Teachers are constantly on the lookout for new and unique ways to present classroom materials in a way that is inventive, engaging, and effective. Pair that challenge with the technology explosion that doesn’t seem to cease, and you have a recipe for success like no other.
Educational apps have flooded the online market, available in all sorts of formats and accessible via a myriad of media. If you have a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop or a PC, you will find an app that does exactly what you need.
For teachers looking to easily introduce and foster strong reading skills, while teaching real world problem solving, look no further than the amazing set of Wanderful Interactive Story Books. Specifically, if you are a fan of the Little Monster book series, you will love Wanderful’s playful adaption of “Little Monster at School” by Mercer Mayer.
Wanderful has taken this timeless story and turned it into an interactive reading experience, leveraging cutting edge digital technology and creative genius.
When you first download the app, Little Monster will greet you and explain how to use the app. Your choices are: “Read to Me” or “Let Me Play.”
In “Read to Me” youngsters let Little Monster tell his story, while his mom, dad and sister chime in when it’s their turn. Each page features animation brought to life with vivid color and sharp graphics. It’s as if you are watching the cartoon version of the story book.
In Little Monster At School, it’s Little Monster’s first day at school. He goes to school excited, but quickly comes across the typical issues that kids face, like being left out or feeling out of place. It teaches about friendship, being a friend and encouragement. It also helps teach kids that everyone has a strength, and it is so important to focus on each person’s strengths and how they help everyone.
In “Let Me Play,” kids can tap on just about anything on each page to see something happen: curtains open, doors close, words are spoken, so kids that learn how to sound them out and learn to read. Kids can read the storyline text on their own, or tap on each word to hear Little Monster speak it. Either way, kids will easily learn to read.
When you are ready to move on, you can tap on the right arrow to move to the next page, or the left arrow to go to the previous page. Arrows are located at the bottom corners of the screen.
All 18 pages of this interactive app is chock full of fun. The app also offers story within the main story, encouraging kids to delve deep into the storyline and look past what they see before them.
From the Home screen, teachers and parents alike can peruse the various other storybooks Wanderful has masterfully morphed into apps. There are also options to: select a different language, review and use teacher resources, settings, and parental tips.
There is not much that can be said that the app needs to improve upon. It was a pleasure to use, providing hours of fun for my kids. I suppose if I had to suggest an improvement, maybe making the screen a bit wider and making the corner icons a bit larger would be helpful to parents, who may need to take out the magnifying glass to find them.
Other that than, I absolutely loved Little Monster At School. It brought a wonderful book to life in a way that I could not think was possible and made sharing this classic a labor of love.
