Appy Friday!
We are a little light on apps this week, but I don't think that's a bad thing. Sometimes my Appy Friday post looks like pages and pages of blue links. It can be overwhelming. My everlasting goal is to figure out my top tried and true apps and app developers. Then pray/cross fingers/knock on wooden stuff that the developer puts it out for free now and then, but mostly importantly keeps on updating with every new version of iOS/Android.
Follow me @ehawkins http://appsliced.co if you are interested in keeping up with my favorite apps and setting your own alerts if the apps go free. (No, app sliced didn't give me anything to plug them, just a personal shout-out).
Have a great weekend and happy downloading!
Betsy
REVIEWS
Early Childhood
Kiddy Colored Shapes: Learning shapes for tots by KWE Tec Inc.
Normally $2.99
The title makes it sound like just another app where the child is going to just learn to identify the name of shapes from a field of 3 or 4. Good news! This app works on the developmental stage before naming objects, which is matching. What happens is there is a visual scene and on the side there are two shapes. The object of the activity is to drag the missing piece in visual scene, with the prompt "What's missing?". When the student drags the shape to the correct spot, the app names the shape and then does a cute animation. The app provides feedback if you try to match the incorrect shape and will bounce it back to try again. Occupational Therapists can also use this app for visual perceptual skills for students who struggle with figure ground and visual closure. The only thing I don't like about it is there isn't data collection and the shapes to choose from are on clouds, which maybe confusing. The app is very young in terms of animations, so I would only use the app with younger students.
*Lite version available on Google play, see Android section of this email for the link. The full Android version is not free today :(
Elementary
Spelling Bee PRO - Learn to Spell & Ace Your Next Test! by Innovative Investments Limited
Normally $4.99
Spelling Bee PRO is made by the same folks that do Bitsboard, a flash card activity app that has several activities that pairs audio and photos together with fine motor interaction of sliding around letters, highlighting etc. (hello multi-sensory!). Spelling Bee is a mini version of Bitsboard PRO, but only includes games specific to spelling: spelling test, word building, missing letter, word search, cross word, etc. It comes with a ton of word lists categorized by grade, frequency lists (Fry for example) and subject. You can also make your own. However, if you make one from scratch, it takes awhile to set up the flash cards. Though once the flash cards are done, it goes automatically into all the games. If you set up a free account, you can easily download your own activities to multiple devices. Anyway, Spelling Bee is a great way for students to do word work, independent practice or to introduce vocabulary before starting a unit. This app can also be used by Occupational Therapists to work on visual perceptual skills in the word searches or to have students work with words that have confusable letters like b, d, p and q. Bitsboard and Spelling Bee both have lite versions, where you get a few of the games. In addition, http://appsliced.co Bitsboard Pro has not gone free for 3 years, this is a great way to get most of the same activities for free!
Middle-High School
Orderly - Reminders, Tasks, ToDo Lists, Project tasks by Tekton Technologies (P) Ltd.
Normally $2.99
This is a mix between a traditional to-do list planner and sticky notes. When you add a to-do list, you get a title and then 18 lines (it goes longer than that, but 18 lines are visible at a time). Then that list shrinks and is saved like a thumbnail/sticky note of your list. You can add standard reminders, location reminders, and recurring reminders. All the lists can be prioritized as low, medium and high. My only wish is that I could add pictures. Who likes copying down homework when you can snap a picture?
Always Free, Always Awesome
Pinch Peeps by Everplay
It looks like just a game, but it's really fine motor and matching! Little animated guys float on the screen in pairs by color/shapes. You have to avoid obstacles and bombs so there is some accuracy involved. This is great for Occupational therapists working on pincer grasp, fine motor stamina and visual perceptual skills. There can be pop up ads, so you will need to monitor your student's use and/or try using guided access to keep students from exiting into the app store.
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Find The Crow Winter HD - childrens hidden objects game for toddlers & preschool kids 2+ by Anna Tikanova
Normally $2.99
Missing Pieces: Learning facial parts for tots by KWE Tec Inc.
Normally $2.99
*Lite version available on Google Play, see Android section for link. Full version is not free today.
Bears and Fishes by KWE Tec Inc.
Normally $0.99
Counting For Kids by Internet Design Zone
Normally $0.99
ELECTRONIC STORYBOOKS/INTERACTIVE BOOKS
Bunny's No Good Tooth Day by Alexander Levy
Normally $0.99
FINE MOTOR
Labo Shape(2+) by Labo Lado Inc.
Normally $2.99
Handwriting Wizard by Innovative Investments Limited
Normally $4.99
LANGUAGE ARTS
Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read – First Grade Consonant Blends and Two-Syllable Words by Hooked on Phonics
Normally $0.99
Dictate for iPad by Lampros Gidarakos
Normally $1.99
MATH
Grid Multiplication by Esa Helttula
Normally $3.99
Connecting Cubes by Brainingcamp, LLC
Normally $0.99
Know Your Math Facts by Math Munchkie
Normally $0.99
Magical Mental Math by Interactive Elementary
Normally $0.99
HC Calculator Pro by YongYong Chen
Normally $0.99
SOCIAL STUDIES
Kids Like Me - Travel & Discover How Children Live Around the World by Planet Factory Interactive
Normally $2.99
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL
Autism Cooperation Station by Roger Newman-Norlund
Normally $1.99
TASK-RELATED/STUDENT TOOLS
DotSpace - Colorful Grid Checklist Organizer by Adams Immersive
Normally $2.99
ANDROID
AMAZON UNDERGROUND
MATH
Learn Division by MakeThisApp, normally $0.99
Learn Multiplication by MakeThisApp, normally $0.99
Learn Fraction by MakeThisApp, normally $0.99
Times Tables by NumberJacks, normally $2.31
GOOGLE PLAY
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Kiddy Colored Shapes by KidMastermind Ltd
Missing Pieces by KidMastermind Ltd
