Tag Archives: apps for kids

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10 FREE Science Apps for Kids

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sunFREE science app – DIY Sun Science teaches kids about the science of the sun. Funded by the NASA and developed by Berkeley’s Lawrence Science Hall, this educational app is the second in a series of FREE science apps. It includes 12+ hands-on activities, live images of the sun from NASA’s satellite, videos of the sun, and more. Each activity starts with a summary which gives an overview of the activity, the time it will take to complete (prep – clean-up), and the suggested age group. Next, there is a materials list. All items are inexpensive and widely available. Then there is a series of step-by-step directions – with pictures. Finally, there is an explanation of “what’s going on” in the activity. Related videos are at the bottom of the page so that your child can learn more. This app is very well-organized, easy to use, and provides a wonderful introduction to sun science. The best part about the app is that it gives kids and adults the opportunity to learn something new together which is fabulous!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/diy-sun-science/id836712493?mt=8&uo=4

DIY Nano

Recently updated to include 3 new hands-on activities and 8 new nanotechnology videos is another FREE science app – DIY Nano.  This educational app teaches kids (and their adults) about the nanoscale. Funded by the National Science Foundation and developed by Berkeley’s Lawrence Science Hall, this educational app provides a series of activities and videos about nanoscale science, engineering, and technology. There are 12 hands-on activities in this app. Each one starts with a summary which gives an overview of the activity, the time it will take to complete (prep – clean-up), and the suggested age group. Next, there is a materials list. All items are inexpensive and widely available. Then there is a series of step-by-step directions – with pictures. Finally, there is an explanation of “what’s going on” in the activity. Related videos are at the bottom of the page so that your child can learn more. This app is very well-organized, easy to use, and provides a wonderful introduction to the world of nanoscale science. The best part about the app is that it gives kids and adults the opportunity to learn something new together. How exciting is that?!?

DIY Nano HD - The Lawrence Hall of Science

Science 360FREE from the National Science Foundation comes Science 360 for iPad – scientific images and videos from around the world. This educational app covers a range of topics and breaking news from NSF-funded institutions. New content is added weekly. Users can browse the app’s unique 360 display board to learn about something new or they can find specific content by searching keywords. It’s easy to save images and videos for later use right within the app – perfect for teachers who are gathering resources for a unit. The quality of the images is spectacular and they are available in HD for download to your iPad. Keep abreast of the latest scientific discoveries with this app – a great resource!!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/science360-for-ipad/id439928181?mt=8&uo=4

Bill Nye The Science GuyGreat FREE educational app – Bill Nye The Science Guy. 2013 was Bill Nye’s 20th Anniversary and Disney celebrated with the release of this educational app. Kids scan their thumbs to gain entrance to Nye Labs – a scientifically fascinating place. There they can play games, watch clips from their favorite shows, try some experiments, and more. When I was still teaching, I frequently used Bill Nye’s materials. My students loved his energetic, fun videos and often begged to watch them again! It’s no wonder he is the winner of 38 Emmys. This app takes kids to a place where science rules!!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bill-nye-the-science-guy/id652548755?mt=8&uo=4

Color UncoveredTwo FABULOUS & FREE educational apps from the Exploratorium!! Both interactive books contain illusions, articles, and videos. These apps make science fun by answering questions like – What color is a whisper? Are there secret messages in music played backward? Kids will love the illusions and you won’t believe these apps are FREE! Very interesting – for kids AND their parents/teachers.

Color Uncovered: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/color-uncovered/id470299591?mt=8&uo=4

Sound Uncovered: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sound-uncovered/id598835017?mt=8&uo=4

brain popBrainPOP has been around for more than a decade as an educational website. The site features short animated movies – 750+ lessons covering science, social studies, math, art & music, etc. The content is geared for grades 4 and above but I found that many movies were also suitable for third graders. When I was in the classroom, it was one of my favorite online resources.

Now you can download the BrainPOP Featured Movie, the educational app for FREE! Your child can learn something new every day. After watching the daily movie there is a short interactive quiz. And… if your child can’t get enough of this app, there are two subscription options: $1.99 per month/ 4 movies & quizzes a day OR $6.99 per month/full access.

Teachers could add the BrainPOP movie of the day to their daily routine. Watch it at a transition time – right before lunch, after lunch, while waiting for buses to called, etc. Interesting and educational!!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/brainpop-featured-movie/id364894352?mt=8&uo=4

brain pop jr

Also available for FREE is BrainPOP Jr. Movie of the Week, another educational app. Every week Annie and Moby (two lovable characters) help 5 to 9 year olds learn about a different subject. There is also a quiz and activities to accompany each animated movie. BrainPOP Jr. has been on the web since 2006 delivering content for younger students in science, social studies, reading, writing, math, and more.

Again, teachers could add the BrainPOP Jr. Movie of the Week to their routine. Start your Monday off with the “Movie of the Week” or use it on Friday. BrainPOP gives teachers another way spark kids interest in learning!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/brainpop-jr.-movie-of-the-week/id536371867?mt=8&uo=4

Zachy the RobotFREE again for limited time – Zachy the Robot: The Leaning Tower of Robocity, episode 1 of an interactive cartoon series for kids ages 3-7. The series was developed and tested in cooperation with Carnegie Mellon University Children’s School. It introduces basic STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) concepts to kids. In this first episode, kids are introduces to basic engineering concepts when Zachy and his friends, the Repairbots, are called in to fix a skyscraper that is leaning. Kids will love watching this animated adventure and helping the Repairbots solve the problem. This educational app was a winner of a Parents’ Choice Recommended Award in 2011 – a well-deserved honor! It exposes kids to STEM concepts in a fun & engaging way!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zachy-robot-leaning-tower/id441107189?mt=8&uo=4

Robots for iPadWho doesn’t love robots? Robots for iPad is FREE for a limited time. This educational app was listed as “New & Noteworthy” by Apple. It was also reviewed or mentioned in the NY Times, Mashable, Wired, CNET and more! Kids (and adults) can explore real-world robots with this fun app which is chock full of interactivity, animations, photos, videos, & articles. The app introduces over 150 robots from 19 countries. Kids can swipe each robot for a 360° view then tap the robot to interact with it. There are also hundreds of videos and 500+ pictures. The app has information about all kinds of robots (drones, androids, etc.) as well as information about some famous robots – Honda’s humanoid Asimo, a NASA Mars rover, and Google’s self-driving car. VERY cool and very informative!

Teachers, there are lots of possibilities for using this app in your classroom. After exploring, use it for writing activities – descriptive paragraphs, write about a robot you would invent, pick a robot and write a story, etc. The app’s ratings section could be used for graphing activities. There is also a great timeline included as well as a section on how to get started in robotics. I can see how kids will love this app. 🙂

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/robots-for-ipad/id566581906?mt=8&uo=4

 

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Monster Coloring Book

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Monster Coloring Book

FREE for a limited time – Monster Coloring Book. Kids can paint 175 different monsters with no clean-up necessary! As they paint, they listen to classical music by Rachmaninov, Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms. Kids can paint with their fingers or use the “touch and fill” option. Enhancements include: stickers to accessorize the monsters and patterns to make the monsters unique. Once kids have designed their monster images, they can save them to their gallery. There they can turn their monster into a puzzle for use with Monster Puzzles – available in the App Store for $1.99. Creations can also be shared via email or they can be printed. This educational coloring app is well-designed!

Teachers – use this app to inspire creative writing! Kids could create their own monsters for a variety of language arts activities – a lesson on adjectives followed by descriptive paragraphs, conversation between two monsters, compare & contrast two monsters using Venn diagrams, creative stories, etc.

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/monster-coloring-book/id435676573?mt=8&uo=4

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Mental Math with Math Mathews

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matt mathews

FREE for a limited time – Mental Math with Math Matthews, the second Math Mathews math adventure. This time kids help Matt and his crew get into the Temple of the Earth by unlocking 8 levels of play. The app is part game/part drill – it alternates gameplay (collecting  treasure & coins) with addition & subtraction problems. Kids choose their own level of difficulty – easy, medium, hard, or expert. After each session, a report is generated so that teachers/parents can monitor students’ progress. The app can be used with 10 different players making it perfect to use for small group practice, centers, etc. Take a look at this fun educational app for kids while it’s free!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mental-math-with-math-mathews/id705166220?mt=8&uo=4

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Shiny Bakery

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bakery

FREE today – Shiny Bakery, an educational app for 2 – 5 year olds. Kids help Alice the Zebra bake then decorate cakes & cookies in her bakery. As they help, they are developing early number sense – counting, measuring, dividing, and sequencing. There is a lot of educational content packed into this fun little app. 1. Math: Kids learns to count as they add ingredients to the bowl. 2. Following directions (recipes): Kids will develop an understanding of following step-by-step directions. 3. Cause/effect: What happens when you add fish or a shoe to the cake mix? 4. Sharing/dividing: Kids have to divide the cake/share cookies equally to keep all of the customers happy because the emotions of customers vary according to what they receive. 5. Problem solving: If kids make a mistake they can try again. Shiny Kids apps are best  experienced through co-play. Parents are encouraged to play with their child and talk about their experiences – reading customers’ emotions, solving problems, sharing equally, etc. Nicely done app!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shiny-bakery/id719860179?mt=8&uo=4

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Endless Numbers

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endless numbers

SO excited – LOVE these apps!!

From the developers of Endless Alphabet  & Endless Reading, comes a new app – Endless Numbers. The adorable silly Endless monsters are back and this time it’s to teach preschoolers about numbers. Kids can try numbers 1 – 5 in this FREE version with numbers 1 – 25 available as an in-purchase. Additional number packets will be sold in the future.

The app opens to a ferris wheels full of numbers. Kids tap a number and the fun begins. The app counts to the chosen number. Then the kids count by dragging the animated numbers back in place. Next, silly monsters come by to knock over the numbers and an equation appears. Addition is introduced. After working with the equation, kids count again. This time they count the eyes on the monster. Finally, there is a short animation that presents context & meaning for each number. This app delivers early number skills (number recognition, counting, simple addition, odd numbers, patterns) in an entertaining way. Endless Numbers makes early learning what it should be – joyful and fun. It is currently featured as a “Best New App” on Apple’s App Store. What a fabulous educational app!!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/endless-numbers/id804360921?mt=8&uo=4

 

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Sago Mini Bug Builder

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bug buider

FREE again for a limited time – Sago Mini Bug Builder, an educational app for toddlers/preschoolers. Kids create, hatch, and play with cute little critters. They can transform 1 of 8 shapes into a colorful bug, add some color, then bring it to life. They can also add a funny hat, feed it a snack, clean up its mess, and take its picture. Kids can make unlimited number of unique bugs using this app which is very cute & creative! Older kids could create bugs to use for creative writing – a descriptive paragraph, a story, a dialog. Or, they could create 2 bugs to compare and contrast. Check out this colorful & creative app while it’s FREE!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sago-mini-bug-builder/id657821775?mt=8&uo=4

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The Bear Went Over the Mountain and 5 other LoeschWare Apps

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bear

FREE for a limited time – The Bear Went Over the Mountain, a cute educational app based on the classic song by the same name. Kids join Bernie Bear as he travels over the mountain, across the desert, in a cave, under the ocean, around the moon – 8 locations in all. As they travel and sing along, kids learn about directional words. Once they arrive in a particular scene, they will learn about its geographical differences and the diversity of wildlife found there. The app also encourages kids to care for the environment and its inhabitants. Another fun feature of this app is the scrapbook. Kids can take & collect photos of their adventures with Bernie. This app has blended musical fun with academics for preschool/kindergarten aged kids!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bear-went-over-mountain-hd/id595159957?mt=8&uo=4

Also from LoeschWare for preschoolers/kindergarteners and FREE for a limited time:

Od McDonald HD: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/old-macdonald-hd/id396818866?mt=8&uo=4

Five Little Monkeys HD: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/five-little-monkeys-hd/id483498657?mt=8&uo=4

Big Top Circus: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/big-top-circus/id423485408?mt=8&uo=4

My ABC Train HD: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-abc-train-hd/id707630889?mt=8&uo=4

Word Wheel: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/word-wheel/id378429438?mt=8&uo=4

 

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Bluster

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Recently updated for iOS 7, Bluster is a FREE app for the iPad developed by McGraw-Hill. This educational app was designed to teach vocabulary and word development to students in grades 2 – 4. Topics covered are rhyming, prefixes & suffixes, word roots, synonyms, homophones, and adjectives. There are 3 modes of play – single, team, and versus. Team mode permits collaboration with a friend. Versus mode allows head-to-head play with the ability to disrupt your opponent by causing weather related attacks. Kids start by choosing their mode of play, grade level, and word match type. They then swipe through the list to match 3 words with the same meaning, rhyme, prefix, suffix, or word root. There are 10 groups of 3 to match in each round of play. Bluster presents 800+ vocabulary words in a fun way!

Common Core Standards met:

  • 2.L.4 – Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known prefix is added to a known word (e.g., happy/unhappy, tell/retell). Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g., addition, additional).
  • 3.L.4 – Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g., agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat). Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g., company, companion).
  • 4.L.4 –  Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).
  • 4.L.5. Demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms).

Recommended!

Bluster! - McGraw-Hill School Education Group

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Fractions – by Brainingcamp

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fractions

FREE again – Fractions by Brainingcamp, an excellent educational app for teaching fractions. The app covers 7 topics: introduction to fractions, equivalent fractions, common denominators, comparing/ordering fractions, adding/subtracting fractions, multiplying fractions, and dividing fractions. Each topic includes: a narrated lesson (with visual models), virtual manipulatives for kids to explore, practice questions to check understanding, and a challenging game for additional practice. Kids earn badges as they work through the components of each topic.

WOW – I love everything about this app. The lessons are wonderful. The manipulatives are designed to promote understanding of the concepts presented. The practice questions give students and their teachers a check of their understanding. And, the challenging games helps kids further master the topic. It would be a fabulous for grades 3 and beyond!

Common Core State Standards met:

  • 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.3 – a. Understand addition and subtraction of fractions as joining and separating parts referring to the same whole.
  • 5.NF.3 – Interpret a fraction as division of the numerator by the denominator (a/b = a ÷ b).

Highly Recommended!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fractions-by-brainingcamp/id471353363?mt=8&uo=4

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News-O-Matic

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news

Check out a FREE trial of News-o-Matic, an educational newspaper app for kids 7 – 11 years old. A new edition is published every Monday through Friday. Each edition features 5 articles from the news – sports, science, world news, wacky events, etc. The articles are kid-friendly and age-appropriate. Kids can read on their own or have the articles read to them. Important vocabulary words are underlined and linked to their definitions. The articles also include fun facts, a map for locating where the news is happening, videos, and games. Once registered, kids can connect to the News Room to draw pictures, express opinions, or ask questions about the news. This app helps kids become informed citizens of the world!

The FREE trial lasts for 2 weeks. After that, you must subscribe: yearly – $19.99. monthly – $1.99, or weekly – $0.99. If you subscribe before the end of your free trial, you get a special rate. Teachers, there is also a News-o-Matic School Edition. It comes with a teacher’s guide which includes discussion prompts, comprehension questions, Lexile reading levels, and more. And, it’s a great resource for non-fiction reading!

Download link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/news-o-matic-daily-reading/id578023255?mt=8&uo=4