Where To Find Organized Information About Apps for Students

Where To Find Organized Information About Apps for Students

Are you overwhelmed by the number of apps that are available today? I know I am.  When smartphone apps first started rolling out for students with special needs it was an exciting time.  A new one would come out and everyone would test it out for fine motor skills, visual perceptual skills or the occasional gross motor skills.  Then slowly more and more came out and it became an impossible job of keeping up with the latest and greatest app.  BUT, there are a few websites that still do keep up!  And, thank you to Carol at OTs with Apps and Technology who let us know about a new update.

Call Scotland just updated the Ipad App Wheels for Students.  You can view The Dyslexia Wheel and iPad Apps for Learners with Dyscalculia / Numeracy Difficulties at their website.  They are AMAZING resources to help organize all the apps.

The Dyslexia Wheel is broken into 4 categories: reading, writing, organization, and memory.  The iPad Apps for Learners with Dyscalculia / Numeracy Difficulties is also divided into categories such as numbers, number processes, shape, measurement, time, money, fractions, estimations, rounding and other math tools.

OTs with Apps has also taken the time to organize apps that was last updated in 2015.  This is also an AMAZING resource to help get you started in your search for the perfect app.

There are many other websites that categorize apps for students with special needs, but in my opinion, these two resources are the best for pediatric therapists.

Here is a recent post that lists 10 apps to get kids moving.

The post Where To Find Organized Information About Apps for Students appeared first on Your Therapy Source.

10 Apps to Get Kids Moving and Grooving

There is no doubt about it that kids use iPhone and iPads.  In fact, there are some scary, eye-opening statistics regarding media use and children:

1. ages 8-10 spend about 6 hours per day in front of a screen for entertainment
2. ages 11-14 spend about 9 hours per day in front of a screen for entertainment
3. ages 15-18 spend about 7.5 hours per day in front of a screen for entertainment

Pediatric therapists, parents, and teachers should be encouraging children to have at least one hour of physical activity each day and only 1-2 hours of screen time.  Be creative during screen time and add in some physical activity.  Here are 10 iphone apps to get kids moving and grooving (this post contains affiliate links):

1.   Pokemon GO – This is the TOP app in the app store and it sure does get you moving and walking.  You have to explore different areas collecting virtual pokemon.  Your phone will vibrate when the Pokemon is close by and you throw a virtual ball at it to capture it.

2.  Toca Dance – You can create different dancers, stages and dance moves with the characters.  Once created, see if you can copy the same moves.

3.  NFL Play 60 – Can you run fast? Jump high? Turn quick? Collect coins, get football and heart power-ups, earn boosters, collect stars and get free stuff!  You run, jump, and turn WHILE HOLDING YOUR DEVICE and your character does the same. You move and your character moves on screen.

4.  Sworkit Kids – Turn Fitness into a game with your children with customizable workouts for Strength, Agility, and Flexibility! No matter where you are, every moment is an opportunity to get active and have fun getting fit.

5.  Kids Yogaverse I am Love – This beautifully hand-drawn Kids Yogaverse app incorporates 13 yoga poses for children demonstrated by children. Get ready to open your heart, expand your mind and reveal that YOU are the real treasure to love.

6.  Super Stretch Yoga – Move, play and breathe as Super Stretch introduces you to his friends and their 12 yoga poses.

7.  Fitness Kids – Contains 25 animated exercises that can be performed independently or in groups. Each exercise has buttons for music, movement, and speed.

8.  GoNoodle Kids – GoNoodle Kids is all about getting kids moving with screen-time parents can feel good about. GoNoodle videos are designed to get kids up and moving, every time!  These are perfect for in class brain breaks too!

9.  Iron Kids – IronKids provides everything a young athlete needs to safely and effectively build strength, balance, and fitness; prepare to excel in sport, and keep playing by preventing injury. Includes video instruction on 9 exercises to work the core, upper body, and lower body; strength training pointers; and tools to create custom workouts.

10.  Classroom Fitness Bundle – This video collection includes dancing, cross training and yoga.  They are simple to follow videos to encourage motor planning and physical activity.

 

Reference:  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Screen Time vs Lean Time.  Retrieved on 7/27/17 from http://ift.tt/2vb6c0c

If you need more activities to get kids moving off their devices check out all of our themed sensory motor downloads, brain breaks, yoga for kids and even more sensory motor activities.

 

The post 10 Apps to Get Kids Moving and Grooving appeared first on Your Therapy Source.

Free App Friday Suggestions for Pediatric Therapists

Here are a few free app suggestions.  These apps are always totally free which is awesome.  I did test these out.

1.  Gigglebug’s Face Race:  This app is super cute for some oral motor and motor planning fun.  Basically an animated creature makes a face and you copy it.  The app snaps a photo and then compares the creature to you at the end.  Cute and fun.  May be challenging for some kids for sure.  
2. ChatterPix Kids:  This app would be great for some fun after drawing practice.  The child could practice drawing (maybe from Cut, Sequence, Paste and Draw Monsters).  Then snap a photo, draw a line over the mouth, record a message for up to 30 seconds and hit play. Your drawing will come to life with your voice.  Entertaining.
3. Laugh & Learn™ Shapes & Colors Music Show:  This is a basic colorful app.  The shapes appear and the child can move them around the screen with colorful mini shapes that follow.  Bright, simple visual motor task.  Motivating to learn about shapes.  Carry over the activity and create the I Can Draw Shapes Mini Books.

Happy App Friday!

FREE Interactive Alphabet App

Sometimes a new app comes along that I have to recommend.  Interactive Alphabet is one of those apps for sure and it happens to be FREE right now (8/6/14).  This app offers so much in terms of differentiated instruction.  I know there are letter tracing apps out there but this one offers just a little something different.  For example, Interactive Alphabet includes more customization than most letter formation apps, letter sounds as you practice tracing and keyboarding practice!

1.  Choices - Choose from baby where it is read to you, explore, sing, type, trace and customize.

2.  Letter Tracing - fun light up letters that also speaks the letter sound as you trace.

3.  Typing - type words or customize your own words as in the picture at the top of this post.  You can type in any name or word, add your own photos and it will be saved automatically into the word list in alphabetical order.  You can record your voice speaking the word out loud as well.

In my opinion, this is a must add for a pediatric occupational therapist and it is FREE for now.  Check it out at Interactive Alphabet - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/interactive-alphabet/id383967580?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

One more thing - works on iPhone and iPad.

 

 

 

 

Your Opinions on the Effects of Tablet Use on the Overall Development of Young Children

We asked and 264 of you responded on what effects you think tablets and smartphones have on the overall development of young children.  Here are the highlights:

• 61% of the respondents were pediatric OTs.


• 53% of all respondents think that tablet/smartphone use delays social development in 0-5 year old children.


• 36% of all respondents think that tablet/smartphone use delays speech development in 0-5 year old children (although 34% responded no and 30% responded not sure).


• 56% of all respondents think that tablet/smartphone use delays fine motor development in 0-5 year olds.


• 69% of all respondents think that tablet/smartphone use delays gross motor development in 0-5 year olds.


• 46% of all respondents that that tablet/smartphone use creates behavioral problems in 0-5 year olds.

To view the complete results visit http://www.yourtherapysource.com/surveytableteffects.html

Please respond to the current survey on using social media for professional reasons.

Would love to hear your thoughts about these results...

[subscribe2]

Drawnimal App - Combines "Real" Drawing with Animation

I love when an app comes along that is different than every other app.  Drawnimal is a new type of app although simple.  It is currently free today (3/28/14).  Basically, you put paper down underneath your iPad, draw the simple images it shows you on real paper (see picture above tail and mouse ears).  Then tap the iPad and an animated surprise occurs for each letter animal.  

The drawings are mostly pretty simple so this may be a good fit for some basic visual motor skills.  The novelty factor is a big hit.  The big bonus is alphabet review while you are drawing.  Maybe add in some movement, and have the child move like each animal after each one is drawn.  Throw in handwriting practice and the child can write the name of the animal on the paper.

I give this app a big thumbs up.  I love any apps that combine "real" life skills with the iPad.  

Get more information about Drawnimals at  http://www.yatatoy.com/#/drawnimal

 

Survey Results on Tablet/Smartphone Use Among Pediatric OTs and PTs

Check out the results from the Winter 2014 survey on tablet and smartphone use among pediatric OTs and PTs.  There were over 300 responses.  You can view the results at http://yourtherapysource.com/surveytablet.html

Answer the latest survey on the effects of tablet/smartphone use on the development of young children here - http://yourtherapysource.com/survey.html

Survey Results on Tablet/Smartphone Use Among Pediatric OTs and PTs

Check out the results from the Winter 2014 survey on tablet and smartphone use among pediatric OTs and PTs.  There were over 300 responses.  You can view the results at http://yourtherapysource.com/surveytablet.html

Answer the latest survey on the effects of tablet/smartphone use on the development of young children here - http://yourtherapysource.com/survey.html