Preschool Applications and Websites
Jayne Clare,
October 2015
Special Education Teacher, Educational App Curator, Consultant states –
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the cornerstone of emotional intelligence, as these abilities do not
come naturally for some special education students. Children in special ed settings need to have their
confidence, courage, and emotional awareness nurtured in order to successfully play, work, cooperate,
and be productive in their studies. We have all heard that technology can be a great playing-field leveler
in a classroom with diverse learners. It can also assist in providing social and emotional skills. Let's face
it -- the digital lifestyle is here to stay, so using digital technology to enhance SEL makes perfect sense.
However, I have yet to encounter research that focuses on the effectiveness of using apps designed solely
to enhance the social and emotional health of children. Researchers and educators have only begun to
closely investigate the impact of these technologies on SEL. For special education teachers, that research
can't come soon enough.
Young children acquire and utilize their initial social skills mostly in the context of play and shared
activities. Through play, they form their first interpersonal interactions and develop important social
skills related to empathy, cooperation, conflict resolution, and self-control, which will be used throughout
life to maintain healthy relationships with others.
Self-regulation
free
1. Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame
Comments
Also can be used in Spanish - same App (Sesame Street) teaches children to keep calm and
carry on by introducing three possible strategies
for working through problems. It touches on
familiar emotional challenges such as problem
solving, self-control, planning, and time on task.
Intended for very young children, this simple app
gives players different scenarios in which the Blue
Monster character needs to regulate his or her
emotions using the breathe-think-do technique.
2. Touch and Learn- Emotions
(Innovative Mobile Apps) is chock full of wonderful
photographs representing four different feelings
per page. The child is prompted to match the
verbal cue with the appropriate photo. This app
focuses on helping kids read body language and
understand emotions by looking at pictures and
figuring out which person is expressing a given
emotion.
3. Avokiddo Emotions
Provides opportunities for younger children to
explore a wide range of feelings through several
silly characters and a plethora of props. This app
incorporates activities to help children understand
the subtle cause and effect of facial expressions.
The main idea is exposing young children to a
variety of feelings and helping them grasp
emotional connections with those feelings.
4. Emotionary
(Funny Feelings) is designed to give a wide age
range of kids the tools and skills to express
themselves well in our world of emoticons. The
app has become a popular resource for the special
needs population. This collection of emotions and
funny feelings now allows users to draw their own
emotionary "selfie" to match how they are feeling.
5. GoNoodle
Is a wonderful web-based way to get younger kids
out of their seats and moving. These short physical
activities provide brain breaks that can help keep
them focused throughout a long day. Studies have
shown that physical activity increases blood flow,
which increases concentration and attentiveness.
This enhances students' ability to acquire and
recall information. These activities make them
cross the mid-line of the body, engaging both
sides of the brain. GoNoodle provides teachers
with fun, interactive ways to get kids moving and
feeling good about themselves.
6. Angry Birds
Has been used if someone is really upset -- It has
helped several kids transition into class.
7. Smiling Mind
Mindfulness for ages 7-adult. It focuses on
breathing and being in the moment. Could be
helpful for adults.
Self-help
Comments
free
$1.99
1. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
Self-expression and language
development
free
1. Sounding Board
2.
3.
$ 199
(all
will
go on
50%
off at
some
GoTalk Now
BitsBoard Preschool
1. aacorn AAC
A day in the life of Daniel - daily routines
Comments
1. Limited system, but can make boards for
specific activities and relatively easy to
program.
2. Limited system, Harder to program.
3.This is just for vocabulary development but
can be played in multiple game formats to
make vocabulary learning fun. The best way
for your child to learn vocabulary is through
everyday interactions with you!
1. Word-prediction and Folder-based full
communication system, but with word
prediction that learns what words your child
uses most frequently
2. Grid-based app with mix of core words and
folders - full system
3. Full communication system - fully bilingual
point) 2.
$199
Avaz
3.
free
in English-Spanish - you can switch between
English and Spanish in the same app. Gridbased
Proloquo2Go
Fine motor and writing readiness
Comments
Tiny Hands
educational apps for toddlers, has several
different sorting games that have some free levels
or you can purchase the full game
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$2.99 1.Writing Wizard app
tracing, games, audio, videos
2.
Reading readiness
free
1. Reading Rainbow app
2. Learn with Homer
Comments
1.hundreds of books, field trip videos, and
themed “islands”
2. Interactive stories, phonics, record own
voice
3. Starfall
3. is a great one for letter sounds and
recognition
$
free
Math readiness
Comments
Autism ihelp
has several different educational games that have
a small free portion or you can pay for the full
games (colors, shapes, sorting, same/different,
language, comprehension)
Hands
Tiny Hands
$4.99 1.Elmo Loves 123s app
educational apps for toddlers, has several
different sorting games that have some free levels
or you can purchase the full game
counting 1-20, games, videos
6 key shapes, games, puzzles, activities
$2.99 2. Doodle Critter Math app: Shapes
free
Social readiness
Comments
Model me Kids
has social stories on it about a few things like
eating at a restaurant, going to the doctor – it’s
real pictures but a little older of kids. They aren’t
amazing but they’re already made!
Music
Comments
Games
Comments
$
free
$
free
1. Leo’s Pad: Preschool Learning Series
travel to interesting places - interactive
$2.99
1. Beck and BO app
Interactive travel adventures
Websites for additional ideas
http://coolmomtech.com/2015/09/best-reading-apps-for-little-kids-back-to-school-2015/
http://thesocialexpress.com/#http://thesocialexpress.com/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mindpacetech.Autism_iHelp_Play&hl=en
http://www.123apps4me.com/123tokenme/ TokenMe is a token board app where you can
customize the tokens used and have pictures of what they child is working for
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/choiceboard-creator/id453988580?mt=8 - ChoiceBoard Creator
allows you to make a variety of choice boards and save them with different names – you use
pictures/songs you have saved on the ipad or you can access the camera through the app