So following on from our previous post, we’ve been playing with the Jump Up and Join In (JUJI) app for kids that we previewed at Egmont’s offices.

It is based on the Lion’s Speedy Sauce book which we’ll be reviewing soon. The app is very straightforward and uncomplicated. While H isn’t reading properly yet she can work out words and knew which sections she wanted to go to – the colours are bright and colourful and really appealing – and they have good fonts!

That place would be her favourite section – the song – and has so far made about ten different videos of herself dancing with Carrie and David while singing the Speedy Sauce song (which we then did a recording of ourselves and she knew all the words to) – she’s picked it up quickly! You can choose various costume combinations to wear as well as adding a picture of yourself and changing the background.

The app has several areas where you can enter the game – if you read the story you occasionally get the JUJI logo which takes you to other interactive parts of the game (and while you’re in each section the characters all have little things they do if you touch them too which H really likes) – so far she’s fascinated with making videos and singing (future pop star in the making maybe?).

What I like about the app is the various ways you can play – and it’s making learning fun. She likes reading the story ‘Lion’s Speedy Sauce’ plus there’s a section where you can play along with bongos, repeating patterns or with keys repeating the tunes – Lion’s Speedy Sauce is all about rhythm which I think she’ll benefit from.

That and both songs so far are incredibly catchy – you’ll end up singing them yourself, let alone your child.

If this app proves to be successful, hopefully other books in the series will be added, which is great. We’re finding it lots of fun, although dragging H away from making videos of herself is proving difficult!

Jump Up and Join In – the App is available now from the App Store

We received a code to review this, all opinions are our own. The iTunes link is an affiliate link.

Write To Read is a new app which encourages children to learn to read. We’re finding it really interesting too, surprisingly so!

This is going to be a two-part review – Write To Read is a new app from WriteReader which encourages children to learn to read. Now, H is  almost four and already knows a few words – so I was curious to find out more.

What you get is a really straightforward app and one which I can see how it works – H is doing this at a very basic level (one word descriptions – ‘mummy’ rather than ‘this is my mummy’ sort of things). She starts school in September so I fully expect her to get a lot more from this towards the end of the year, which is when I’ll post a follow-up.

Essentially, you’re creating an online photo book and your child will explain what each picture is – in their own writing and spelling. You (as the adult) then type in the correct sentence underneath so the child knows what the correct words are and this in turn helps them learn to spell – you’re working together making your own story. We’re actually doing something quite similar – a couple of months ago I started a photo blog for H which has one new photo a week which she describes and I type up –  and this app takes the learning a step further. She will often try to spell words, so the formation of them is there – and I feel like this complements what we do really well.

Also – Write To Read has no Comic Sans!

It’s really clearly explained and straightforward to work, and I’m looking forward to using it as her spelling progresses.

Once your child doesn’t need help from a parent they can create their own books without the repeated spelling, so this does have a long life ahead of it – you’re spending a fair amount for something which could last you seven years or more.

The Write to Read app is aimed at 3-10 year olds and completely revolutionises the way children learn to read. It has been phenomenally successful in Denmark where it is used in more than 300 schools and nurseries. Write to Read encourages children to learn to read by physically writing and spelling words on the iPad rather than reading the printed word on a page.

Write To Read costs £4.99 from iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/write-to-read/id590707197?mt=8

We’ll post a follow-up later in the year, but right now I think this is brilliant and has a lot of potential. For the month of July Write To Read is available at a cheaper price as well!

We were gifted this app to review, all opinions are our own and honest.

This app is currently free at the App Store. If you’ve seen the ‘Guess How Much I Love You’ tv programme you’ll be familiar, and even more so if you’ve read the books.

Guess How Much I Love You features two full interactive episodes ‘Touch The Stars’ and ‘Snow White Hare’ broken into sections with an activity relating to that part of the story – from matching shapes to turning the iPad to guide Little Nutbrown Hare on the screen.

At the end of each story there’s an option to send a postcard to someone – you can pre-set the addresses in the options menu of the game.

We love the show, and H is really enjoying the app – I’m not sure if it has always been free, but in case it hasn’t, grab it quickly – it’s really lovely.

Guess How Much I Love You – Interactive Episodes – SLR Productions Pty Ltd

The Guess How Much I Love You website (with activities and fun things)

With thanks to the Facebook Apps For Parents group for the heads-up!

Peppa Pig has a new game out, based on a few episodes from the latest series – this time she’s on holiday. H is still very Peppa obsessed, and I can’t see an end to it soon. This game follows a similar pattern to previous ones, so anyone familiar will know the kind of thing.

You play games and earn stickers to place on a page within the app. Simple enough – and this time the food creation part is to make a pizza which we all had fun with – you’ve the additional skill of chopping the vegetables for toppings, and the pizza to serve.

H has been getting a bit frustrated with it though – but I think that’s a really good thing, and I’ll explain why. These games have an element of your child having to pay attention – the ‘At The Airport’ section has several bags which pass through the X-Ray machine, and you have to match the right item to each bag – but the item disappears. I like this as I’ve felt like while we’ll play the games they can be repetitive (H doesn’t mind), so having to listen, remember AND get it right appeals to me in a big way. The first part of the game has you placing the bags on the conveyor belt – and you’ll get various commands – “five bags”, “all the green bags”, “three yellow bags” and so on, with the second being the part where you identify the correct items.

In ‘Going to the Beach’ Peppa and George are getting ready for the beach, and need help picking their swimming costumes and beach toys as well as applying the sun cream!

In ‘Ice Cream’ they help Auntie Goat make ice cream – it’s similar to the last ice cream game on the previous app – you create one and pass it on to whoever is next in line.

‘Swimming Race’ is based around the pool at the villa, and can be played with up to four players (or just one) – similar to some of the ones on Sports Day, quick and fun especially if your child is the competitive kind (mine is… sigh).

‘Sky High Song’ is the ‘Big Balloon’ song which features in the holiday episodes – just the video. It’s short but for the Peppa fan that will be possibly all they could ever want.

‘Postcard Sticker Book’  is the section for the stickers – collect them throughout the game and arrange on some postcards –  and you’re able to make the stickers bigger or smaller which will help with the pincer grasp if help is needed. That and you can put a gigantic Daddy Pig in the swimming pool too which always amuses H.

The game is out now and released by P2 Games – and already is at the top of the charts. Having a Peppa fan in the house, she enjoyed the game a lot. I feel like there’s a lot of repetition in this game from previous ones – although the ‘At The Airport’ section more than makes up for it – I want my girl to concentrate and remember things, and for this alone I’d recommend this app.

Buy Peppa Pig Holiday by P2 Games here
P2 Games

We were given a code to review this app, all opinions are mine. H loves it. This review also contains an affiliate code.

Mog the Forgetful Cat is a wondeful Judith Kerr book – and one I’m sure most people are familiar with. Back in the summer I decided to buy this app, as while it’s nice we read to H, she is left on her own from time to time (like when I’m cooking), and it’s nice for her to be able to read books rather than just play games. This app is fabulous – as you can record your own voice to the Mog book, so essentially you are reading to your child and of course there’s Judith Kerr’s illustrations.

Each page is interactive, and as well as being read by you (or Geraldine McEwan if you’d prefer), there’s some fun extras too. There’s a game – although that’s suited to a child that can read (or learning to) as it doesn’t speak the words (which would be handy!) – you have to match Mog’s expression (sad, happy, surprised, cheeky, sleepy) and if your device supports it, you can take photos or add one from your library.

We don’t own the first Mog book (shame on us!), although do have several Judith Kerr books – so know that H enjoys reading them. She has been known to sit and read the book several times on this app!

The app is available for £2.49 from the App Store from Harper Collins Publishers Ltd.