Learn Verbs the Fun Way!

Name: Noodle Words

Fee or Free: 1.99 at time of review

Rated: 4/5 stars

Noodle Words presents early learners with 18 verbs in action. Two adorable bugs introduce one word at a time bysaying it out loud, then the word performs the action the word names. The graphics are top rate, well executed, and brightly colored. Highly motivational, the bugs and the actions are certain to elicit children's giggles. The more each word is tapped the more action the user generates. Tapping the word dance makes all the letters dance to a snappy instrumental. Consistently tapping the word grow makes a vine grow all over the page.

What would make this 5 stars? More words. I know these apps are expensive to make but I would rather have more words at a higher price. As an educator I also want to know why these specific words were chosen. For beginning readers the words have nothing in common other than they are verbs. High frequency words that beginning readers are likely to see a lot in their reading such as eat and run, are accompanied by sparkle and stretch - words that young readers are not likely to see until second grade.

Putting that aside the app was rated among the Best Apps for Children - End of the Year Edition by the New York Times as well winning a KAPi (Kids at Interactive Play) award from Children's Technology review.

Where's Mommy?

Review by Synera Johnson

Name of App: "Where’s Mommy?" 

Grade Level: Pre-school- K

Cost: Free

Description: This app opens up with the laughter of a young child while navigating to the main screen.  The main screen displays “choose photo” and “new game” options. The “choose photo” option tab located at the bottom of the screen navigates to a screen with preselected photos and an additional tab at the lower right corner of the screen to add photos. When selecting the preselected photos, an option box appears to remove or keep the photo, record and save your voice giving a description of the photo, or play the existing description. Whatever combination of photos  used, whether uploaded from camera roll or preselected, they will be used to play the game.

The start new game feature offers a screen of twenty images with the narration of the preselected images or the personal recording to preselected or uploaded images. A voice says "find the..." and  the player to selects one of the images displayed. A correct selection of the image will grant a giant black check mark in a lime green circle.  If the wrong image is selected a giant black “X” is shown in a bright red circle and remains until the correct image is selected. Once all the images have been selected correctly a rainbow screen is show with “You Win” as a child laughs in the background.  Then another game starts up with the same images rearranged.

This app is a great learning tool for young toddler and preschool. Considering one can upload any photo and voice to the game, the game can grow with the child. However, I am not sure why it is called "Where's Mommy?" Nevertheless, this game  truly is a photo game that one can create!