Do you want a pond in your pocket? First reaction would be, well nooo, however you might change your mind. The graphics for “Pocket Pond HD” are picture perfect and watching the fish swim around will relax just about anyone. The “real nature” sound effects are great and best heard in stereo with headphones. What I like most about this app is touching the water, the sound effects are very realistic and my finger is not even wet! If you tap twice on the screen, a little piece of fish food will appear and the fish will swim by and eat it. The fish can be played with, you can scare them or watch their schooling behavior. The fish pond can be customized simply by adding Lilly Pads and Dragon Flies. My middle child (10) was all worked up by her brother and I sat her down and handed her my iPhone with “Pocket Pond”; I asked her to look at this app and play with the fish while I deal with her brother. She huffed and puffed and complained. Magically, a little fish pond and the sounds of nature put her in a calm state. She was a different person in such a short time! She really enjoyed playing with the fish, feeding them and swirling the water around. The “Pocket Pond HD” app is very refreshing and is a great escape for everyone from a toddler to a parent. There is an upgrade option in the app for iFish Pond where you can catch fish, play with frogs, and hear a thunderstorm for $1.99. See ya… gone fishin’!

By Age Range, For Parents, High School +, Just For Fun, Middle School, Preschool, Primary School, Reviews, Science, Toddlers, nature

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” – Dr. Seuss, The Lorax (1971)

Tomorrow is Earth Day – a day to reflect upon our relationship with the environment and to think about what we can do to help our planet survive and thrive. It’s only fitting that I review “The Lorax” ebook application which was adapted from the Dr. Seuss classic. “The Lorax” is a children’s story with a very adult message: respect and conserve our natural resources or we’ll find our world an unhealthy and unhappy place to be. The application contains original illustrations and text with Seuss’ lyrical meter and rhyme, and it’s beautifully-scaled to the iPhone screen. I enjoy the movement and interactive features of this app; as you read the story (or have it read to you), you pan around the page to have a more detailed look at the illustrations, and you can tap on some of the images to see the identifying words. “The Lorax” is an engaging and entertaining storybook, but it also provides a valuable opportunity for parents and children to discuss conservation and environmental concerns in our world today.

By Age Range, By App Feature, Preschool, Primary School, Reading, Reviews, Toddlers, nature

“Star Walk” is a pocket planetarium lesson and astronomy guide for the iPhone/iTouch. This sophisticated application is chocked full of features including moon phases, bookmarks, and a time machine (which allows you to view planetary and star movement in the days to come). It is easy-to-use, nicely formatted, and offers a wealth of learning opportunities. My favorite feature is the “star spotter” option that uses the digital compass to orient your location/position and charts the constellations over head (available for the 3GS only). I also like the option to learn more about what you see through links to planetary information on Wikipedia. This application is a superb tool for parents/caregivers who want to teach their young ones about the sky above. It’s the best of its kind, and an excellent way to discover and explore the universe from wherever you stand.

By Age Range, By App Feature, For Parents, High School +, Middle School, Primary School, Reviews, Science, nature

Poke, tap, and slide the colorful illustrations and the world of the Itsy Bitsy Spider comes alive. This skillfully-crafted application is made by Duck Duck Moose, the award-winning production company who brought us two other preschool songs-apps, “The Wheels on the Bus,” and “Old MacDonald.” This particular rendition seems to top the others with its endless critters and even more interaction to rouse a toddler’s curiosity. It promotes exploration and can facilitate as a learning tool when caregivers and children experience and talk about it together. My favorite feature is the chatty fly Chloe who buzzes around the periphery of each scene offering helpful tidbits of information about nature and the environment. I also like that my son and I can record ourselves singing. What a find! The Itsy Bitsy Spider is epic entertainment!

Animals, By App Feature, Just For Fun, Music, Preschool, Reviews, Toddlers, nature