Duck Duck Moose, Alona Frankel and more are featured this week in the the 29th app report, which compiles the latest news and product announcements from the members of the Moms With Apps network.
Parents, please take a moment to read the full app descriptions, and to screen the apps you download, to fully understand the features and elements in the app. If you find an app you like, please write a review.
Trucks HD by Duck Duck Moose: Trucks includes 5 different activities: Soap and rinse a car in a carwash, drive a garbage truck, tow a car with a tow truck and fix a flat tire, dump dirt with a dump truck, and play with a car and truck parade. You’ll see an ice cream truck, fire truck, cement truck, police car, mail truck, ambulance, and much more! (Watch Video) iPhone – $1.99, iPad – $1.99
My First Colouring Book by Glitch Games: My First Colouring Book is a nicely presented colouring book that allows you and your child to colour in over 20 animals and view all your creations in the included gallery as well as post them to Facebook or save them to your devices camera album. iPhone and iPad – $0.99
Books
Once Upon a Bird by Alona Frankel: from the beloved creator of the “Once Upon a Potty” classics, comes this new Joshua story of life and death ~ Joshua and his mother meet wonderful birds on their way, mostly alive, chirping, hopping and flying. But see what happens when Joshua discovers a dead bird ~ in a gentle tale with beautiful illustrations, Alona Frankel is empowered and inspired by the cycles of life, mixing sadness and happiness, memory and desire ~ a beautiful, timeless book for all ages, brought to you by child matters media. iBooks on iPad – $0.99
Eggscapade – Free Storybook & Game for Kids by Mamanijo: Eggscapade is a story with an integrated game. Mr. Bunny’s Easter egg factory has been sabotaged and the reader is asked to save Easter by repainting the eggs. The interactive story about the Easter Bunny is charming but the integrated gameplay makes this Easter adventure unique. (Watch Video) iPad – Free
Brush of Truth by Story Bayou, Inc.: In Brush of Truth, you and your sister find a crudely-crafted paintbrush on a beach and discover it has magical powers. You choose how the action unfolds in this interactive book app for kids 8-12. Brush of Truth, told in “your” voice, has 65 decision points and 20 possible endings. (Watch Video) iPhone – $1.99, iPad – $1.99, Google Play – $1.49, Amazon – $1.99, Windows Phone – $1.99
Pup Stars by Touchoo: Bob made his way to the auditions of Pup Stars with only one thing in mind: “It only takes one day to change the rest of your life!” He wanted to be a pup star so badly… but could he possibly stand out from the crowd? Find out more about Bob the Pup Star and his friends in this wonderful, beautifully illustrated Storybook App created by Jill Newton, bestselling illustrator of “Please don’t chat to the bus driver” and “Where are my Chicks?” (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad – $2.99
My dream job by digibo: My dream job is an interactive and imaginative children’s book designed for ages 3-9 years. Pick a picture from your library or take a picture of your child’s face with iPad camera and center it on the first page. The facial image will accompany each image as you scroll through the pages and discover new professions such as snowboarding pro, superhero and astronaut. iPad – $0.99
My Mom’s the Best by Snappyant: My Mom’s the Best app is a simple, humorous depiction of baby animals celebrating what they love about their mums. Bruce Whatley’s illustrations are brought to life through interactive animations that children will love, while Rosie Smith’s story is enhanced with music, sounds of the wild and an amusing narration by Shawn Makris. iPad – $2.99 (on sale during May)
Games
Catch the Monkey by Mirthwerx: Curious little monkeys have overrun the farm. The elderly farmer needs YOU to distract the monkeys so he can safely catch and release them back into the jungle. Help the farmer, save the crop, save the farm! iPhone – $0.99 (half price), Lite Version – Free
Literacy
Learn To Read by Corvid Apps: An interactive ebook for children who are learning to sound out words. This kids app prompts the reader to touch the correct word on a screen of similar sounding words. The large type allows young readers to move their fingers along the words while they sound it out, while the alliterative and rhyming verse promote phonemic awareness. This app is optimized for tablet devices. Google Play – $1.57, Lite Version (Google Play) – Free
Special Needs
Next Dollar Up by Limited Cue, LLC: Next Dollar Up is a widely utilized special education teaching strategy for those with special needs to develop independence in money management using a whole dollar amount concept. It involves looking at an item price and rounding up to the next dollar to make the purchase. iPad – $1.99
QuickChoice by Happy Camper Apps: QuickChoice is an ideal app for allowing someone with a language delay or limited verbal communication skills to express themselves via a choice board. With QuickChoice you can easily create a set of visual choices for your special person by scrolling through your existing photo library. iPhone – $0.99 (sale price)
News and Reviews
Montessori Letter Sounds HD by Les Trois Elles Interactive: chosen as a staff favorite in education by Apple. (Watch Video) iPad – $2.99
Elfishki and The Unwelcome Guest by kidsiphoneapps.net: A magical fairy tale from the makers of an acclaimed interactive animated book “Elfishki and The Giant Cake”. Now available in Three (3) languages – English, Spanish and Russian! iPad – $2.99
Baby Learns Colors by Bebebe Co.: This colorful and highly interactive game will help teach your little ones the names of 12 basic colors. Polish, Czech, Spanish, Dutch, French, Swedish and others are now available. iPad – $2.99
My 1st Songs Collection by Pixel Interactive: Adds a brand new animated song called “Smile” iPhone – $0.99, iPad – $1.99
Playground HD – a huge games collection for kids by Jan Essig: Includes fixes for the “Catch” game and adds new animals, puzzles, images and more. iPad – $4.99, iPad Lite – Free
3 Replies to “The Jellybean Tunes App Report: Volume 29”
Do you know of any app that will lock a folder. For instance, we have a non-verbal child that uses Proloquo2go. We have apps loaded on his I-pad as well but would like to be able to lock them with a password so that he can use them when the time is appropriate yet still have his proloquo available to him at all times. Have you come across anything like this?
Hi Denise, this has come up before, especially with the special needs community. I’ll ask the developers, but last I recall that would be something Apple would need to roll out. –Lorraine
@Denise, suggestions from the developers included 1) putting all apps you wanted to lock in a folder on the last page, or going to your settings > restrictions on the device and blocking apps with ratings over 4+ to make them inaccessible. But as far as we know, developers can’t make an app that does that unless the device is jailbroken. That’s the word on the street. –Lorraine
Do you know of any app that will lock a folder. For instance, we have a non-verbal child that uses Proloquo2go. We have apps loaded on his I-pad as well but would like to be able to lock them with a password so that he can use them when the time is appropriate yet still have his proloquo available to him at all times. Have you come across anything like this?
Hi Denise, this has come up before, especially with the special needs community. I’ll ask the developers, but last I recall that would be something Apple would need to roll out. –Lorraine
@Denise, suggestions from the developers included 1) putting all apps you wanted to lock in a folder on the last page, or going to your settings > restrictions on the device and blocking apps with ratings over 4+ to make them inaccessible. But as far as we know, developers can’t make an app that does that unless the device is jailbroken. That’s the word on the street. –Lorraine