App Review: MarcoPolo Ocean

MARCOPOLO OCEAN is an engaging learning app for budding young scientists.

Designed for preschool and early primary grades, the app provides an immersive environment for young children to explore ocean habitats and creatures.

Choosing an item from the Puzzle icon menu introduces a learning activity such as building a boat or creating an underwater habitat for octopi. Oral directions are provided along with visual assistance for young users. Each of the six activities reinforces vocabulary and ocean concepts.

Choosing an item from the Fish icon menu allows uses to add elements such as divers and sea creatures to the ocean and explore life under the sea.

Librarians will find this app to be a highly visual way to introduce the ocean to young learners. Create a display that includes books about ocean creatures found in the app. The app would be particularly useful for children with special needs.

Part of the Discovery Series, related apps include Arctic and Weather.

To learn more about MarcoPolo, go to http://gomarcopolo.com/

To download the app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/marcopolo-ocean/id797157312

Tech Review: YouTube Kids

YOUTUBE KIDS is an app that offers adults the chance to set up a safe environment for youth to experience YouTube video content.

The app is designed to make age-appropriate recommendations for youth based on viewing and searching history. Initially, the system can be set for “preschool”, “school age”, or “all kids” levels. The search bar can be shown or hidden.

Users are presented with access to content in four categories: Shows, Music, Learning, or Explore. From music by The Piano Guys to science videos from National Geographic Kids, users are presented with endless video options for children. Clicking a channel provides users with access to short video content. The basic keyword search displays content of interest to children. For instance, a search for frogs displays animated stories, science programs, and other interesting videos.

Librarians will find this to be a useful tool for in-school tablets. It would also be a good suggestion for parents of young children.

To download the app through Google Play or the App Store, go to https://kids.youtube.com/.

Technology Review: Sesame Street

The SESAME STREET website, apps, and ebooks contain endless learning resources for preschool and primary children.

The website contains sections focusing on games, videos, art, and muppets. The games section provides age-appropriate games for young children including life skills such as a getting dresses and academic games such as letters and numbers. The videos section features short 2-3 minute videos on a variety of topics. Again, the interface is easy enough for small children to use. The Art Maker section provides easy-to-use interactive tools for creating everything from a cookie or pizza to a Jack-O-Lantern. The Muppets section allows users to explore resources related to their favorite character including games, videos, and art projects. Playlists are available based on specific topics and ages.

The bookstore area contains access to eBooks, audio eBooks, animated eBooks, and interactive eBooks. A subscription is required to access most of these books.

Dozens of apps are available including game apps, story apps, and ebooks. Educational bundles are available for sets of apps. Many of the apps contain the same resources found online.

Librarians will find a wealth of resources for preschool and primary children. Keep in mind that while the general website is free, access to the ebook website and many of the apps requires a license.

To visit the website, go to http://www.sesamestreet.org/.

To visit the ebook area, go to http://ebooks.sesamestreet.org/.

To download apps, go to https://itunes.apple.com/…/develo…/sesame-street/id339077104.

App Review: Metamorphabet

METAMORPHABET by Vectorpark is an engaging, interactive alphabet app.

An astounding educational tool for young children, users are invited to interact with the letters of the alphabet revealing fun transformations. This unique app makes extraordinary use of the touchscreen interface encouraging children to tap, touch, drag, spin, and twist letters.

Users begin by exploring the letter A. Without the need for instruction, children quickly realize that they can interact with the letter activating words, sounds, and animation. Soon an option, in the form of a star icon, is provided for jumping into the next letter, B. Although each letter contains a different organic design and response to touch, there’s enough consistency that users will become familiar with the triggers. Once a letter has been explored once, it’s available through an icon in the upper left corner of the screen.

The letter, words, animations, and sounds are all connected making each letter a mini-story experience. Librarians and teachers will find METAMORPHABET to be an excellent addition to their app collections.

To learn more about the publisher and their apps, go to http://vectorpark.com/.

App Review: Storm & Skye

STORM & SKYE AND THE SECRET OF THE CAR WASH from Digimoo Studios is the first episode in a beautifully illustrated, animated, and audio narrated storybook app.

In this exciting and engaging fantasy adventure, Storm’s imagination goes wild during a drive through the car wash. Later, he joins forces with his young friend Skye to explore the magical world of knights and dragons inside this mysterious car wash.

Designed for children ages five and over, the animated storybook app provides an engaging visual and auditory experience. However because no text is provided, it’s not designed as a text-based reading experience.

The charming narration is accompanied by pleasant music making it perfect for the young children. Each chapter is around 5 minutes for a total of about 45 minutes of entertainment. Users can read straight through the storybook app or jump to one of the nine chapters. In addition to the animated story, a few interactive animations are built into the story allowing young readers to play with story elements. A “help button” reviews the options for users.

Librarians seeking an amazing visual and auditory experience for preschool and primary grade students will want to add this app to their app collection. The short, focused chapters would work well for listening comprehension activities.

Readers will be begging for the next episode in this high-quality animated storybook series.

To learn more, go to the Digimoo Studios website at http://www.digimoostudios.com/.

Book Review: Spectacular Spots

SPECTACULAR SPOTS by Susan Stockade is a beautifully illustrated informational picture book for young naturalists.

This follow-up to Stockdale’s Stripes of All Types uses the same rhyming technique making it an excellent nonfiction book for a science read-aloud experience. Begin by reading the book straight through to enjoy to verse and narrative. Then, go back and discuss the creatures and why their spots are important. Children will also enjoy discussing other books that Stockdale could add to her series featuring animal characteristics.

The simple, colorful illustrations will capture the attention of very young children and thematic focus on spots will appeal to primary-aged youth. Stockade’s interesting use of verbs provides an excellent starting point for a writing activity featuring verb tenses.

The book’s afterword provides thumbnails of each animal along with a discussion of the importance of their spots. A matching game at the end of the book will keep readers thinking about what they’ve read.

Librarians and classroom teachers will find endless opportunities for learning experiences and displays. For instance, ask student to compare the book illustrations with photographs of the same creatures.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.susanstockdale.com/.

Published by Peachtree on March 1, 2015.