Plants is an interactive diorama about plants in different biomes. Via open ended play, kids learn the eco systems and how plants grow and live in the real world. It is designed by Tinybop, whose first app Human Body was a great success. I love the guided exploratory approach of teaching. There is no lessons to go through and there is no talking in the app. Opening the app is like walking into this amazing world of nature, and it is… Read more

I always believe math is a tool for kids to learn how to think, besides doing number calculations. The skill of thinking includes asking the right questions and exploring possible solutions. That is why I like Singapore math. I especially like the model drawing process that helping kids learn how to think when they are asked a number question. I am extremely happy to find 4 free apps that using Singapore math model method to teach kids math. They are… Read more

Math addition fact is a very critical stage in kids math learning. The better the kids know about the facts, the quicker they can solve the problems. You really want this part of the math become an automatic process, i.e. you want the kids know the facts so well, that they memorize them and the answers can just come out without thinking. The benefit of this is more free brain space to think about more complicated solutions when they need to. As kids… Read more

Grandpa in Space is a fun learning app about space for kids from preschool to early elementary. It takes kids explore the space and visit the planets. There are learning games built in the space exploration process, so kids also get the chance to use their math and English language skills to solve the problems they face in their journeys in the space. When kids start the app, they are asked to choose a destination among the planets Mars, Jupiter… Read more

iLiveGrammar is a grammar app, and it is also a science app. It teaches kids grammar with science content, combining grammar and science in one app. There are 3 apps in the series currently: Botany, Autumn, Winter. Each app has 4 lessons, and all lessons are based on a science topic. When open the app, kids will see 4 lessons on the top: Nouns and Verbs; Adjectives and Adverbs; Article, Noun, Conjunctions, and Prepositions; and the last lesson is Review… Read more

We have introduced several free math apps as teaching tools before. Today we have another free math app to share: Number Pieces. It visualizes the Base 10 concept on the iPad. It is a great teaching and practice tool for home and school. We used Base10 at home a lot. I loved using it with my child to explain the number concepts. The app is similar to the real model. When you open the app, you will see a 100 board that… Read more

I like art activities using shapes. It combines art and math. While creating pictures with geometric shapes, kids practice shape and size recognition, cognitive skills, fine motor skills, and creativity. Today we share an app letting kids create pictures with shapes. The app Shape It is designed for kids from preschool to early elementary school. The activities have 3 stages to meet different ability levels. At the first stage, kids can choose pictures provided as template, which include farm animals… Read more

An important early math learning element is the number sense: to truly understand the meaning of numbers beyond those written on paper. Today we have a wonderful app Native Numbers to help kids gain the real sense of numbers. It is a well-designed curriculum for kids age 4 to 7. It is usually $10 on App Store, it is free today. There are 5 units in the app: Number concepts, Number Relations, Number Ordering, Counting, Demonstrate Mastery. Each Unit has… Read more

Do you get much rain this time of the year? Usually during the season change time, it is a good time to talk about water cycle, as you might see rains or fog, in the morning dew drops, and these are good examples of water cycle in the nature. I recently find a good app about water cycle. It is the winner of 2014 American Association of School Librarians Best Apps for Teaching & Learning in the STEM Category. I… Read more

Fly by Numbers is a math practice app for kids. With the flying theme, kids who like airplane may like this game. It covers addition, subtraction and multiplication from single digit within 5 to mixed operation up to 100, so kids from preschool to high school can use this app. When kids start the app, they can choose among 4 categories: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and mixed of three. The beginning level is very easy, a preschooler should be able to… Read more

I was very excited when I received the Sphero ball. I have seen it on the web and was very curious how it works. Moving a ball around using a mobile device looks so fun. After I did some research about the product, saw how it can help kids learn coding and computer programming, I was even more intrigued to get hands on and figure it all out. I knew most of you – iGameMom readers will be interested in… Read more

We have reviewed several apps teaching kids coding, like Hopscotch and Codecademy. Today we have another free app for kids to learn computer programming – Kodable. Kodable starts from the very simple concepts and is great for kids as young as preschool to gain the fundamental concepts of coding. When kids start the app, they will see a path built with little square tiles on the grass. On some of the tiles there are gold coins. Kids need give instructions with… Read more

Do you know a young Dinosaur fan? If so, you will want to check out a new collection of dinosaur eBooks app for kids from Smithsonian and Oceanhouse Media: Prehistoric Pals Collection. These eBooks are interactive non-fiction apps for kids ages 5 to 8 and all content are verified by the experts at the Smithsonian Institute. They are non-fiction books, but all have simple storylines to keep children’s interest. 10 titles are included in this book app collection: Ankylosaurus Fights Back Saber-Tooth Trap… Read more

Do you like STEM activities? STEM stands for Science Technology Engineering Math. I like STEM topics and activities. Even you don’t expect your child to be in a STEM related field when they grow up, it is still good to expose them in as many STEM subjects as possible, as it is not just about the knowledge, it is about the thinking ability and problem solving skills, which are important no matter what they do when they grow up. While… Read more