APP Review: MarcoPolo Weather (and a book to follow up)

I live in Silicon Valley so how can I not bring up tech and the weather? New websites, apps, and technology for kids pops up all around like mushrooms after the rain (Speaking of rain.. can we get some more here for winter?).

I'm first to admit that I give my kids monitored and limited tech time. But how's a parent to choose the right one?  Well, lots are great, but a review and recommendation are always nice. I came across MarcoPolo Weather by MarcoPolo Learning Inc  (for Iphone and Ipad) which is a great app to get preschoolers making big small-talk about the weather.

The app lets kids explore the amazing world of weather. They can create a rainy day, snowstorms, sunny days and more.

Parents can target lots of concepts and vocabulary such as colors, clothing types, things you see in difference types of weather (think snowman for winter or a picnic basket in the summer), comparative adjectives (colder, hotter).

Pair this app with a book about weather before bedtime. Freddy the Frogcaster (available on Amazon in print or on Kindle) is fun and educational.  It lets parents continue the conversation while Freddy saves the day when the town picnic is almost ruined by a storm.

I love how descriptive author and meteorologist Janice Dean gets... Clouds are puffy and white, the day is sunny with a light breeze. My kids asked me how Freddy saw his own breath on a cold day, so we had to go outside, early the next morning to experiment.

What I also love about this book are the calls to action. Freddy speaks directly to the kids, "Quick! Look. Right over there outside your window. What do you see?"He uses big words (Cumulus cloud, meteorologist) and defines them using a picture as well.

After playing with the app and reading the books my kids became professional small-talkers. I caught my daughter telling her preschool friend, "It's a nice day today. Sunny and no clouds."

Have a sunny day.
Michelle Lachman
Schedule your free consultation today: 1.408.365.4423 / mlachman.speech@gmail.com

The Vocabulary Monster is Coming

A great app that kindergarten and first grade students will enjoy (and parents will too) is Endless Alphabet from Callaway Digital Arts. This phonics-meets-vocabulary app is put together just right.  Each letter sings out its own letter sound with flair as children drag it into place to form the word, and when the word is completed, a highly entertaining short animation plays to demonstrate the meaning of the word.  You can’t go wrong with this one.

It's available for iPad and iPhone here

From the Developer:
Set the stage for reading success with this delightfully interactive educational app. Kids will have a blast learning their ABC’s and building vocabulary with the adorable monsters in Endless Alphabet. Each word features an interactive puzzle game with talking letters and a short animation illustrating the definition. Before you know it, your child will be using words like gargantuan and cooperate!

Features:

- Over 50 words to learn and play with
- Delightful animations teach children the definitions of the words in a fun and engaging way
- Word game teaches children letters
- Endless Alphabet was designed with your children in mind – there are no high scores, failures, limits or stress. Your children can interact with the app at their own pace.