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! 

Organising online resources with Weebly

Do your links get lost in the land of many bookmarks?  

We can sift through 50 bookmark folders to find the link we need, but that's not so quick or easy for young children ... and with so many online educational resources available, the bookmarks tab soon overflows.  To rescue our links I created a Weebly website ... it's a fun way to round up the numerous online resources my children have access to. 

Here's what I did:

*  Named our Weebly site.

*  Chose a basic layout, background picture and style from the free options.

*  Organised our online resources by subject, using drop-down menus and hyperlinks.  

*  Added a text box with ideas of fun things to do and other reminders, easily updated.

*  Made the final menu (on the dashboard) a list without links ... just text to remind us of other apps we use on the computer.  

 *  Made a card for the children with usernames and passwords for sites which require special access.

The initial setup took me a few hours, but it now saves us time and allows the children to use the computer more independently.  

Easy to access:

I made our Weebly page super-easy to find by creating a shortcut tab on my Safari browser bar ... simply clicking the word 'KIDS'  takes us straight to our Weebly page.  One happy customer said, "I love it!  You can easily get to links you'd otherwise have to research and you could accidentally get to a website where you buy something!"

Keeping the page up to date:

I created a bookmark folder labelled "Add to Weebly".  Any time I see something worth adding, I save a bookmark in that folder, then once a month or so (or as needed) I edit our Weebly site to add new links, write ideas and reminders.  I gave myself a shortcut tab to access the Weebly editing page so I'd have no reason to avoid this task (if you have sharp eyes you may see it in my grey bookmarks bar, 'Weebly V')!

Your turn:

If you'd like to create a Weebly website for your children, check out Suji's excellent how-to guide which inspired me to do this last year.  Let your own Weebly adventure begin.

Have fun and let me know how it goes!

Homeschooling Meme

Renelle from Dove's Rest has tagged me for this meme.
(pronounced /ˈmiːm/; meem, according to Wikipedia ... I didn't know, and since I read the word once a week or so, it was about time I found out!)


It's going around due to the start of the academic year in the Northern Hemisphere.  Third Term is kind of the start of the year for us too, in that I usually do my planning and program updates in June, and it tends to be when my children, coincidentally, move onto new levels in any schoolish resources they are using.  


I agree with Renelle and Jeanne that the idea of giving ONE answer to each question is simply ridiculous and quite impossible!  Here goes!


1. One homeschooling book you have enjoyed:   
I derive great comfort and encouragement from these two books, which I seem to reread every year:


The Well-Adjusted Child:  The Social Benefits of Homeschooling, by Rachel Gathercole
A thorough treatment of the socialisation question, and full of anecdotes from real parents and children.


The Little Book of Big Reasons to Homeschool, by David and Kim d'Escoto
Outlines the benefits to body, mind and soul, using many scriptures and other quotes to help answer common 'Why Homeschool' questions.


2. One resource you wouldn't be without:


ABC Reading Eggs, Targeting Maths CD Roms, ABC Schools TV
The local libraries, and many books from SO many sources!!
Home Ed communities, both local and online



3. One resource you wish you had never bought:


Hard to say because I forget easily ... ummm ... no regrets really.  If I think of one I'll come back to add it.


4. One resource you enjoyed last year:


The Australian Book Traveller, from Homeschooling Downunder
We LOVED "The Australia Book", which built on what the kids had learned in books we previously read.  Since then, we have since been taking the whole journey very slowly, enjoying rabbit trails which appeal to us.  The free "Wombat Stew" unit inspired a lovely few months of learning all about Australian animals, using picture books we owned and borrowed, and of course nature!


5. One resource you will be using next year: 

Lots of World geography and culture books.  Some titles Sonlight recommends, which I've bought second hand, many books from the library ... maybe tied together using Galloping the Globe.  
I've heard good and bad about it ... do you have anything to add for or against GtG??


We'll continue Real Science 4 Kids.  So far I've used the digital download version of Chemistry, and we're loving it.

6. One resource you would like to buy:


Oh, you know, not much.  Just a large block of land and a MASSIVE shed, to deck out with kid's gymnasium, music studio, art and science lab, library and general space to play, create and have fun!  


Know anyone offering a 95% discount for homeschoolers?

7. One resource you wish existed:


A time control device, so that we can fit in all the things we wish to do each day.  And the energy to put dreams into action.

Renelle:  I have a shocking confession ... I don't know about Dr Who's Tardis ... would it satisfy this wish?

8. One homeschool catalogue/magazine you enjoy reading:


The Sonlight catalogue ... don't laugh!  


It satisfies the teacher and resource-researcher in me.  Even though we don't follow any particular curriculum, haven't purchased anything from them directly, and what we do is VERY relaxed.   I just enjoy having so many resources listed and compared in one place.  It has helped with some decisions.

9. One homeschooling website you use regularly:


Aussie Homeschool

10. Tag six other homeschoolers:


I'm taking the easy option.  I can't keep up with who has and hasn't yet been tagged to join in ... so if you read this, and would like to join in, please leave a link to your blog in the comments and jump onboard!




P.S.  Please excuse the spaced out format of this post ... I think I need to revise some settings :)