Alphabeasties Amazing Activities
© 2013 CJ Educations
Based on the book by Sharon Werner and Sarah Forss, Alphabeasties Amazing Activities ($3.99 by CJ Educations) is ideal for introducing and providing informal practice with upper and lower case letters. Content includes 26 letter tracing puzzles (one per letter), plus a find and color activity where you spot the hidden upper/lower case letters in a single scene. There's also a flashcard component that lets you touch and hear each upper and lower case letter. The app effectively uses repetition and reinforcement to link meaning to the letters. For the letter A for example, you gradually fill in (or reveal) an Alligator (made entirely by As) by tracing a letter A. Both upper and lower case letters are mixed together in this app, and the fonts are also varied, so children will see the letters as they appear in the real world. Teachers will like the way the hints, music and narration can be toggled on/off. If you're looking for an example of good pedagogy, look no further than this app.
$3.99, iPad
Teaches: reading, letter formation, upper/lower case letters
CTR Rating: 92%