Get The Kids Excited About Reading With These Apps
Technology is everywhere and children growing up in this day in age are inundated with it. Instead of sheltering them from it, why not try to use it to your benefit.
The Literacy Site, a website "founded to help promote literacy among children from low-income families nationwide”, created this list of 10 apps that will help your kids get excited about reading, while they feel like they’re just playing a video game.
"Turn your electronic device into a learning hub with fun, engaging, and educational apps designed to help your child learn to read while having a blast. With colorful characters, challenging games, and fantastical adventures, some of the best apps available provide the basics while also instilling a love of reading that can last a lifetime."
MONTESSORI CROSSWORDS
"Montessori Crosswords helps kids develop multiple skills, including reading, spelling, and writing. This app for iTunes and Android, which is based on the Montessori method of learning according to My KidsTime, allows kids to build words from a database of words, images, and audio."
READING RAINBOW
"Encouragement rules in Reading Rainbow, a free app for Kindle Fire and iPads that works to instill the joy of reading into its young audience, as noted by The Los Angeles Times. Younger users can benefit from the app’s ability to read aloud, while older kids can use it to read books by themselves."
THE SIGHT WORD ADVENTURE
"Building your child’s vocabulary is an early step on the road to reading, which is where The Sight Word Adventure comes in. Available on iTunes, this fun app teaches children how to read and write more than 300 words."
TOCA TOWN
"Toca Town provides a digital sandbox for kids to play and become inspired. Available on iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Windows and Android, this app for preschool readers features rich artwork, six distinct areas with activities, and plenty of opportunities for creativity."
TEACH YOUR MONSTER TO READ: FIRST STEPS
"With a goal of being on the forefront of blending games with rigorous education, Teach Your Monster To Read: First Steps makes reading fun. Developed in a collaboration between game designers and Roehampton University, this app for iPads lets kids adopt a monster, customize it, and ride along on an adventure through a magical world as they collect letter sounds."
THE LAND OF ME STORY TIME
"Like a gorgeous picture book in the palm of your hand, The Land of Me Story Time app takes kids on an imaginative journey with lovable characters. In this app, which is available on iTunes, each choice has an impact on the story."
PBS PARENTS PLAY AND LEARN
"Although PBS Parents Play & Learn is designed as a parents resource, it provides plenty of games to keep kids happy. Even better, it provides a rich resource for adults looking to help young children develop literacy skills. It’s available for iOS, Kindle Fire, Nook HD and Android."
ASTROPOLO
"Can a space adventure help teach your kids to read? It does if Astropolo has anything to say about it. This collection of eight mini-games engages children between the ages of four and eight. With its interactive nature, this app for iPad and iPhone helps develop hand-eye coordination, voice control, and fine motor skills in children."
STARFALL LEARN TO READ
"In Starfall Learn to Read, Zac the Rat leads your child through numbered sections that provide vowel sounds and spellings. The more your child plays, the more she will master the sound-spelling technique, which supports emerging readers. This engaging app is available on Android and iTunes."
LUMIKIDS
"Created by the makers of Lumosity, LumiKids relies on play-based experiences to help develop cognitive, social-emotional, and motor skills in children ages two and older. As the 2015 winner for Kapi Awards] Best App For Younger Children, this engaging app adapts to your child’s ability level to keep each learner motivated and challenged. This free app for iPads is available through the iTunes App Store."
(Via The Literacy Site Blog)