This education-based app introduces children to the world of math through word problems. Each word problem has a photograph and scenario that includes a different animal found in the wild in Africa. iLiveMath has three levels of difficulty that are geared toward kids in kindergarten through 6th grade; the math problems focus on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and percentages. The app has a distinct approach to instruction that applies concepts to real life situations rather simply performing numerical drills. As a result, learners are exposed to the language of math and are able to build confidence and understanding in a less conventional way. Another unique feature allows kids to get help with problems or share with others via blog, email educator, or tweet to followers and friends. iLiveMath is a fun, educational app that offers something different to those learning basic math. My only gripe is the cumbersome interface to log each answer (you must scroll to find the right number, tap to select, and then advance to the next problem). Maybe I’m getting lazy in my old age, but I think fewer steps would enhance the app experience.

Animals, By Age Range, By App Feature, Math, Primary School, Reviews

“Little Red Riding Hood” is an ebook app based on the classic folk tale. It’s the story of a little girl who finds herself in peril when she encounters a big, bad wolf on her way to visit her grandmother. This application made a strong impression on me for a few different reasons. First, I was shocked to experience this tale again as an adult. I found this “children’s story” as fitting a bedtime story as an R-rated movie: the girl and grandmother are tricked and eaten by a wolf, the huntsman saves them by cutting open then shooting the wolf; later, another wolf tries to eat them, so they set a trap and drown him. Sheesh… maybe I’m in denial, or perhaps I’m still suffering from PTSD after hearing this story as a kid, but I don’t remember it being so graphic and violent. Okay, so enough of my rant… on to my review. There are few positives and a few negatives. The introduction and directions for the app are clearly stated and make navigation easy. The illustrations are beautifully done with a soft and fluid quality, and each page is well-proportioned to the iPhone screen. Unfortunately, the English translation and narration of this story are poorly done. The text and narration are fraught with poor grammar and phrasing – undesirable qualities when teaching kids to read. I did notice that some iTunes user reviews gave high marks to the Chinese translation, so I wonder if the Chinese version is superior.

By App Feature, Preschool, Primary School, Reading, Reviews, Toddlers

The newly released picture book – “1 Little Boy” – takes a refreshing and innovative approach to interactive children’s applications. It is the original story of a little boy who goes on a fantastical journey and along the way is joined by a variety of animal characters from cherished classic tales. The app was carefully contemplated and executed with tremendous attention to detail. The text has a delightful sing-song rhyme and rhythm, the illustrations are remarkably attractive, and the narration is clearly and distinctly enunciated. You can interact with the story in several ways; you can touch each character to hear different sounds and expressions, touch the screen to have characters appear, and record your own voice to narrate the story. It’s a great educational resource, too. Kids are learning on several levels; they can read along with they narrator, they have the opportunity to count and recite numbers, and they can indentify different animals and their sounds. I’m HUGE fan of this application…”1 Little Boy” is a picture-perfect addition to our virtual bookshelf, and it’s an imaginative, refreshing, and amusing way to teach my son.

Animals, By Age Range, By App Feature, Counting, Preschool, Primary School, Reading, Reviews, Sounds, Toddlers

“Preschool Connect the Dots…” is a phenomenal value with a whopping 200+ puzzles offered and a plethora of settings that allows you to customize the experience for different ages, interests, and skill/competency levels. At first glance, the screen is full of what looks like a flurry of random dots with numbers or letters, but once you start connecting them, a rough sketch appears. When you finish the puzzle, you’re rewarded with a picture that completes the sketch. My favorite features include the option to choose from five different puzzle themes/topics (e.g. animals, transportation), the high quality sounds effects and narration, and the multitude of learning opportunities offered. From an educational perspective, this app helps preschoolers sharpen skills including object identification and pronunciation, counting, letters (upper and lower case options). We look forward to many, many hours of fun and enjoyment connecting the dots.

Animals, By Age Range, By App Feature, Counting, Language, Phonics, Preschool, Primary School, Puzzle, Reviews, Sounds, Toddlers

“The Tortoise and the Hare” is the classic tale where the slow and perseverant Tortoise wins the race against the jaunty and overconfident Hare. It is the third animated storybook by the talented maker of “The Little Red Hen” and “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” and lives up to its predecessors. This series of storybook apps truly sets the bar for children’s ebooks for the following reasons: the illustrations that are rich, inviting and beautifully executed, the narrator has a sweet, melodic voice, and the stories are beyond entertaining – they also impart valuable ethical lessons to our little ones. My son and I love how the books are interactive allowing us to click on the characters as we read with the illustrations coming to life with whimsical expressions and sounds. The only limitation is the language option. While other Kidztory storybooks have multiple language options, “The Tortoise and the Hare” is currently offered in English only.

By Age Range, By App Feature, Just For Fun, Language, Preschool, Primary School, Reading, Reviews, Toddlers

8 Planets Pro has discovered a unique niche with an educational science game uniting astronomy and game play. The application includes four games with topics including: planet names, spelling, “black hole” (planet identification), and matching. The design of this application makes it an especially powerful learning tool since each “game” or level of play builds on the preceding activity, thereby reinforcing what has been taught/learned and challenging the knowledge in a new way. For example, the first game introduces each planet by name, position from the sun, and illustration. The following game shows a picture of each planet and a partial spelling, reviewing what has just been taught. The last two games playfully quiz the player with games focusing on identification and matching. Each game independently can be hours of entertainment, but collectively these games form a cohesive, instructive and illuminating science lesson. I’m amazed at how a creative approach to learning can invigorate a seemingly dry topic. Stargazers will unite and delight over 8 Planets Pro.

By Age Range, By App Feature, Matching, Preschool, Primary School, Reviews, Spelling, science

As you’ll learn about me through my reviews, I’m fool when it comes to quality memory and matching games. I’m delighted to say that the educational game “Floating Memory” makes me a foolishly happy gal. In some ways, this application is no different than most standard memory games – you pair objects (in this game it’s sea creatures) and collect points to work your way through progressively difficult levels. What’s different about this game is that the pairs are in frenetic, floating bubbles that are in constant motion adding to the challenge… and the excitement. I can listen to my own iPod songs while I play, and I often find myself entranced in the meditative and addictive nature of this game. Floating Memory is best suited for skilled matching game enthusiasts, older kids, and adults, and it’s a fabulous way to focus your concentration and sharpen your memory while having a good time.

By Age Range, By App Feature, High School +, Just For Fun, Matching, Middle School, Primary School, Reviews

The Queen Bee storybook app is adapted from the classic Grimm’s fairy tale. It’s the story of three brothers who go in search of adventure and face difficult challenges to win the heart of the princess. In the end, it’s the slow, “simpleton” brother who prevails by showing kindness and goodwill toward others. The application interface is intuitive, the text is easy to read, and the narration is nicely paced. I appreciate the moralistic lesson and positive message this story exemplifies for children. It’s formatted like an actual book with two pages of illustrated scenes represented on the screen at once. In fact, it looks much like a scanned book rather than original illustrations and it doesn’t scale well. I can’t help but think the book could be enhanced by representing just one scene per page. Regardless of the formatting, the Queen Bee by Storychimes is a welcome addition to the realm of storybook apps.

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

This math-based application joins arcade game fun with simple addition and subtraction problems. To play Math Bumpies, you pick your tropical superhero likeness, and then tilt the iPhone/iTouch to navigate your way through the ten destinations on Math Island. Along the way you’ll see math problems; when you see a choice of answers, tap on your character to jump and bump the correct answer to acquire points. The game can be played in three modes (easy, medium, and hard) and is geared for kids age six and up. It appears best suited to children who already have a working knowledge of addition and subtraction and are looking to improve their math proficiency. It truly offers adventure, with challenges including shark infested waters, snow storms, walls of fire, and quicksand. Of all the math apps I’ve experienced, Math Bumpies feels much more like a heart-pounding video game than a means for learning. It’s no doubt this game will appeal to a child’s desire to have fun… and a parent’s ambition to enrich their child’s intelligence.

By Age Range, By App Feature, High School +, Just For Fun, Math, Middle School, Primary School, Reviews

Dictionary.com is a reference application that includes a dictionary, thesaurus, and word-of-the-day option, and also keeps a log of the most recent word searches. Reference words are quickly and easily accessed directly from the app, which can potentially save the user time and frustration from dealing with an unreliable internet connection. The best feature of all – and what helps make this app superior to traditional book versions – is the audio pronunciation. Now, not only do I understand what I’m reading and writing, but I can impress my peers with profound, polysyllabic words without fear of butchering the pronunciation. One might argue this application is the best-of-its-kind, but there’s absolutely no doubt that Dictionary.com is a “must-have” for students and curious minds of all ages.

By Age Range, By App Feature, For Parents, High School +, Middle School, Phonics, Primary School, Reading, Reviews