Category Archives: educational apps for kids

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Slice Fractions

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slice fractions

On sale for only $.99  – Slice Fractions was recently listed as one of Apple’s Best of 2014: Apps. Kids learn about fractions as they slice through ice and lava to clear a path for a cute mammoth. Along the way they collect silly hats for the mammoth to wear. As they solve the app’s 90+ physics puzzles, they are exposed to key concepts of fractions – partitioning, equivalent fraction, numerator/denominator notation, ordering, subtracting from a whole, etc. Kids will enjoy learning about fractions in this wordless environment that seems more like a game than math lessons. I love that the app encourages kids to be problem solvers. Its replay button permits them to try each puzzle again and again until they figure it out. Hints are only given when support is needed. The end result is that kids are learning through discovery!  It’s no wonder that this app has received so many accolades: Apple Editor’s Choice, Editor’s Choice for Excellence in Design: Children’s Technology Review, Winner of a Parents’ Choice Gold Award 2014, Gold Medal Winner 2014: International Serious Play Awards, and Best Family Friendly Game 2014: Indie Prize Showcase Awards.

Common Core State Standards met:

  • 2.G.2. Partition a rectangle into rows and columns of same-size squares and count to find the total number of them.
  • 2.G.3. Partition circles and rectangles into two, three, or four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, thirds, half of, a third of, etc., and describe the whole as two halves, three thirds, four fourths. Recognize that equal shares of identical wholes need not have the same shape.
  • 3.NF.1. Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.
  • 3.NF.3 – Explain equivalence of fractions and compare fractions by reasoning about their size. Understand two fractions as equivalent (equal) if they are the same size. Recognize and generate simple equivalent fractions, e.g., 1/2 = 2/4, 4/6 = 2/3).
  • 4.NF.2. Compare two fractions with different numerators and different denominators, e.g., by creating common denominators or numerators, or by comparing to a benchmark fraction such as 1/2.
  • 4.NF.3b. Decompose a fraction into a sum of fractions with the same denominator in more than one way, recording each decomposition by an equation.

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/slice-fractions/id794730213?mt=8&uo=4

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Teddy’s Night

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Teddy's NightTeddy’s Night is on sale for $.99! Based on the bestselling book “What Does My Teddy Bear Do All Night?” by Bruno Hachler, this app won a 2011 Parent’s Choice Awards in the Mobile Apps Category. A little girl narrates a story about her teddy bear who doesn’t like to go to sleep at night – a cute story with lots of great interactivity! You won’t want to miss this one. 😊

Auryn HD - Teddy's Night - Auryn Inc.

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Toddler Tap!

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FREE again – Toddler Tap!, an educational app for your youngest iPad user. The app is very simple to use. Kids tap an object and the object is named. There are 8 categories of words – colors, numbers, shapes, letters, vegetables, fruits, pets, vehicles, instruments, and home. The app is visually appealing – uncluttered pages of simple and colorful drawings. The voice can be turned on/off and the language can be switched from English to Spanish. There is also the option to print the pictures. Parents/teachers can create magnets or stickers for sorting and classifying activities. Check it out while it is FREE. 🙂

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/toddler-tap!/id579523195?mt=8&uo=4

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The Lonely Beast 123

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lonely beast

FREE for a limited time – The Lonely Beast 123, an educational app based on Chris Judge’s well-loved children’s book. Every day, the Beast counts the things in his house. Kids join him on his counting adventure which features 12 fun & interactive scenes. Every number has something to count – 4 eggs to fry, 6 flowers to water, 9 cakes to eat, 11 stars to tap, etc. The app is top-notch with lots of attention to detail. I love how the numbers are drawn – they show kids what to count on that page. The app is visually appealing with great sound effects – really fun for little ones! Highly recommended.

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-lonely-beast-123/id646406000?mt=8&uo=4

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Dr. Panda’s Apps on Sale!

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On sale for only $.99 – Dr. Panda’s Restaurant 2, an educational app for preschoolers. This adorable app was named App of the Week by Apple in February 2015. It’s colorful, creative, and sure to be a hit with preschoolers. Guests to Dr. Panda’s Restaurant arrive by boat. They order things such as pastas, salads, pizzas, etc. Then the fun begins. Kids assume the role of Dr. Panda, the head chef. They choose ingredients to add to their dishes. Then they decide how to prepare them. They can chop, blend, grate, bake, fry, or boil the ingredients. When their culinary creations are complete, they serve them to the customers and wait for their reactions. There are dozens of different reactions – different every time. If a dish is too spicy, a customer may even breathe fire! Kids will have hours of fun learning about food and how things work in a kitchen with this nicely done app.

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dr.-pandas-restaurant-2/id796333129?mt=8&uo=4

Links to other great Dr. Panda apps on sale…

Dr. Panda’s Handyman: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dr.-pandas-handyman/id649181106?mt=8&uo=4

Dr. Panda’s Hospital: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dr.-pandas-hospital/id534477679?mt=8&uo=4

Dr. Panda’s Veggie Garden: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dr.-pandas-veggie-garden/id585512923?mt=8&uo=4

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Starfall ABCs

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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

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Kids Coin Fun

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kidscoinFREE for a limited time – KIds Coin Fun, an educational app that helps kids learn about U.S. money. The app teaches kids how count coins, identify coins, add coins, and make change using coins. In the settings, you can choose total questions (10 – 50) or total minutes (1 – 5). Other settings include a “try again” feature and four levels of difficulty. Scores are tracked for each level and activity. I love that this app includes making change – great for grades K – 3!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kids-coin-fun/id380632079?mt=8&uo=4

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Toca Band

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toca band

Rock on… with Toca Band – FREE today!  This app for the iPhone/iPad encourages kids to explore music as they mix beats & sounds together to produce a hit song. The 16 characters in this app each have their own sound and rhythm. Kids drag different combinations of performers on stage to create their own musical band. How a character plays depends on where he/she is placed on the stage. Characters can also be chosen to give a solo performance. Even the names of the characters are fun: Bang Bang Chef on the drums, Dancy Nancy on the piano, Shaky McBones on the maracas,etc. Another great app from a developer that makes learning what it should be – fun, creative, and joyful!

Highly recommended!

Toca Band - Toca Boca AB

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Marco Polo Weather

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marco polo weatherFREE 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

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Marco Polo Ocean

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marco polo

FREE for a limited time – Marco Polo Ocean, an adorable educational app for preschoolers. Kids will learn about Earth’s oceans in two ways – through build & explore activities or free play. There are 5 build and explore activities – build a coral reef, build marine animals, build fish, build a boat, and build a submersible. As kids add parts to each puzzle, they learn the appropriate vocabulary. Many vocabulary words are also explained. During free play, kids can do several things: explore from the shore to the sea floor, steer their vehicles through ocean waters, add creatures to the water to see how they interact with each other, and more. Marco Polo Ocean uses self-directed discovery to expose kids to STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and math) in a fun, engaging way. Kids will learn about the ocean structure, the species that live there, characteristics of the fish/marine mammals, etc. It’s no wonder that Marco Polo Ocean was named App Store Editors’ Choice in 15 Countries!! Do not miss this one. It puts the fun back in learning. 🙂

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/marcopolo-ocean/id797157312?mt=8&uo=4