as our daughter's hearing loss. That is a little messed up. Nevertheless, here I go again.
One of the iPad's best features is the range and quality of apps for kids. It amazes me every time I see Stella and Hudson navigating their way through the software. Another thing I like about apps -- they don't take up any physical space in our house! Also, we can buy a new one as a special treat or reward without having to enter a retail outlet which inevitably leads to other purchases.
Here are a few of our favs:
BrainPOP
*free*
Ages: 4+ (Hudson watches it with Stella, but I think most of it is a little over his head)
Of all the apps we have so far, this one is my favorite. It is an educational app that has a 2-3 minute video everyday about various topics. Some examples include The Nobel Prize, black holes, and pasteurization. After the kids (okay, or adults) watch the video, you can take a quiz to see how much you learned. You could also take it before, see how much you do or don't know already and then watch the video. The characters in every video are a silly cartoon guy named Tim and a robot named Moby that only says, "beep." Somehow, it all comes together to make an incredibly cohesive package that explains complex topics in an easy to understand format. If I were a homeschooler, we would watch this app each morning, call the school day done and then play for the rest of the day!
Bartleby's Book of Buttons Vol 1: The Far Away Sea
*$0.99?* - I think it was more than that when we originally bought it
Ages: 3+
This is one of the apps that highlights the amazing things programmers can do on the iPad. It is part book, part game, part puzzle. On each page, you have to figure out what buttons to push or switches to toggle in order to get a "green light" to be able to go to the next page. It is another one that is fun for kids and adults. They just released Volume 2 this month which costs $3.99. We haven't purchased it yet. I'm trying to think of a good chore that I could ask the kids to do and then bribe, I mean incentivize, them with getting the next volume.
Drawing Pad
*$1.99*
Ages: 1+
Again, this app highlights what is so captivating about getting to play on the iPad. It is very simple and intuitive to use. You basically open the app, choose your paper, choose a writing utensil and draw, scribble or paint away. The graphics for the crayons and markers are so lifelike that I feel like I'm opening a brand new Crayola box every time. You can also add shapes and stickers or draw on top of a photo that is saved on your iPad. One of the neat features is that you can save the kid's drawings and then either print, email or post them right to Facebook. I like it because it truly is a blank slate that allows incredible creativity. Oh, and I like that you can't actually draw on household items. Say for instance, like someone drawing on our nice oak end table with a blue Sharpie...not that I am upset about that or anything.
If you have any favorites, feel free to comment and tell me about them. Hopefully I'll review a few more favs every month or so.
- Posted by Montana Mama using BlogPress from my iPad
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