When last did you receive a Christmas wish list from your kids that didn’t contain some kind of electronic gaming device, computer or console game or an iTunes voucher to download apps and games? Most parents have seen how their child’s face lights up when playing on a smart phone or tablet and, most likely, how hard it can be to tear their little ones away from them!
But it isn’t all fun and games. Research tells us that learning via tablet or smartphone devices has a hugely positive impact on children’s performance at school because it reinforces what’s being taught at school, while also developing new skills and ways of thinking.
If you’ve paid a visit to The ADD Lab, you might have noticed how many of our interventions actually come in the form of computer games. Both the Interactive Metronome and Neurofeedback, for example, are therapies in the form of computer games that not only achieve great results, but also make learning new skills entertaining for our clients. We also spend a lot of time researching the latest learning apps that facilitate and reinforce the development of a wide range of skills for both children and adults alike. We’ve done all the legwork and now it’s time to share our top finds.
Our Top 40 Learning Apps
Spelling:
- Endless Wordplay – assists in learning spelling patterns and phonograms.
- Mystery World Town – develops spelling skills as well as sight word recognition skills.
- Looney Tunes Phonics – phonic instructions.
- abc PocketPhonics – improves letter-sound identification, writing letters as well as blending sounds together to form words.
- Phonics Genius – encourages kids to notice and think about the individual sounds in spoken words as well as matching visual forms to spoken words.
Reading:
- Endless Reader – works with sight word recognition and concept formation.
- A to Z Playful Learning – introduces children to the letters of the alphabet as well as high frequency sight words.
- Sight words for Reading HD – helps students to learn sight words as well as word meanings to improve reading comprehension.
- Oxford Picture Dictionary, Second Edition – helps to improve vocabulary development.
Mathematics:
- Endless Number – assists with number recognition, sequences, quantity, numerical patterns and simple addition.
- More or less – designed to develop early numeracy skills such as counting, adding and subtraction.
- Star Gurus – builds on foundational numeracy skills.
- SlateMath – develops foundational numeracy skills such as digit writing, counting, addition, order relation, patterns, parity and problem solving.
- MathLab – builds foundational numeracy skills such as rote and skip counting, number identification, sequencing, addition, subtraction and even rudimentary algebraic thinking as well as telling time.
- Virtual Nerd Mobile Math – offers a comprehensive collection of video tutorials on a wide range of math topics and skills.
Packages:
- Funbrain Jr – works with letter recognition, letter sounds, early literacy skills, sequencing, number recognition and basic counting.
- Grandma’s Preschool – provides opportunities to practice letter sounds, numbers, shapes and colours.
- PBS Parents Play & Learn HD – connects math and literacy skills to everyday experiences.
Other skills:
- Peak – cognitive training for a wide variety of skills such as memory, problem solving, focus and mental agility.
- Luminosity – cognitive training for developing memory, attention, faster reaction times and problem solving.
- Pete and Mike – enriches creative thinking and problem solving skills.
- Auto Repair – builds on logical thinking skills, problem solving and fine motor skills.
- David Wiesner’s Spot – targets executive functioning, creative expression, language and literacy skills.
- Highlights: All About – encourages the development of visual closure, eye-hand coordination, matching, creative reading and early reading skills.
- Spot the dot – visual motor coordination skills.
- Follow Simon’s Music – visual and auditory working memory.
- O.V. – develops visual spatial reasoning skills.
- Fixum – improves short-term planning skills as well as improving adaptability to changing circumstances and expectations.
- Two Dots – facilitates the development of planning, self-control and focus.
Special needs:
- Touch. Learn – contains picture cards for a wide variety of topics/lessons to help teach new words and concepts to improve self-expression.
- Easy Spelling Aid – spells and writes out unfamiliar words for children. Also includes a selection of dyslexia-friendly text and background colour combinations.
- Voice Dream Reader – text-to-speech app with special accommodations for individuals with dyslexia, visual impairments and reading difficulties.
- Dragon Dictation – speech-to-text application to create notes, emails and stories for individuals with reading and writing difficulties.
- Daniel Tiger’s Grr-ific Feelings – helps children to recognise and cope with emotions.
- The Social Express – teaches individuals how to think about and handle different social situations.
- FTVS HD – helps children to learn and practice independence in self-direction and following through on scheduled activity sequences.
- 30/30 – designed to help users prioritize and track the amount of time they spend on individual tasks.
- LiveScribe – note-taking technology that records voice notes and syncs with an organisational tool (Evernote) to save digital copies of audio and textual notes with an organisational strategy for labelling and accessing these files.
- Time Timer– a productivity app that can help kids (or adults) focus on timed tasks, as well as manage transitions or waiting.
- Dyslexia Quest – builds working memory, phonological awareness, processing speed, visual memory, auditory memory and sequencing skills.
* The apps listed above can be downloaded from Itunes and/or Google Play Stores