Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The Mother of All App Recommendation Lists

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For a really long time, people have been asking me for a list of my educational app recommendations. At long last, here it is. I'd love to write a blurb about each one, but that would take so long that it probably wouldn't happen. Maybe I will come back and do that bit by bit, but please feel free to ask questions in the meantime about specific ones. I'm happy to help.

In the end, it only took me a few hours.

Oh, and I asked my kids (other than the baby) their top five favorite "app folder apps" (those are the ones they do during school time). Their initials are by what they chose (yes, I fudged and let JW pick 6).

Initial Key:
MS: age 14, finishing 8th Grade
JW: almost 12, finishing 6th Grade
MA: age 10, finishing 4th Grade
Z: age 7, finishing 1st Grade
JA: almost 4, going into Pre-K

(I) requires internet (WiFi)
Pre-K
*JA* Farm Flip

iTooch  (either as in-app purchases or individual subjects)

Middle School/High School
*JW* DK Quiz
iTooch (either as in-app purchases or individual subjects)
Middle School Algebra (also available for 7th grade math)
Middle School Science (also available for 7th grade)
Wider Image (parental guid.) (I)

Thinking Skills
Where's My Water (and its variations)
*MS* TinkerBox

Math
Ventura Educational Systems (link is to one app; click the developer to see more)
Splash Math (link is to 1st Grade, but there are 2nd & 3rd also)

Language Arts/Reading
Reading Comprehension (link to K-1, but there are several other levels)
Grammar Wonderland (link is to the lower of two levels)
Kids Reading Comprehension (link is to 1st Grade; there is also 2nd)
*JA* Starfall
 
Science
Star Walk (I)

Music/Art/Photography
*MA* Art Set
Instagram (I)

Bible
Jesus Loves Me (memorization)
VersebyHeart (memorization)

Speech/Language Delay/Fine Motor

Board Games
(no pieces to lose, and a fun option for car travel and date nights out)
Ticket to Ride (there is also a "Europe" version)

Books
Kindle app
Sandra Boynton (link is to one book; there are several)
iBooks (especially read-along)

History/Social Studies/Geography
*MS* Pocket Law Firm (const. amend.)
*Z* Google Earth (I)
World Book (this day in history)
*JW* Hitler's Germany (Hist. Challenge)

Management/For Mom
Toodledo (reading lists; assignment lists; etc.)
Mobicip (safe browser) (I)
Checkbook (for allowance)
Dropbox (I) (to transfer files like PDF's from the computer to the iPads) 
Pocket Prayer (prayer req. schedule)
Pinger (texting w/ the US) (I)
Cheerful Charts (sticker chart)
Pages (word processing)