Guide to Educational Apps for the Classroom

This post highlights the top three apps for your classroom iPads. The games I have chosen are high quality and appropriate for a variety of ages, and will nicely supplement the material you are already learning in class.

Endless ABC:
The first app, Endless ABC, is a highly popular app that teaches vocabulary and letter sounds. The user spells words by dragging the letter to the appropriate spot (like a puzzle). As the user drags the letter, the letter speaks the letter sound in a goofy voice. The letter "L" says, "la-la-la-la," and the vowels change their sound based on how they are used in the word, so the letter "E" could say, "eee," or "eh-eh-eh." Once the user spells the letter, a short animation, featuring cute monsters, is played that teaches the definition of the word. The word, "courageous," for example, shows a monster jumping out of a plane with a parachute. The kids I have worked with have all LOVED this game and crack up at the funny letter sounds. We have even been using it to help my niece make correct letter sounds, as she has been making a T sound instead of a K or hard C sound. It is helping her learn the difference between the letters. Highly recommended.

Inspire Pro:
Inspire Pro is an art app where the user can draw using a finger or a stylus. There is a wide variety of colors and tools to choose from, and the user that create simple scribbles or detailed drawings. This can even be used as a fun way to practice writing letters and words. It is easy to work once you know where are the tools are located, and kids like being able to draw whatever they like even when a pad of paper is not available. If all your students have a school iPad, then this is an app they can use quietly if they finish their work early.

Pocket Pons
The Pocket Pons app, which features an interactive Koi pond with fish, lily pads, and dragonflies, doesn't appear outwardly educational, but I have found this app is extremely useful for many kids I work with. When children are upset, the Koi pond provides a calming environment right at their finger tips. The children can splash the water, feed the fish, and organize lily pads until they calm down. For children who have frequent meltdowns, this app can be an invaluable tool to keep them in the classroom.