iPad apps for 8 and 9 year olds

We have an iPad and an iPad mini ... when the children started saving a couple of years ago they both intended to buy laptop computers.  We agreed to pay half.   After months of counting and calculating, the time came and both chose iPads.  We are really glad they did!

Our Favourite Apps

We learn plenty through games, and we have fun playing with education tools.  The lines between learning and fun are delightfully blurry!
These are all pretty good apps, but those marked * are frequently used and ** are current favourites

-  Squeebles Maths (KeyStageFun)     **

-  Dress Up Princess (Hooda Math)

-  Targeting Maths 3 and 5 (Blake)    *
-  Fun Soccer Math (Nghi Lee)   **

-  Tell the Time (Playerthree)
-  Math Drills (Instant Interactive)   *

-  PopMath Maths (AppBlit)   *

-  Ken Ken Classic (maths logic game)     **

-  Conceptis Hashi (Conceptis Ltd)

-  Speed!  (Jeffrey Norkoli)      **

-  Maths Trainer (Shalk)

-  Maths Songs Times Tables (1x-6x and 7x-12x)

-  Spelling 1-2 (School Zone)   **

-  Spellosaur   *

-  This Week's Words (Simulant)
-  Word Jigsaw (Megafauna software)
-  Phonics Genius      **
-  SpeakEasy French (Pocketglow)
-  Kids Apps (13 in 1)

-  Where in the World (UConnect)   **

-  Bridge Construction (Headup Games)   *

-  Bright Puzzles HD (Bright Idea Software)   *
-  Learn the World (Merge Mobile)   **

-  JamPad Plus (H2indie)   *
-  Sketchbook Pro (Autodesk)

-  iLuv Drawing People (MyVijan)
-  Drawing Pad

-  Read and Listen Now Bible KJV HD (Handech)   **
-  SimpleMind+ (xpt)
-  Notability (GingerLabs)

IF you want role play games, my children vote for:

-  My Horse (Natural Motion) ... they get a pet horse without the mess!    **
-  Survival Craft     **
-  Townsmen
-  Tiny Sheep  

Other favourite games include:

-  Harbor Master HD (Imangi)

-  Flow Free (Big Duck)   **

-  Banana Kong (FDG)
-  Angry Birds HD

-  Motorbike HD (baKno Games)   **

-  Mahjong (Byterun)   *
-  Mouse Maze

-  Montezuma Puzzle (ECO Pawel)

-  Square-Off Game (SchoolZone)
-  Memory (Irena Schens)   **
-  Cut the Rope
-  Jump Birdy Jump (Ovogame)

New arrivals, untested:

-  Star Walk HD (Vito) - astronomy
-  Planets (Q Continuum) - astronomy
-  Strip Designer (Vivid)  - cartoon making
-  BrainPOP

I haven't had to set limits for use ... except for myself!  We don't have a TV (only DVD and online viewing) so screen time isn't too much of an issue, and we have too many other interests to spend too much time staring at little screens.  We usually leave the WiFi turned OFF, but sometimes connect to use our Weebly site (a collection of all our online tools), for which I have created a desktop bookmark for easy access.

I would like a better writing app than our current Notes app ... preferably one with formatting options and somehow easy to share with the desktop computer.  If you have a suggestion please leave me a comment.

These cute little tablets have paid for themselves educationally and they add to the family fun!

-------------------&---------------------

A little extra waffle in case anyone is deciding what to buy, or wonders
why we choose iPads ...

*  I already share my lovely iMac and little ASUS netbook.

*  Lightweight, handheld tablets are easy to use anywhere (usually on the lounge).

*  The iPad combines loads of functionality in a tiny machine ... games, writing, art, movies, music, camera and video.  Games for fun and education were a priority.

*  It's super easy and inexpensive (often free) to add new apps.

*  Both children are keen writers.  For portable word processing the onscreen keyboards are fine.  Keyboard cases create a virtual laptop when desired.

*  We were slightly concerned about the smaller screen size of the mini for games and movies, but I changed my mind after trying it in the shop.

*  It's easy to turn WiFi on and off to control internet access.

Brave Writer

Brave Writer has helped me see the big picture when it comes to Language Arts.  
The Writer's Jungle taught me how to understand the real stages children go through as writers and introduced me to a gentle, living and wonderful way to mentor my young writers.  I knew it would suit me as soon as I read free online extracts like this ... 

"It’s my hope that you’ll come to love your young writer and his particular jungle in a whole new way. By traveling together, I want to point out the irises you’ve been missing. There’s a world of insight, creativity and passion in your children that writing is meant to capture. By taking some new trails, I hope to lead you to that secret place."  (See more)  

The Brave Writer blog and emails are full of ideas for nurturing writers, developing skills and showing how this writing philosophy translates into reality.  Brave Writer is a flexible resource which complements our eclectic, relaxed, book-loving, individualised approach to home ed.  

I want to write all about how our BraveWriter lifestyle works, what resources we use and what my brave young writers actually do, but it could take a while (I really like what we do but I worry about sounding like an infomercial!)  

This week I wrote a little article about our Poetry Teatimes for the Brave Writer blog.  

Fortunately I took photos before we sat down together ... hence the momentarily tidy table! 

My Book Feast

Last week was one of those weeks when I devoured stories every spare moment.  Not that there were many spare moments, with planned and impromptu guests (including a few overnight), a home ed. social day, church sand modelling activity, woodwork lessons, soccer training, Spring cleaning (even though it's Autumn), and we helped a family move house.   We started building our new dining/ activity room shelves too!

So can you see why I needed to read whenever there was a moment to escape?  Some people (including my husband) would say it's crazy to read so much at such a busy time, and that it'd be better to get a proper sleep.  They're kind of right, but I find reading is one of the most relaxing ways to restore my energy.

Here's a sneak peek at some of the books I've enjoyed in the last ten days:

I also read "The Whistling Season" by Ivan Doig, and perhaps others I returned to the library before I took these photos.  Sorry I don't have time to write reviews of the novels.  As for what I read with the children, that'll have to wait for another post.

I'm quite satisfied now.  Like feasting on chocolate, I enjoyed this delicious treat, but feel I've had my fill of fiction for now.  I 'm happily back into to my normal diet of dreaming up fun ways to learn, reading the Bible, catching up on home ed admin and writing here!

Reading - our style

I don't think there's any single, best way to help children become readers.  I think Love, patience, time and fun are the keys to encouraging a child's natural interest in stories, and their desire and ability to read will flow from there.  


We haven't followed a specific learn-to-read program.  I've borrowed ideas from all kinds of approaches, including phonics (LEM), sight words (eg. Dolch) ... and our home is a playground for whole language!  Step by step programs have worked for some of my friends, combined with the other essential ingredients I mentioned above.  


Here's our story so far, from 0 to 6 years:


From the early days of babyhood the seeds of reading were planted.  We played with words, read aloud ten zillion books, bought books, visited the library often and the kids chose books to borrow on their own cards.  When friends and family would visit, the kids would toddle up and hand them a book to read out.  


Elijah loved books from day one (well, day 8 when he came home from hospital).  I thought Jasmine was going to be different.  She would wriggle and squirm away ... but by 9 months she was just as hooked on books as her big brother!


Here are some snapshots of the fun we've had with reading in the pre-school years ...

This was Jasmine on her 2nd birthday (Elijah was just 3).  

Pete was a home Dad ... each he day wrote a sentence or two on the chalkboard, and the kids would 'read' it to find out what exciting plans he had ... words like icecream, park and swim were very popular!

We now use a whiteboard, but this habit has stayed with us, and now the children help write the days of the week, sentences or activity lists.

With toddlers, Superdad also made up flashcards with words the children were interested in, and they would play games to win cards by being the first to read them.

We played games and more games ....

We made up rhyming word lists (some with nonsense words) then phonogram-based word lists (based loosely on LEM phonics).  The kids initially read these to earn pez lollies!   

We have a range of flip-books (bought cheaply), free, photocopied or printed and laminated games, word rings, word and letter puzzles ... these are not regarded as greater or less than any of our other resources and toys.  It wasn't so much 'school' at age 3-5, just something fun we did together.  

It hasn't changed all that much.

We also go through phases of using flashcards for 'sight words', blends and phonograms.

I sometimes make up a game, like this 'ar jar' for the phonogram ar ("ah, or, the car had a war") we made 2 years ago.  We thought up the words together, I wrote them on cut up Christmas cards.  4-6 cards are placed face up at a time, I say a clue (eg. it can start a fire) and the kids find the word which says the answer (spark).  They may work as a team or compete for the most cards.

Word wheels don't get much use here ... they look good and are a bit of fun, but aren't as good as reading in context.

Both kids do ABC Reading Eggs, whenever they want (if the computer is available), which averages out to 1-3 one-hour sessions per week.  When they were younger the kids also liked the free lessons and they still like the printable books at www.starfall.com

Jasi and Elijah pretend to read to each other (making up stories about the pictures) ... role playing librarians, teachers, mums and dads.  Likewise, they use story books as pretend music books, from which they sing (making up songs as they go).

We have many 'traditional' reading tools too, around the house including many posters.  I holepunch posters in the top corners, thread 5-6 posters onto 2 curtain rings, then hang the set on hooks I've set up around the house, such as on the back of the toilet door.  They're easy to flip, or swap for a different set.

We've ended up with an eclectic range of 'early readers' at little expense, bits and pieces of many series, from school throw-aways, book stalls, home made books, free printable books (eg. from www.starfall.com) and Bible story early readers.  

We borrowed Fitzroy Readers from a school Mum worked at last year, and the kids hated them!    

Elijah now reads Dr Seuss to us, along with various library books and others from his shelves.

Magnetic word kits, sentence makers and phonics work books 

 are often done just for fun, usually whenever the kids want ... such as bed time!

Living in a book-lovers paradise, with so many tools at our disposal and some deliberate instruction through conversation, games and 'playing schools' ... 
Have my children become amazing readers at an incredibly early age?


No and yes.  It hasn't all been plain sailing, but on the whole, it's been positive.  The children have been at times far ahead of their age-expected levels, then other times they cruise, forget sounds and sight words and fall behind to a more 'average' level for their age.  They have vocab and comprehension beyond their years.  Most important to me, they are interested, self-motivated and enjoy their experiences with words and books.


Our shared reading time is still plentiful and precious, and includes picture books, chapter books, science, maths, geography and history references.  We 'do' the Premier's Reading Challenge, just because we read the books anyway, so may as well get a certificate to show for it. 


I photographed our bookshelves ... but there are enough photos here!  Just imagine bookshelves, baskets and stacks all over the house, add up to 90 library books at a time, and that sums it up.


If it's mixed with cuddles, it's all good!