Mobile apps represent a new, and often inexpensive, resource now available to parents, educators and others who support children in the mastery of early literacy skills. There is a lot out there to choose from. How does one decide which apps are worth the download?

The following recommendations were posted to the Association for Library Service to Children(ALSC) blog by Kiera Parrott.

• A great app or ebook should be interactive and encourage creative thinking and problem solving.
• A well-designed app should strike a balance between opportunities for exploration outside of the narrative as well as opportunities to lose oneself in the story alone.
• An excellent book-based app or ebook should offer the user a dynamic experience that engages the senses and allows for interaction in a variety of ways – beyond the visual which might include auditory or kinesthetic learning styles
• A good app will be user friendly and easy for children to navigate with customizable features such as the ability to alter the settings (easy/medium/hard) and accessibility options (such as font size or narration speed.)
• A good app or ebook should entice children to enjoy and explore them again and again- just as a good book invites multiple readings.

Other Review Resources

Attached you will find a list of iPhone/iPad/iPod apps complied by Harvey Pressman and Andrea Pietrzyk of Central Coast Children’s Foundation, Inc. that support early literacy learning for young children. The list is not all inclusive, but provides a starting point if you are interested in using mobile apps. The 34 page document includes reviews for apps focused on skill development related to the alphabet, phonics and reading. Some apps can be used in a multilingual settings while others may be helpful for struggling learners.

You might also visit Touch and Go for recommendations. This guide to the best apps and enhanced books for children and teen is hosted by School Library Journal.

While these apps can be useful learning tools nothing compares to the quality time a parent spends with a child when sharing a book.

photo from apple itunes