ExploRIII 2014 Volume 2 | Page 35

Don't think your child is confined to school hours when it comes to learning! These days learning is very much a mobile state of mind. Utilizing your mobile devices, you can create a "virtual" on-the-go classroom that can be so fun your kids won't realize they're flexing their brain power! Come on everybody, GET APPY! LITERACY 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 17 Aesop's Quest: will challenge your child to recall elements of the story to move to the next level. This comprehension app is great for kids in grades second through sixth! TWEENS 18 BeSeen (age 11 & up): This app is a simulation of high school's social network that can teach kids how to act appropriately online. The app covers a range of online safety concerns including privacy settings, photo sharing, posting location information, and inappropriate attention from strangers. Players are presented with choices and rewarded for positive choices made. Choices will show long-term and immediate consequences. **Note: This app deals with mature issues such as bullying, drugs and sexual predators, but photos and language are not explicit. 19 Mobile Observatory (Age 12 & up): This is an impressive tool for kids to learn about the night sky and even learn about upcoming astronomical events. Users point the device at the night's sky and the app identifies and labels what the user is seeing in their own backyard! 20 Kids' Vocab - Mindsnacks: Is a vocabulary game designed for middle school students and above. Games are fast-paced and challenging. THE CREATIVE CHILD 21 Faces iMake: A fun, creative app that allows kids (or adults) to create faces with random objects. 22 SpinArt: The easy, clean way to create! This app is a throwback to the popular toy the Spirograph. Children as young as four can use this app with ease! 23 Toontastic: A great way for kids to create animated film. This educational app teaches the elements of storytelling while allowing the child to tell the story in their own voice. 24 Strip Designer: Kids create their own comic strip by using pictures (they can snap or import). This app can help with story-telling and inspire budding graphic designers Users can export their creation into a pdf, too. 25 123D Sculpt: This app allows the creative "juices" to flow while players change and paint basic sculpture shapes making them their own. Kids can share their creations via DropBox, Youtube and more! WEBSITES AND GAMING SYSTEMS 26 PBSkids.org/read (Age 4-6): Online - Kids can build upon their current prereading or early reading skills by playing on Ready to Learn Reading. Via the site's games, kids can also gain direct practice on skills including spelling, vocabulary, storytelling, comprehension, and more. For kids who can already read a little, Ready to Learn Reading offers practical, fun ways to develop literacy skills. 27 World of Goo (Age 8-12): For the Nintendo Wii, Windows or Mac - Kids can learn about physics and puzzle solving. This game explores the world of physics, engineering and gravity while engaging a child's reasoning skills. 28 Scribblenauts Unlimited (Age 7-11): For the Nintendo WiiU or 3DS - Highly engaging and ranked five stars by children. This adventure game allows kids to solve puzzles while expanding their vocabulary and stretching their imagination. 29 My Reading Tutor (Age 5): For the Nintendo DS or DSi - This "game" uses read-along stories and games to help kids learn the basics of early reading, including letter sounds, sight words, and phonics. There is a special section for parents that allow you to keep track of your child's progress. 30 Cosmos Chaos (Age 8 & up): For Nintendo DS and DSi - This sci-fi a