Star fall ABCs was originally a paid app but now it’s a FREE app. Kids will learn to recognize letters and their sounds with this well-developed app. Upper and lower case letters are introduced along with the sound of each letter and three words that begin with that letter/sound. Some words are shown in sentences. There are also some games. The app also includes two versions of the ABC song – one traditional and one which includes examples of words beginning with each letter. There is also a section that teaches kids to sign each letter. Last but not least, there is a special section for each vowel. The short sounds of the vowels are taught within words – an excellent addition to an alphabet app. Highly recommended!!

Direct link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/starfall-abcs/id395623983?mt=8

FREE for a limited time – Marco Polo Weather, an app that teaches young children about the wonderful world of weather. Kids experiment with and learn about nine different weather conditions: sunny, partly cloudy, cloudy, rain, thunderstorm, snow, blizzard, tornado, and hurricane. They can also choose four different wind speeds and/or adjust the temperature. As they make changes, they will discover how a change in weather changes their environment. They will also identify how weather affects their daily lives – how they dress, their activities, etc. The app has three characters that respond to the weather choices that are made. Kids can dress them in warm clothes when it’s cold, give them umbrellas when it’s wet, and more. They can also add flowers, birds, a snowman, etc. to a scene and to see how the weather affects them. This app is perfect for early learning classroom because it helps young children learn through discovery and experimentation! No wonder it was an App Store Editors’ Pick in nineteen countries and named as one of the Best of 2014.

Direct Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/marcopolo-weather/id905425870?mt=8