This iPad app is FREE today and designed for kindergarten. There are 5 games in this app. Bouncing Balls & Do the Dotty help kids count to 30. Numberella has kids compare written numbers from 1 – 10. Fishoonka develops the concepts of greater than, less than and equal to. In order to play Toot Toot Train kids need to decide whether to add or subtract. As they play, kids earn rewards to add to their “My Stuff” shelves.

All games are consistent with expectations for kindergarten in the Common Core Standards; however, the standards for counting are a bit more rigorous than the content presented in the 2 counting games. The standards expect kids to count to 100 by ones & tens and to able to begin from any given number within that sequence (instead of always starting at 1). The 2 games that compare numbers are well matched to the standards, as is the addition/subtraction game. Nicely done!!

Common Core Standards met:

Recommended!

This iPad app is FREE for the next three days. Its 8 games are geared towards primary students (grades K – 3) who are learning to tell time. There are 4 levels: easy (to the hour), normal (15 minute intervals), hard (5 minute intervals) and super (by the minute). These levels are similar to Common Core Standards which expect first graders to tell time to the 1/2 hour, second graders to tell time in 5 minute intervals (AM and PM), and third graders to tell time to the minute. In the games, kids have to set the time on both digital and analog clocks, match digital & analog clocks, put clocks in time sequence, and more. Clocks must be set to either AM or PM by making sure the background lighting matches the time. The settings allow this app to be in either a 12 hour format or a 24 hour format. The app is also supported in 4 different languages.

The analog clocks in the app have every minute labeled which gives kids practice knowing exactly where the hands go when setting the time. But once they have practiced, there should be realistic clocks (only numbered 1 – 12) for the kids to set. Kids need to understand that numbers on the clock represent 5 minute intervals & that the unlabeled dashes in between each stand for a minute. The watches in the matching games are realistic so kids get some practice reading unlabeled timepieces. Worth downloading for some practice but could be more rigorous.

Common Core Standards met:

• 1.MD.3 – Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks.
• 2.MD.7 – Tell and write time from analog and digital clocks to the nearest five minutes, using a.m. and p.m.
• 3.MD.1 – Tell and write time to the nearest minute (first portion of the standard).

The trial version of this app is FREE for the iPhone/iPad. Designed for kids ages 4+, this app has 18 different levels. Later levels require knowledge of regrouping so it is suitable for preschool through grades 3 or 4. It fits the Common Core Standards for addition through grade 2. The concept is simple but engaging – kids need to feed the fish in order to keep it alive. The faster it is fed, the bigger it grows.  If it is not fed fast enough it gets smaller and smaller until it disappears. Each fish has a number on its body. It only eats that number. Kids pinch numbers together to create the sum their fish needs. Bonus fish colors and fins become available when a level is successfully completed. Additional levels of addition, subtraction, and negative numbers are available as in-app purchases.

Common Core Standards met in this trial version:

• 1.OA.6 – Add and subtract within 20
• 2.OA.1 -Use addition and subtraction within 100

This is a fun app – I found myself playing it a little longer than necessary to review it 😉

Highly recommended!