If you've got a child aged 2-5 at home or in your class, and you are looking for an independent learning app for basic skills and concepts, then we have a top pick for you. Preschool Funtime! is a new release from developer Aboveground Systems LLC. It's an app developed specifically for preschoolers to use in an unattended setting and meant to be educational and entertaining. Parents can feel confident that this app will be both.
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Preschool Funtime! is a simple quiz game asking children to touch and do a variety of tasks relating to basic concept skills. With cute graphics and each question read aloud to the student, the app is easy for kids to use. Questions cover skills such as: counting, letters, numbers, shapes, colors, animal sorting, size, and matching. The questions are read aloud, and as the answers are tapped, they are reinforced orally. For instance, in the matching game, each object is stated as it is tapped. If a child misses the question, it simply says try again. When a correct answer is given, a happy sound and verbal praise accompany a positive message. One thing I noticed was that the music was a bit distracting for my son. However, the controls on the opening screen allow me to shut the music off so that he focuses on listening to the question instead. As your child becomes a reader, parents can also shut off the narrator, so that children must read the question to themselves.
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This app is top pick for preschool educational apps for several reasons. To begin with, the app offers a wide range of skills for young children to practice. I love that it goes beyond the basic shape and color identification games into more in-depth thinking skills. Having to identify the biggest or smallest object, matching shapes, and putting numbers in numerical order are higher order thinking skills. These types of activities are getting young children ready for school and teaching them to begin thinking beyond simply identifying objects. And these activities are all offered using high quality graphics that kids find engaging.
Also, the app offers a Parents section that I liked a lot. Parents are able to check this screen to see a breakdown of each activity. Each skill is labelled (example: Starts with the Letter, Drag and Drop) and then there are several time stats about the activity. The record shows the shortest time it took to solve the puzzle, the average time and the maximum time. Keeping track of this will allow parents to see what skills need additional practice.
I also love that this is an app I can hand to my child while I'm making dinner and I'll be comfortable knowing that he is doing something educational without me.
Overall, Preschool Funtime! is a top pick for children aged 2-5. Its engaging game play, edu-taining skills lessons, and focus not just on basic identification, but on the actual use of a skill make this an app I'll use again and again. It is a perfect way for young children to begin practicing essential skills independently.
Preschool Funtime! is available for download via the iTunes App Store: Universal iOS App – iPad/iPhone/iPod
About Aboveground Systems, LLC:
Aboveground Systems, LLC was founded in 2009 with the purpose of delivering high quality apps and games for the iOS platform. It's founder, Daniel Wyszynski has worked at high-profile companies such as Viacom, Sony, and Punch! media bringing years of experience into the market. Recently, Daniel built the platform for the Punch! Culture Shelf, which was highlighted in various tech journals and sites such as Techcrunch, GigaOm, Forbes, and the Huffington Post. Now, Daniel and Aboveground are concentrating on bringing its experience to the educational market, starting with the flagship app, Preschool Funtime! with another 3 apps in development.
This app was reviewed by Sarah Emerling, a mom, a special education teacher, and a technology coach. She is a self proclaimed nerd with a passion for incorporating technology into education and you read her findings at The iLesson Lady .
Have fun with app!
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Disclosure: This review was move up the waiting list priority-services. All opinions expressed are purely that of the author.
You should check out http://www.p2games.co.uk - they have so many great apps for kids!
Posted by: A Facebook User | 09/01/2012 at 02:38 PM