Most kids have no interest in poetry. Younger ones enjoyed nursery rhymes, as they were usually sung in a fun and entertaining way; but, as kids grew out of those childhood poems, poetry in general became boring.
Poetry has much to offer, and the ones written by Jack Prelutsky, are especially poignant for kids, as they deal with topics that catch kids’ interest, and sometimes be entertaining.
Now, add the creative technological genius of Wanderful, and you have a magical mix of lessons learned with fun activities.
The New Kid on the Block app features all of the beloved poems originally written by Pretlusky in the book of the same title. They now come to life in an app that colors, animates, and enlivens the poem and characters that surround it.
Characters talk, sing, and dance, getting children involved and maybe even getting them to jump and dance, as well. Not only will kids get into the frolic, adults may just get roped in as well. That is how entertaining this app is.
After downloading the app, a cartoon character of Pretlusky appears and warmly welcomes you to come play. Kids have a choice of having the poems read to them, or reading them on their own.
Words light up as they are spoken, and when kids tap on a word or phrase. Either way, this action promotes faster absorption of word recognition, helping kids learn to read quickly and easily. No more tears!
When kids choose the Let Me Play option, in which they read the poems, they are also given the opportunity explore and play, allowing them to learn more about the poem and what it’s trying to say.
Hidden content abounds, inviting kids to delve into every page and become immersed in every word and line, while they watch every bit of animation and listen to the lively music and song.
For teachers interested in including this app into their curriculum and learning more about how to extend the learning beyond the app, there is a $2.99 in app purchase they can make than provides them with a 45 page Classroom Activities guide. Parents can use this as well, whether or not they home school. Kids love to explore what they’ve been exposed to, and nothing helps more that activities that have been designed especially with kids in mind.
The thirteen activities provided in the guide align closely to the Common Core, so teacher know that they are keeping with their standards. In and of itself, this app serves to help kids read poetry, dissect it, and understand it. So many of us cringe when we hear the word, because we don’t know how to process it. This app helps with that.
The only thing I would change about the app is may adding new poems as time goes by. I can see a child getting his full fill of the app and then not wanting to go back to it. A few additions made periodically may dispel this.
Outside of that, the New Kid on the Block is an absolute must-buy. I think it has done an amazing job of taking a book of poems and turning into something a child would love to interact with.