Why, when, and how should we use apps in the library, particularly with young children? Find some answers to these questions. Discover apps that aid early literacy, math, and science learning as well as some notable eBook apps. Get ideas on how to use iPads in library programming.

1. Early Learning Apps
in the Library
Hayley McEwing
Blog: www.librarieslearnlead.blogspot.com
App Notebook: http://sprng.me/h5prp
This presentation:
WHY?
WHEN?
HOW?

2. My Childhood
Media/Tech Experiences

3. Digital Literacy
Fun
Access

4. Educate or Entertain?
Work or Play?

5. Emotions & Learning
Attention
“Remember: Children
do not pay attention
when they are bored or
frustrated, and they do
not learn when they
are not paying
attention (11).”

6. Emotions & Learning
Finding Meaning
“ . . . attuning to our
feelings, according to
neurological research,
helps us find the
meaning in data …,
Emotions science now
tells us, are part of
rationality, not
opposed to it (42).”

7. Emotions & Learning
(Print) Motivation and Play
• ECRR = Print Motivation as a building block
for reading
• ECRR 2 = Play as a practice for all learning

8. Should we promote screen media?

9. Media is Information
“Now we can watch a
newspaper, listen to a
magazine, and see a
phone call.”
Chip Donahue, Director of
Technology in Early Childhood
(TEC) Center
http://www.erikson.edu/about/directory
How We Consume and Interact with Information Has Changed

10. Media is Info Creation
“The NAMLE vision is to help
individuals of all ages develop
the habits of inquiry and skills of
expression that they need to be
critical thinkers, effective
communicators, and active
citizens in today’s world.”
National Association for Media
Literacy Education
http://namle.net/
How We Express Ourselves and Participate in Conversations Has Changed

11. Media Is an Opportunity
“Every new technology
is an opportunity for
learning.” http://pbskids.org/lab
Working with the Positive Parts of These Changes

12. Promote screen media?
Support and encourage
quality apps & best practices!

13. References
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): http://www.aap.org
• Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards;
Guidelines for Early Care and Education Settings. (2011) :
http://nrckids.org/CFOC3/PDFVersion/list.html (Standard 2.2.0.3: Limiting Screen
Time – Media, Computer Time)
• Dr. Patricia Kuhl
• http://librarieslearnlead.blogspot.com/2010/07/minds-brains-and-early-learning-how.h
• http://www.ted.com/talks/patricia_kuhl_the_linguistic_genius_of_babies.html
• Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media:
http://www.fredrogerscenter.org/
• Lisa Guernsey, author of Screen Time: http://www.lisaguernsey.com/
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC):
http://www.naeyc.org/content/technology-and-young-children/infants-and-toddlers
• NAEYC + Fred Rogers Center Joint Statement
• http://www.naeyc.org/content/technology-and-young-children
• http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/KeyMessages_Technology.pdf
• “Young Children and Media” ALSC webinar (2013) with Chip Donahue, Director of
Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) Center
http://teccenter.erikson.edu/files/NAEYC_Position_Statement_slides_11_12.pdf

14. Best Practices for
Children and Media
• Limits, especially for ages 0 – 3
– Less than two hours a day and need for activity
(AAP). Adding to the day’s screen time
http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2013/06/the-screen-
free-story-time-is-the-best-story-time/
• Joint media engagement = relationship/social-
based education (e.g. physical closeness and
conversation)
• Intentional use  3 C’s = content (quality apps),
context (how), and individual child by Guernsey

15. Quality Apps
• Audio/Music
– option to turn on/off
• Ease of Use
– Pop-ups for ads or ad-ons (the push to purchase
more content). Can sometimes be eliminated if
you buy the “full version” of the app.
• Graphics/Visuals
• Interactivity
– Comparable or better than the real thing

16. Why Use Apps/iPads in the Library
• To provide access to new technology and the
information/learning that comes with it
• To demonstrate best practices on using the
technology, particularly joint engagement
• To extend and support all learning, digital
literacy included
– 4s and 5s: Green Eggs and Ham/Fox in Socks app
• To motivate/make positive emotional
connections… to learning, to others, to oneself
– Outreach Tweens: Singing Fingers app

17. When to Use Apps/iPads in the Library
• Can’t have the real thing (e.g. cost, storage,
durability, practicality, safety)
– Gotta Move: Red Light, Green Light app as virtual toy
• Working with large groups  projector
– Family: Glow Draw app for draw-and-tell story
• Hands are needed to interact vs hold book
– Gotta Move: Rah, Rah Radishes pics & rhythm sticks
• Extra visuals (e.g. lyrics for print awareness or
photographs of real object)
– Gotta Move: Felt Board app + real stickers

18. How to Use Apps/iPads in the Library
• Incorporated with other activities
– Gotta Move: Wee Willie Winkie rhyme with toy
clock and sunset backdrop
– 4s and 5s: My First Wood Puzzles: Dinosaurs as
one of the toy choices during after program play
 Sound Touch Lite app for sibling
• With a partner
– Family: Jelly Doodle app (science/print awareness)
– iPad Play program

19. iPad Play
Access, Joint (Parent) Engagement,
Tweens, Motivation to Learn
Hey, kids! Want to use an iPad? Hey, adults! Want to
motivate your child to learn? Call ________ and ask
for a librarian at the location you would like to visit.
We'll ask for the subject area you'd like to explore with
your child and schedule you for a twenty minute
session with the Library's iPad.
Registration and adult ID (valid license, state ID or
library card) is required. For kids from age four to
those in sixth grade. Child must be accompanied by
an adult.
Appointments are available from ___________

20. Early Learning Apps:
Literacy
• Alphabet
Alphabet Tracing by Oncilla Technologies Inc
-- Abcs and Animals Lite by Mezmedia
• Nursery Rhymes/Songs/Sounds
– Hickory Dickory Dock by Mindshapes Limited ($)
– Cat Dorman’s Little Red Wagon by Night & Day
Studios, Inc
-- Sound Touch Lite by SoundTouch
-- Rhyming Words by GrasshopperApps.com

21. Early Learning Apps:
Literacy
• Tell Stories/Narrative Skills
– Felt Board by Software Smoothie ($)
– Glow Draw by Indigo Penguin Limited – tell/draw
– Guess ’em by GameWeaver
– Red Light, Green Light by the Future of Pinball, LLC
– Singing Fingers by Beginner’s Mind (iPhone apps)
Songify by Khush Inc.
Story Wheel by EverAge – create a story by
yourself or with others and share with others

22. Early Learning Apps:
Literacy
• Vocabulary
– Touch and Learn Emotions by Innovative Mobile Apps
Endless Alphabet by Callaway Digital Arts
• Reading Help
Eggy 100 by Blake eLearning – sight word game
– Futaba by INKids – can program with own word lists
– I Can Write 2 by Innovative Net Learning Limited
Phonics Fun 1 by Innovative Net Learning Limited
Science Reading Comprehension by Abitalk Incorporated

23. Early Learning Apps:
Science
– Jelly Doodle by Shoe the Goose ($)
– Galaxies by Kids Discover
Live Butterfly Garden by Questsphere – when you can’t
have the real thing
Play123 by CJ Educations – mixing colors virtually
– Osmos by Hemisphere Games ($)
Soundrop by Develoe LLC – experiment with sound
Star Walk by Vito Technology Inc – virtual telescope ($)

24. Early Learning Apps:
Math & Puzzles• Numbers and Money
– Kids Connect the Dots lite by Intellijoy – number sequence
– Counting and Skip Counting by Ikidspad LLC
Motion Math Hungry Fish by Motion Math ($)
– Amazing Coin by Joy Preschool Game vs toy money to lose or
choke on
– Counting Money by King’s Apps
• Puzzles
– Flow Free by Big Duck Games LLC
– Rail Maze by Spooky House Studios UG
– My First Wood Puzzles: Dinosaurs by Alexandre Minard

25. eBook AppsCan be an interactive, new experience with literature; its own genre!
Cinderella by Nosy Crow ($)
– Even Monsters Get Sick by Busy Bee Studios ($)
– Goodnight Safari by Polk Street Press LLC
Numberlys by Moonbot Studios ($)
– Millie Was Here by Megapops LLC
– Spot the Dot by Ruckus Media Group ($)
• Nonfiction
– A Jazzy Day by The Melody Book ($)
Bobo Explores Light by Game Collage, LLC ($)
– Four Seasons by TabTale LLC
Weird but True by National Geographic Society

26. eBook Apps
• To motivate early readers, stressing awareness of print with
interactivity and visual print prompts
Bob Books by Learning Touch – paper copies wear easily
– http://www.oceanhousemedia.com/ apps – touch for
print
• When the physical book is out of print or hard to access
– Dear Zoo by Pan Macmillan
Flash the Dash by Auryn Inc
– Meanwhile by Zarfhome Software Consulting ($)
– Professor Garfield Cyber Bullying by Paws Incorporated
• See list of eBook stores – ones here can be more like a scan
of the physical book

27. App Notebook:
http://sprng.me/h5prp
Click on “Filter” on left hand side.
Scroll down to view “Tags.”
Click on desired tag to bring up a list.
OR
Click on “Filter” on left hand side.
Click on “Bookmark” on left hand side.
“Sort: Name” on top to get links to iTunes.

28. Early Learning Apps
in the Library
Hayley McEwing
Blog: www.librarieslearnlead.blogspot.com
App Notebook: http://sprng.me/h5prp
This presentation:
WHY?
WHEN?
HOW?