Now Tech That!: April 2016

Another week, another set of links to free iOS and Android apps! I thought I wouldn’t have time to do reviews, but I have a little time after all. My reviews are mostly early childhood oriented this week, but I hope they are still helpful to some of you!

Have a great weekend and happy downloading,

Betsy

Reviews

Early Childhood

Natural Seasons — BabyBus by BABYBUS

https://appsto.re/us/i_iZ2.i

Normally $0.99

*Also free on Google play, see Android section for link

Baby bus makes a whole set of early childhood apps. This one works on presenting a book of puzzle pages for each season. Once the book page’s season is labeled, you can play with the themed puzzles. It’s great for OTs working on visual discrimination, fine motor and finger isolation. What I like is one of the puzzle formats you can select the number of pieces (4, 6 or 9) and the animations are pretty cute. Just a warning, the music is really annoying. I would break out the headphones!

Elementary

Multiplication Table Memorizer by Vyacheslav Zubenko

https://appsto.re/us/VrWtP.i

Normally $2.99

There a lot of math fact apps out there. Most of them get boring quickly so having an arsenal of them to mix things up for your students is a good idea! This app is a little different in that instead of just a field of 3 or 4 to choose the correct answer, this one has 12 to choose from. If you are stuck on a problem, you can tap the question mark and it will split up the problem into a smaller denomination for you to see the problem differently. What I don’t like is you can’t skip ahead to more difficult problems, you have to start with the easiest problems first and move through them all.

Middle-High School

*Nothing exciting this week!

Always Free, Always Awesome!

Gear Pre-writing by Artica (Early Childhood)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gaar-prewriting/id819479130?mt=8

This is a fine motor and visual perceptual app designed for pre-school kids who are working on fine motor, targeting items and simple tracing. I like that it’s in a game format where the user achieves a level after each page. What I don’t like is there seems to be only a couple of levels in each activity area . In addition, I am disappointed that the developer markets the app as working on pre-writing strokes, but some of the tracing apps do not model tracing that follow basic handwriting principals (top down for example). I would not use this connected to handwriting and instead use it for basic finger isolation and targeting.

Also free today:

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Jobi's Fire Station by Yellephant Co., Ltd.

https://appsto.re/us/8Yhd4.i

Normally $1.99

*Also free on Google play, see Android section for link

Wee Subs by Wee Taps

https://appsto.re/us/5cSYI.i

Normally $2.99

Match and Learn™ The Professions by Petita Demas by Petita Demas Ltd

https://appsto.re/us/aUy17.i

Normally $2.99

Educational ZoLO Creative Play Sculpture for Ipad. Original shape game to develop imagination and foster creativity. Amazing visual learning for kids of all ages. Gender neutral by UZU Ltd

https://appsto.re/us/7f6lL.i

Normally $1.99

Nursery Rhymes For Kids by Alex Harris

https://appsto.re/us/vJW16.i

Normally $0.99

*Lite version on Google play, see Android section for link

FINE MOTOR/VISUAL PERCEPTUAL

Paint Kid - Draw for Kids - Doodle, Sketch & Scribble by Hien Van Phan

https://appsto.re/us/J7HJ_.i

Normally $11.99

goPaintPro by Ali golmohammadi

https://appsto.re/us/q0PGJ.i

Normally $11.99

Draw pad - Draw, Paint, Doodle, Sketch for Preschool Kid by Hien Van Phan

https://appsto.re/us/9nJR_.i

Normally $11.99

LANGUAGE ARTS/VOCABULARY

Little Big Car Factory: Spelling Game by Little Big Thinkers

https://appsto.re/us/TgWKY.i

Normally $1.99

New Hear & Spell by Nakshatra Game Studios

https://appsto.re/us/X_GAN.i

Normally $0.99

*Also free on Android

Learn, Baby, Learn! Touch & Hear to Learn New Words by Noyo

https://appsto.re/us/VcBzN.i

Normally $3.99

MATH

Math P.O.D. by Bertalan Kis (Problem of Day, Ages 6-8)

https://appsto.re/us/S2osab.i

Normally $9.99

Math Flashcard Match Games for Kids in Elementary School Studying Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division by Eggroll Games LLC

https://appsto.re/us/jPsu-.i

Normally $8.99

Calculus X: College and AP Calc Test Prep and Tools by Knowvio LLC

https://appsto.re/us/D0gy9.i

Normally $4.99

SCIENCE

Piiig Labs: Science Experiments for Kids by Piiig Inc.

https://appsto.re/us/hAr3R.i

Normally $2.99

The Earth by Tinybop by Tinybop Inc.

https://appsto.re/us/gsDR7.i

Normally $2.99

TASK-RELATED/STUDENT TOOLS

Sketch Calendar - Doodle and Paint Your Day by Insomniac Industries

https://appsto.re/us/fhEO4.i

Normally $2.99

Everything by Beenosix

https://appsto.re/us/g81RA.i

Normally $0.99

Meeting Box - Notes, Tasks, Sketches and Recordings by Fishington Studios

https://appsto.re/us/YOb4J.i

Normally $2.99

Habit Builder - Positive Habits by TechBase LLC

https://appsto.re/us/7DBOI.i

Normally $1.99

DotSpace - Colorful Grid Checklist Organizer by Adams Immersive

https://appsto.re/us/uOzQ7.i

Normally $2.99

PDF Forms by Darsoft Inc.

https://appsto.re/us/TZaKC.i

Normally $8.99

ABC Rainbow Flash Card by YSD.hk

https://appsto.re/us/nBdb2.i

Normally $0.99

TEACHER/STAFF TOOLS

ABABasic by KV Adaptive LLC

https://appsto.re/us/-Os3t.i

$2.99

Calendarium – Everything about this day by Idea Studio

https://appsto.re/us/dfnVC.i

Normally $0.99

ANDROID

Seasons- Free by Baby’s

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sinyee.babybus.season

Jobs Fire Station

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yellephant.jobisfirestation

Nursery Rhymes for kids

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nurseryrhymes19

Hear & Spell Challenge

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nakshatra.newhearandspell

Math Games by TeachMe

http://www.amazon.com/TeachMe-Inc-Math-Games-by/dp/B01DTO1A3O/ref=sr_1_3?s=mobile-apps&ie=UTF8&qid=1460756239&sr=1-3&refinements=p_n_date%3A2479571011

Friday, April 8, 2016

Appy Friday 4/8/16

Appy Friday!

I have family in from out of town so there is no time for reviews today. Enjoy the links to free apps and have a great weekend!

Betsy

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Montessori, preschool app to teach your kids the basic learning by Pratik Machchar

https://appsto.re/us/6-iN4.i

Normally $2.99

Gocco Zoo Pro - Creative Paint & Play for Kids by SMARTEDUCATION, Ltd.

https://appsto.re/us/jtCV1.i

Normally $2.99

*Also on Google Play, but not free today

Sago Mini Forest Flyer by Sago Sago

https://appsto.re/us/8zfmM.i

Normally $2.99

*Also free on Google play, see Android section for link

Receptive Labels by Chatterbox

https://appsto.re/us/uz8Q0.i

Normally $9.99

My First Learning Shapes - Block Forms Edition by LumiSys Kft.

https://appsto.re/us/aW_r4.i

Normally $0.99

Xander English Shapes and Colours by EverAfrica Group (Pty) Ltd

https://appsto.re/us/5hGQ8.i

Normally $0.99

*Also free on Google Play, see Android section for link

INTERACTIVE BOOKS/ELECTRONIC STORYBOOKS

Little Mermaid - bedtime fairy tale Interactive Book by iBigToy by iBigToy

https://appsto.re/us/GgbMy.i

Normally $4.99

10 Classic Fairy Tales － Interactive Books iBigToy by iBigToy

https://appsto.re/us/NzC3y.i

Normally $4.99

Wolf and the Seven Little Goats - bedtime fairy tale Interactive iBigToy by iBigToy

https://appsto.re/us/0p3lz.i

Normally $4.99

VISUAL PERCEPTUAL/FINE MOTOR

KeyKit Customizable Keyboards by dopplerthepom

https://appsto.re/us/8EQG3.i

Normally $0.99

LANGUAGE ARTS/ENGLISH

Fairy Tale for Education by Good Effect

https://appsto.re/us/a3hYab.i

Normally $3.99

Scribbly Daily Growth Journal - Successful Journaling and Self Reflecting by Bernhard Fercher

https://appsto.re/us/ErnO7.i

Normally $4.99

MATH

Kids Math Fun — Kindergarten by One Step Ahead Apps, LLC

https://appsto.re/us/kNkkr.i

Normally $1.99

Trigonometry: Triangle Solver by Keiko Nakayama

https://appsto.re/us/kozj7.i

Normally $0.99

Digits, the calculator for humans by Shift

https://appsto.re/us/tsDUv.i

Normally $3.99

SciCalc82 by Paul SALANITRI

https://appsto.re/us/DwmmJ.i

Normally $0.99

TASK-RELATED

Notes.xls tiny spreadsheet (Excel edition) by Vladimir Chernatkin

https://appsto.re/us/1Mdi3.i

Normally $1.99

Done - manage your life with ease by Alex Zhu

https://appsto.re/us/Aa249.i

Normally $0.99

TEACHER/STUDENT TOOLS

Stage Pro: Interactive Whiteboard and Document Camera by Belkin International, Inc.

https://appsto.re/us/p-GLQ.i

Normally $4.99

*Also free on Google Play, see Android section for link

Essay Writing & Essay Topics by Seema Agarwal

https://appsto.re/us/BE9D6.i

Normally $1.99

ANDROID

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Sago Mini Forst Flyer by Sago Sago

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sagosago.ForestFlyer.googleplay

English Shapes and Colors by Xander

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.everafrica.EnglishSandC

ELEMENTARY

Geo Flight USA Fun Geography Quiz by TopoMonkey

http://www.amazon.com/GeoFlight-USA-geography-states-capitals/dp/B01CTFMQZK/ref=sr_1_4?s=mobile-apps&ie=UTF8&qid=1460128472&sr=1-4&refinements=p_n_date%3A2479571011

Normally $1.70

MATH

Math Games by Teach Me

http://www.amazon.com/TeachMe-Inc-Math-Games-by/dp/B01DTO1A3O/ref=sr_1_27?s=mobile-apps&ie=UTF8&qid=1460128637&sr=1-27&refinements=p_n_date%3A2479571011

Normally $3.99

TASK RELATED

Stage: Whiteboard and Camera by Belkin

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.belkin.stage

Friday, April 1, 2016

Appy April Fools Day! 4/1/16

Appy April Fools Day!

I have good news and bad news. The good news is, the links below aren’t a April Fool’s joke, they are really free today!

The bad news is I don’t know if its because it’s spring break for those app developers or bloggers, but there are not a log of free educational apps this week. It was especially bad for Android this week, I only had one link!

I have my fingers crossed for next week for a better list!

Have a great weekend,

Betsy

Reviews

Early Childhood

The Writing Machine by Hump Software

https://appsto.re/us/LcqhA.i

Normally $0.99

Here is a great early childhood app for getting kids ready for writing. However, I think the name of the app is misleading. It does NOT work on handwriting, spelling or building sentences. It works on keyboard letter orientation and letter identification. It’s pretty simple, you pick or identify a letter from the qwerty or alphabetical keyboard. When you tap the letter you get a picture and a word that starts with that letter. If you get it wrong in the identification section, it will give you hints. For students using switches, the app has built in switch settings so you don’t have to fuss with the iOS accessibility settings. Note that it uses the number 3 and 1 for the switches. What I don’t like is the step scanning, it goes through each letter individually, so you have a lot of switch hits to get to the letter ‘m’.

Elementary

iModeling - Skills for Autism Spectrum Disorder by Autism SA

https://appsto.re/us/J5xrB.i

Normally $3.99

This is a video modeling app that you can use to make custom videos to help your student learn new motor skills, routines, social stories, steps to solve a math problem, or rules. The app takes you step by step in making your video, so if you are new to video modeling, this can help you manage all the pieces. You can have multiple users, so it is ideal for teachers and therapists. However, if you don’t need to be student specific, you can skip entering names and instead you can enter topics to keep your videos organized. This app isn’t good for something called video prompting, which is where you have a series of small video clips of doing a task (storybook apps are good for this). This is for straight up video modeling, which shows the entire task or topic.

Middle-High

*Nothing caught my eye to review this week, maybe next time!

Always Free, Always Awesome

A+ Spelling Test by Innovative Mobile Apps

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/a+-spelling-test/id501211008?mt=8

This spelling app is exactly what many of my students need, custom lists! It takes just a few minutes to make your own list and record the prompts. Then your student can practice spelling with hints, unscramble the letters and then when they are ready, take the test. You can turn on or off immediate feedback and it takes data for you! The reason I really like it is it does not look young or babyish, so it can be used with all ages.

Also free today!

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Montessori, preschool app to teach your kids the basic learning by Pratik Machchar

https://appsto.re/us/6-iN4.i

Normally $2.99

CHOMP by Christoph Niemann - funny video stories for kids by Fox and Sheep GmbH

https://appsto.re/us/zG5p_.i

Normally $2.99

Keys Kids Play HD by Toward Inc.

https://appsto.re/us/kjbSF.i

Normally $0.99

LANGUAGE ARTS