First Then Visual Schedule, and Avaz for Autism (an AAC app) kick off this week, plus kids can go to magic school with Wubbzy, create stories, art and music, then drift off to sleep with a good bedtime story all with new apps in this, the 76th Jellybean Tunes App Report. Has it really been 76 weeks already?

Please take a moment to read the full app descriptions, and to screen the apps you download, in order to fully understand the features and elements in the app. If you find an app you like, please write a review.

If you are a developer with news or an app to announce, visit the information page.

- Garry Froehlich | Jellybean Tunes

News

Special Needs

FTVS HD – First Then Visual Schedule HD by Good Karma Applications Discounted for Autism Awareness Month Visual supports have proven to be beneficial for typically developing younger children, those learning English as a second language, as well as people with developmental and learning disabilities like autism, Down Syndrome and dyslexia. FTVS HD enables you to easily and quickly create First Then boards, visual schedules, task analyses, social stories, choice boards and video models, all in one universal app. (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad: $9.99

Avaz for Autism by Avaz 20% off for Autism Awareness Month. Avaz for Autism, a full-featured, research-based AAC app. It is designed to make speech therapy more effective, develop the child’s language and improve his intent to communicate. Avaz has 3 graded, ready-to-use vocabulary sets, with over 5,000 core and peripheral words, organized into intuitive categories. Highlights of Avaz include: automated tracking, instant customization, prediction with pictures, record messages, quick messages for communication and reinforcement through zoom-in animation. (Watch Video) iPad: $79.99 , Google Play: $79.99, Amazon: $79.99

Apps for Little Ones

	Wubbzy’s Magic School by Cupcake Digital Presto-chango! Wubbzy & his friends have fun magic to do in this feature-rich, deluxe storybook app, Wubbzy’s Magic School! After a day at Moo Moo the Magician’s Castle, Wubbzy & his friends learn that magic really does happen when you believe in yourself & try your hardest. Help Widget pull a family of rabbits out of her hat, find hidden words in the mirrors & more! Kids & grown-ups will love the tap-and-play interactivity, read-along narration & fun-filled common-core inspired games. (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad: $1.99, Google Play: $1.99, Amazon: $1.99, Nook: $1.99
	Dave Daring by Fantazm In this colorful illustrated puzzle and exploration app, Dave Daring and Cat experience exciting adventures. While Dave is playing, he loses a lot of stuff and he needs help to find it back. His friend Cat needs to be guided through pathways to collect pieces and fix broken toys. (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad: $2.99, Google Play: $2.99
	Funnymalia for iPad by DigiCroc Productions Funnymalia is a new game for the iPad made for young children. It’s a fun animal-themed memory game with a lot of cute and colorful animal characters. Child can flip the cards on board to find pairs of two similar pictures. At lowest difficulty level, the tableaus are consisting of just 4-8 cards so the game is nicely suitable for ages 3+. For a little bit older players, the difficulty can be adjusted to provide some more challenge. (Watch Video) iPhone: $0.99, iPad: $1.99

Books

Twinkle, Twinkle, Nighty Night by Alexis H. Purcell Twinkle, Twinkle, Nighty Night is a sweet bedtime storybook app written for the young and young at heart. It is a peaceful and imaginative app with subtle animation that invites the reader to help comfort their animal friends to sleep by giving them “happy dreams”. The sweet and soft music of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”, sung at the end of the app, is sure to lull little ones to sleep. Your child will be ready for sleep knowing they will be loved and protected throughout the night. iPhone and iPad: $2.99

Gaudi Bruno by SoftArt s.r.l. Meet Bruno – the cuddly brown bear cub that just can’t help but to explore! Bruno is just as adventurous as your child, and they can watch his story unfold – just as their story does. Aimed at children from 3-7 years of age, Gaudi Bruno is a fast-paced, exciting and interactive storybook… a beautiful introduction into nature, friendships and discovery. Unlike physical storybooks, Gaudi Bruno is fabulously interactive, allowing your child to feel as if they are exploring the world with Bruno. (Watch Video) iPad: $2.99, Google Play: $3.99, Amazon: $3.58

Creative Play

	My little story factory by Editions Autrement My Little Story Factory is a virtually inexhaustible collection of stories (194 481 combinations) that the child constructs by shifting pieces of text he/she has created or chosen from amongst a number of possibilities. Play with the words and background sound to create an infinity of strange, funny, and poetic universes. iPhone and iPad: $3.99
	Mini LopArt by LopLop Mini LopArt is the first application of a collection of animated art apps! Mini LopArt was conceived to create animated art. Mini LopArt’s concept is unique: each stroke is original because it has different transparency, tip, duoton and movement. Thanks to the great variety of textures and the motion strokes, your child develops his or her dexterity all the while having fun. Moreover, Mini LopArt has been designed to promote parents’ peace of mind: no in-app purchases or pop-ups. (Watch Video) iPad: Free
	Kids Sounds by Pyjamas Apps Pyjamas Apps – a team creating educational games for kids – just released Kids Sounds. It’s a digital toy for all kids who loves sounds and music. There are 6 lively scenes, lot’s of objects to interact with – so kids can discover world of sounds and create endless variety of melodies. It teaches kids about animal voices, improves musical skills and allows parents to create interesting stories together with their child. (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad: Free + $0.99 In-App Purchase

Puzzles, Games and Toys

	Tower Zoo by MiniWorldGames Tower Zoo is a stunningly original 3D puzzle game, which challenges players to help the animals outwit the evil zoo keeper in a fun, strategic and addictive game which rewards logical thinking and tactical skill. This board game was originally made Math teacher in London, UK. He tested the board game with his middle school students who learnt to master this intelligent game. The board game is easy to pick up like connect-4 but with involves more chess like strategy. (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad: Free + $0.99 In-App Purchase
	Chatty Addie: A Virtual Friend You Can Talk, Play, Laugh and Grow With by InfAspire Chatty Addie is a virtual friend for 4 to 12 year-olds. She listens, understands, and talks with your child in English using voice recognition, a chat engine and speech synthesis. It feels like having a FaceTime video call with a charmingly beautiful animated character featuring full Retina support for all devices. In addition to conversing on a wide variety of topics, she tells jokes and can play word, math and number games that are both entertaining and educational. iPhone and iPad: $1.99 (1/3 off for a limited time!)
	Jackpot Words by LavaMind Want a Word Game with the excitement of Casino Slots! Jackpot Words is a totally new spin on your favorite Word game. Win jackpots as you create words. Unlock special mini-games and treasures. Earn bigger rewards with each new level. Play by yourself or compete with friends. Create the right word combos and win huge payouts. The more coins you win, the higher you rise! You’ve never had so much fun playing a word game before! iPhone and iPad: Free + Advertisements and In-App Purchases up to $19.99

The doctors pronounced Gavin Leong dead on Sunday night, April 14th, his mother's birthday. He had just turned five and a half last month. We knew it was coming after his mother, Kate, posted Without Ever Uttering a Word on her blog Friday night, but it was heartbreaking nonetheless. When I say 'we' I mean the online community – Ellen Seidman of Love That Max wrote about the phenomenon yesterday on babble.com in a post called When a Child Dies, Facebook becomes Faithbook.

I've been crying, sobbing really, on and off since reading that post on Friday. This morning I discussed my reaction with Gingerheaddad. Why was I so upset over the death of this little boy, when I'd never met him, never even corresponded with his mother? It seemed very weird to me, this huge, palpable feeling of grief for someone I didn't know. I wondered aloud if I should write about it. “That sounds very cathartic,” GHD said. So here we are.

I first discovered Kate's blog, Chasing Rainbows, when, two years ago, she wrote a review of the AAC app, So Much 2 Say. Her review was full of pictures and video of Gavin using the app and I was immediately won over by her adorable kid. Reading Kate's story, there were parts of it I empathized with – a difficult pregnancy with twins, pre-eclampsia, long hours in NICU, kangaroo care and being the mother of two boys. Kate however has overcome so much more than me – infertility, multiple miscarriages, the loss in-utero of Gavin's twin and the death and stillbirth of her daughter Darcy. I admired Kate's grace, fortitude and the obvious adoration that she and her husband Ed felt for both Gavin and his younger brother Brian.

And in many ways Gavin reminded me of Owen. A low-toned baby who had a fight on his hands from day one, a boy who loved music and whose greatest joy was water, a blond, non-verbal little guy with a cute flat nose and a beautiful smile. But Gavin also faced so many challenges that Owen hasn't had to deal with. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and his parents were told he wouldn't hear, eat solid food or walk and yet he did all three! Kate and Ed called Gavin their Buddha baby because people would always come away content after spending time with their happy, peaceful little boy. If you can, spend some time on Kate's blog and read about Gavin, look at his pictures and Kate's videos on YouTube. This little guy was truly awesome.

Last week, out of the blue, Gavin had a seizure and then went into coronary arrest several times. After finding out that Gavin was brain dead, Kate and Ed made the decision to donate his organs and tried to work out how they were going to explain what was happening to their younger son Brian. The pictures of Brian saying goodbye to Gavin, of Kate and Ed sleeping with and holding him for one last time are seared into my brain. On Sunday, Kate shared an idea for something we could all do for her birthday, the day she knew she was going to have to say goodbye to Gavin:

Ed and I will be announcing our choices for “in lieu of flowers” donations to honor Gavin in a few days, but today is my birthday and this is all about me. I've come up with a special, totally FREE way to honor my sweet son who could inspire the most profound emotion without ever saying a word. I'm asking you to help someone… document it with words and or a photo… and place it on the Chasing Rainbows Facebook Page. Then be sure to check the page often to get inspired by the outpouring of love. Here are some great ideas for you… Find a special needs classroom in your community. These are usually low funded and always looking for donations. Perhaps you have toys your kids don't play with anymore that could be used in the classroom or during therapy. Random crayons that are laying around. I know we always needed rug gripper to place under Gavin's behind when he sat – that's a good need. Do you know a special needs Mom in your neighborhood? Church? School? Tell her you'd like to make dinner for her family. What night would work? Then tell her the only requirement is they have to give a “cheers toast” to Gavin during dinner. Help someone struggling to unload groceries into their car in the rain. Donate clothes to a women's shelter. Check with your local children's hospital for volunteer opportunities – even if it's just for two hours of your life. Save all of your magazines and bring a big stash to your local hospital. You have no idea how helpful that is to parents who spend days, weeks or months (as I did when Gavin was a baby) sitting in their child's hospital room. These are just some ideas… be creative! And think of Gavin when you do it. Share his story with the person you are blessing. Tell them that Gavin Leong changed the world with little acts of courage, determination and a sweet smile… without ever saying a word. And then ask them to pay it forward to honor his legacy. This would be the best birthday gift you could give me. There is no time frame – you could post something today or a year from now or five years from now. Thank you for helping me to honor my amazing little boy. And feel free to share this anywhere you want!

I bought a coffee for the stranger in line behind me today and told them a little bit about Gavin. We toasted Gavin and I asked them, if they felt so inclined, to maybe pay it forward and share his story. Today, Kate shared one way we could celebrate Gavin's life, in lieu of sending flowers. She's asking for donations of items (or money if you're not local) to the Nemours Child Life Department. When you read the post, you'll find out why (but make sure you grab some kleenex first).

Last night I couldn't sleep. I'd watched my favourite YouTube video of Gavin and I just couldn't wrap my head around the fact that this adorable little boy was gone. I heard Owen wake up and start thumbing through a book so I went to the boys' bedroom and Owie ran over to the doorway and put his arms in the air. Normally when this happens, I grab him and we cuddle in my bed for a bit but the rule is that we always go back to his bed to sleep (unless he's ill). Well, screw the rules. Owen tucked his feet underneath me and made the adorable noises he makes when he's happy and content. We held hands and fell asleep. So different to Kate and Ed's last night with Gavin.

If you're the praying sort, then please pray for the Leong family. I don't pray but I'm sending them all the love and support I can muster. I don't understand why Gavin has been taken away from them but I'm so grateful that Kate shared him with us on her blog. I'll continue to do whatever small things I can to celebrate Gavin's life and I hope you will too. I'll also be reminding myself how very lucky I am and “love bombing” my kids as much as I possibly can.

Gavin, you turned out not only to be the hero of your own life but a superhero to so many others as well. You were awesome, little man; you will be missed and always remembered.

I realized that a number of the giveaways I had planned were connected in some way or other with autism so you can find them all here, in one convenient post. I have more stuff to add so please do keep checking in.

Loud Hands: Autistic people, Speaking

Courtesy of me, enter to win a copy of the book Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking, an anthology of essays, all written by autistic people. From the website of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network:

“Spanning from the dawn of the Neurodiversity movement to the blog posts of today, Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking catalogues the experiences and ethos of the Autistic community and preserves both diverse personal experiences and the community’s foundational documents together side by side.

Questions addressed by the contributors include what does autism mean to you; why does Autistic culture matter; what do you wish you had known growing up Autistic; how can the Autistic community cultivate resilience; what does “loud hands” mean to you; and how do you have loud hands?”

Anyone autistic or who knows an autistic person would benefit from reading this book. Giveaway is open to anyone, provided I can order the book from the Amazon store in your country.

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Autism Acceptance Print from Because Patterns

Alyssa is the blogger behind Yes, That Too and she also is the artistic force responsible for Because Patterns.  Check out her Cafepress store for t-shirts, blankets, jewelry and lots, lots more. I’m giving away a print of her very cool recent creation, which you can buy here ($25 for an 8×10 or $15 for a 4×6). The prints are signed and numbered and the text on them says:

“Autism Acceptance

Much like the bright orange Autistic person flapping here, Autistic people stand out. We’re completely distinguishable from our peers, and that’s fine. We don’t need to be just like you, we need to be accepted for the unique people we are. Accept Autistics!”

Giveaway is open worldwide.

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Adventures of One Sock – My Pal Rodger

Thanks to the generosity of Katrin from JustKidsApps I have three copies to giveaway of the iPad app version of this book. You can read my review of the book here - it’s about a young boy, Racer, who just happens to be autistic. It’s a lovely book and the app adds text highlighting, interactivity and wonderful narration to the mix. AppAbled recently interviewed both Katrin and Roy Ruiz (Racer’s dad and the book’s author) – check out the Q&A to find out more about future One Sock projects.

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Superhero Swag from Geek Club Books

The Geek Club Books are inspired by Jonathan Murphy, an actor and voice-over artist who also has Asperger’s. It’s a book app series about an aspie superhero’s quest to be “normal,” and a family who wants him to be anything but. I was recently honoured by their inclusion of me in the “good stuff” section of their website. I also love the Geek Club Book team motto of acceptance:

Geek or nerd
Haven’t you heard?
That’s what we want to be.

Different? Yes!
It’s always best
To stand out from the crowd

Dweeb or dork
That’s us, of course
We say it clear and loud.

Normal? No!
Typical? Never!
Stand and declare it proud…

I’m unique. I’m a geek.

The winner can pick the size t-shirt they want and the shirt comes with a superhero bracelet and a cool reusable bag.

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Become a math superhero, learn about potty training, and solve the final puzzle in Happi & The Pirates for a chance to win an iPad Mini! Plus, a new Splash Math and an incredible adventure from Big Fish Games.

Please take a moment to read the full app descriptions, and to screen the apps you download, in order to fully understand the features and elements in the app. If you find an app you like, please write a review.

If you are a developer with news or an app to announce, visit the information page.

- Garry Froehlich | Jellybean Tunes

News

Apps for Little Ones

	Leo’s Pad: Preschool Kids Learning Series – New Appisode by Kidaptive Kidaptive has released the third animated appisode of their award-winning educational apps for iPad: Leo’s Pad Preschool Kids Learning Series. The adaptive learning apps incorporate interactive learning games with engaging stories to teach children skills from a comprehensive curriculum. In the third appisode, “Catch that Question”, children learn about gravity when Marie invents flying belts that allow her to fly. (Watch Video) iPad: Free + In-App Purchases
	Potty training: Learning with the animals by 1tucan Potty Training the Animals allows your young children to get in the right mood for successful potty training and those early uncertain years immediately after! The perfect App for a potty training ritual with your kid! Teach your child potty training in a fun interactive way. Will set a positive mood for potty training. Makes the incredibly frustrating task fun and interactive. Kids love this app, the story behind it and its characters. (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad: $1.99
	Catch a Figure by Smart Cat Studio, LLC Mini-games of “Catch a figure!” help your child to work out object (number, figure) visualization skills, color (red, yellow, green, etc.) visualization skills and also their listening recognition. This educational app takes into account age characteristics of a little child: eyesight specifics, limited time of concentration and produces colorful realistic illustrations and a professional soundtrack. iPhone and iPad: $1.99
	Appy Tips & Tricks for Kids by CotCotCot-apps.com It’s not always easy setting down the rules with one’s children, especially when it comes to moderating the use of a tool as fun and interactive as the tablet… “Appy Tips & Tricks for Kids” will help you put into place a few basic rules concerning the family tablet but without spoiling their fun or yours! Ages 3-6 and up. iPhone and iPad: $1.99
	ABC Crazyfingers Alphabet by Jekolab Srl Pick a drawing, brush the screen with your fingers and let the magical world of this coloring book unveil under your eyes! You can listen to the voice over telling you how to pronounce each letter in 5 different languages! Aimed for kids aged 3 and up. (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad: $0.99, Google Play: $1.16
	123 Crazyfingers Numbers by Jekolab Srl This new CRAZYFINGERS is loaded with…numbers! Coloring the fun drawings and recognize the look and meaning of numbers is an easy peasy game. Pick a drawing, brush the screen with your fingers and let the magical world of this coloring unveil under your eyes! (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad: $0.99, Google Play: $1.21

Books

10 Little Fish by CJ Educations Children can read along (or sing!) as Bear checks out all the fish at his favorite watering hole. Young minds will learn to count to ten as more and more whimsical fish appear in the pond. They’ll also learn counting backwards and opposite word pairs. This App provides four modes: Auto Play, Read to Me, Song Time and Activity,which work together to reinforce learning. Kid-friendly programming – simple to use and no time limits. No in-app purchases or advertisements. For 2-4 years old. iPad: $1.99

Math

	Splash Math Kindergarten by StudyPad, Inc. Splash Math Kindergarten app is a latest roll out from StudyPad. This jungle-themed app brings fun to the numbers and keeps your child hooked on a supreme math gaming experience. Make him solve math puzzles and discover many animated animals, birds and trees with every chapter, every worksheet. Let him form his own Kinder Jungle and experience the dream adventure of African savannahs. His jungle friends would walk, jump, dance, whistle or roar to his taps. (Watch Video) iPad: $4.99
	Math Tools by PV Apps Counting, multiplying, timetables, number bonds and calculation skills. Math Toolbox teaches them all and more. The app is a first class collection of interactive resources that are perfect use in the classroom and for home learning in order to drive collaborative learning of maths. The app was designed and developed by ourselves with the assistance of teachers and pupils from a local primary school in order to ensure that its content will fully compliment learning in 3-11 year olds. iPad: $6.99
	Math Superheroes by LisbonLabs Creative Experiences In Math Superheroes, Mathy and Matheo guide your kids through 6 chapters of games and learning about numbers, shapes, patterns, sequences, operations… and much more – discover thirty original games, tested and recommended by teachers. As a natural Little Bee’s ABC’s successor – #1 at the US AppStore for weeks and Staff picked – we maintain the content’s quality and graphic language as a successful formula for educational purposes. (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad: $0.99

Puzzles and Games

Happi & The Pirates – A Spelling, Math and Puzzle Brain Game for Kids by Happi Papi Solve the final puzzle and open the chest for a chance to win an iPad Mini (Contest runs through June 30). Use your spell-power to uncover treasure chest keys. Rely on your deductive skills to unlock troves for the tools you need to search Pirate Island for clues to the final puzzle. In order to solve the final puzzle and open the pirates’ treasure you and your child/students must prove your worth in a wide variety of disciplines such as: spelling, math, logical thinking, deductive reasoning, puzzle solving and word building. iPad: $2.99

Fetch by Big Fish Games, Inc How far would you go to save your pet? Follow a young boy on a sensational journey to rescue his dog Bear from a mysterious fire hydrant. Big Fish Studios is proud to present Fetch, an adventure tale that will warm your heart and keep you glued to the screen! One part interactive animation, one part childhood delight, equal parts adventure and arcade, Fetch captures the timeless emotion of puppy love and takes you on a journey through dark tunnels and sandy shores to save your best friend. (Watch Video) iPad: $3.99

As it’s autism acceptance month, all my posts in April are going to have some connection to autism. I recently shared my list of Top Autism Apps to Save up For in a guest post at Technology in Education – I’ll be reposting that list here on this site some time in April. In that list I mentioned the app Bugs and Buttons as a great, lower-cost alternative to the app Injini. I’ve written before about how much I love the Bugs apps and they are terrific apps for all children in the pre-school and elementary age range.

What I wanted to share with you here are the reasons why I think Bugs and Buttons is particularly well-suited to autistic children and at the bottom of this post there’s a video of my autistic son Oliver playing with the app.

Summary – is the app worth buying?

It’s more than worth buying – it’s a must-have.

How does the app work?

Click on any of the pictures below to view a full-screen slideshow showing how the app works, as well as screenshots from all the games that aren’t featured in the video:

What I like about the app (autism-specific)

• The app is intuitive to use and game play is not complicated. Children with autism can face delays when it comes to development of their reading skills and can also have challenges when it comes to auditory processing. Luckily there are no written or audio instructions in this app, just visual prompting when appropriate.
• It features adaptive play. The difficulty level of the games adjusts depending on how well your child is doing. This is fantastic for autistic children who may be either highly skilled or fast learners in some areas but who have difficulty in others. Owen for example is great at matching but has trouble with visual motor activities.
• A lot of autistic kids have problems with fine motor activities. This app gives them tons of practice ranging from simple drag and drops to pinch and grab and drawing a path through a maze.
• The games involve a lot of repetition – the basic premise behind most of them is to do the same thing over and over again in less time or to to do more while the activity gets faster or more complex. Autistic children can derive a lot of confidence from activities they find predictable and so the simple, repetitive nature of these games is very engaging.
• Both my boys enjoy listening to music while they play and the music in this app is lovely.
• I’ve mentioned the simplicity and repetition involved in the games but I don’t want to give the impression that they are in any way boring. As you will see in the video, Oliver finds them extremely engaging and a lot of fun and the ‘bugs’ theme is an intrinsic part of that I believe.
• In addition, even though they are simple, many of these games work on multiple skills simultaneously. You’ll see an example in the video when, during the Factory Sorting game, Oliver is working on sorting, matching, visual motor and language skills all at the same time. It can be tough for autistic children to work for extensive periods so activities that give a lot of bang for the buck in terms of skills development are greatly appreciated.

Recommendations for the developer to consider in future updates

• My favourite game in the app is Firefly Sky because it works on colours and visual motor skills but also it includes lots of labelling (visual and audio) which supports the development of reading skills. I would love to see this labelling included in some of the other games so that, for example, when you tap on a spider you see and hear the word ‘spider’.
• I think it would be wonderful if directional labels could be added to Butterfly Valley. In this game, the butterfly flies across the screen based on how the iDevice is tilted. Labelling the butterfly’s flight pattern as left, right or straight would throw in some extra learning opportunities.
• When your child makes a mistake in some of the games, the error is noted in a way that Oliver found really funny. The example I’m thinking of in particular is in Button Truck – when a bee bounced off the back of the truck Oliver would deliberately tap it because when he did, a cartoon red and yellow star appeared and he heard a little voice saying ‘ouch!’ It didn’t matter that I explained over and over that he needed to avoid the bees, that little cartoon ‘kapow’ star and the kid’s voice saying ‘ouch!’ was reinforcing for him. I’d prefer if the result of errors was something boring – no stars earned obviously or the game stopped or just nothing at all happened.
• I think the Matching game has a lot more potential. I’d like to see more variety in the items being matched and also, rather than simply increasing the number of cards to make the game more challenging, it would be nice to see items matched based on family. For example, rather than continuing to match identical buttons, match them by colour or shape. Or match different types of bugs by species or size.
• I’d like to see more options added to the Letter Train game – lower case in addition to upper case letters would be good. It would also be great if the letters were named when tapped, at least in the earliest stages of the game. Hearing the name if it were an upper case letter and the letter sound if it were lower case might be nice.
• I’d love to see sizes incorporated into either the Pattern or the Button Sorting game. This would be a great way to work on descriptive language and concepts such as big and little, larger and smaller.
• I know Bugs and Numbers focuses entirely on math concepts but I think the Counting game really lends itself to incorporating some basic, very simple addition concepts and practice and I think it would be great if this could be added to the game.
• All the ‘Bugs’ games are a fantastic price and include 18 games in each, with lots of replay value to the games. One thing I’d love the developer to consider though is the idea of adding more games over time via in-app purchase. Oliver is “into” Bugs and Buttons at the moment and I’d love to be able to leverage that interest and get him to try activities that are a little harder, but Bugs and Numbers is a bit too much for him right now. New activities that were a little more challenging but were in an app that he’s already comfortable with and that used the Bugs and Buttons theme that he already knows would be a softer transition that an altogether new app.

See the app in action!

**disclaimer** I received a payment from the developer in order to produce this video. The payment was not for the review and please be assured that regardless, I would only recommend products that I believe will be good for my readers.

Watch for Storybook Maker from Merge Mobile (makers of the ClickySticky and Freefall app series) and Mystery Math Town from Artgig Studio (Alien Buddies, Marble Math) this week, plus more great new apps from our family-friendly app network.

As always, please take a moment to read the full app descriptions, and to screen the apps you download, in order to fully understand the features and elements in the app. If you find an app you like, please write a review.

If you are a developer with news or an app to announce, visit the information page.

- Garry Froehlich | Jellybean Tunes

News

Apps for Little Ones

	KiDSAPP Princess by Labotec KiDSAPP Princess will engage children in a magical world full of dragons and fairies while at the same time challenging them with puzzles and teaching them how to spell in various languages. iPad: Free (for a short time)
	Junior Typer by Donny Yankellow Junior Typer is an app created by a father for his preschool aged son who loves to type on the computer and iPad. When no app like it existed he tried to create one on his own. No ads, no distractions. Just typing and fun! iPad: $0.99
	Colory Caterpillar by EEGL Interactive Colory Caterpillar is a color matching game for toddlers & kids. Help the caterpillars find their missing parts by matching colors! Happy caterpillars will find their home in the mushrooms and reward you with some groovy music. With Colory Caterpillar your kids can learn about colors in a fun, cheerful way. (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad: $1.99

Books

	Walter’s Flying Bus – An Inspiring Storybook of Dreams Taking Flight! by Chosen and Dearly Loved, LLC In “Walter’s Flying Bus,” Walter finds an abandoned bus and together with the hopes and dreams of his friends, and a little work, the engine soon roars to life! The children realize their dreams are not only inspirational but they have the power to carry them to what they desire most, families that will love them forever. Narrated in English, Spanish and Luganda (A primary language of Uganda). (Watch Video) iPhone: $4.99, iPad: $6.99
	Adventures of One Sock – My Pal Rodger by JustKidsApps This story was authored by One Sock’s Dad, Roy Ruiz, and we’re excited to bring you the app version of the book! One Sock – in addition to being just like every other little boy who loves cars, planes and has his favorite toys – is autistic. It’s not referred to explicitly in the story but it’s a great way to share with your children some of the challenges faced by their friends who may be affected by this developmental disability. iPad: $0.99
	Alma and the Doll in the Park by Grite “Alma and the doll in the park” is the first app in the “Alma’s powers” series, a novel collection of interactive stories and games for pre-school children. Children will discover the importance of basic values such as honesty, respect and trust through familiar and fun experiences that are easy to understand. The App also includes three games to develop creativity, concentration and curiosity. (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad: $1.99

Creative Play

StoryBook Maker by Merge Mobile Storybook Maker is an amazing app for children to express their creativity. With Storybook Maker you can make a book and share it with friends! The app comes equipped with all the tools needed to create incredible and exciting stories! Each page can have it’s own custom layout and include text, drawings, audio photos and stickers. You can even include physics objects such as a ball or car to make your book even more interactive! (Watch Video) iPad: $3.99

Math

Mystery Math Town by Artgig Studio Your mission: Help a friendly and curious little ghost rescue the fireflies that are hidden in Mystery Math Town. Players use math skills to unlock rooms and passages on their enchanting journey. Along the way, you can also earn talking portraits of the townspeople for your Gallery. Every picture has a story to tell and the colorful cast of characters in this town have plenty to say. Ages 6-12 and up. iPad: $2.99

Parents

Baby Stickers App by Six Sided Studio The Baby Stickers App is designed to mark milestones during baby’s first years of life. Users simply take a photo of their baby in the app or import a photo from the phone’s camera roll and pick a digital sticker of choice to mark the correct age. Stickers can be resized, rotated, and moved using multi touch gestures to get the size and orientation just right for any particular picture. (Watch Video) iPhone: Free + In-App Purchases for $2.99 each

Science

Rocks HD by Sprout Labs Rocks HD is a multi-sensory exploration of key topics in Earth Sciences such as the rock cycle, various types of rocks and their geology, minerals and excavation, soil types and horizons, weathering and erosion, formation of fossils, and various types of fossils. iPad: $2.99

I’ve found myself explaining to a number of people recently why I don’t support Autism Speaks, so I figured maybe it was just easier to write a blog post about it so all my reasons would be in one place that I could then just link to. Blogging inspired by laziness, if you will.

This is a tricky topic for me because I have friends who do support Autism Speaks (AS) and have found their local AS chapters in particular to be helpful and supportive. I’m not about to withdraw much-needed love and support from these friends but I continue to make it clear why I disagree with their choice in this regard. So much so that the fact we’re still friends is a testament to their inexhaustible patience when it comes to putting up with me.

There are also a lot of people out there who support AS because when they google for information about autism, it’s the first site that comes up. This is another reason why I feel the need to speak out and explain publicly why I can’t support this charity. In fact, I encourage everyone to do their due diligence when it comes to supporting any organization, whether that support is either moral or financial.

So, here’s the list of reasons why I don’t support AS:

They support eugenics

Yep, I used the ‘e’ word but I’m actually not doing it to be inflammatory. I’m not suggesting that AS is full of Nazis or anything else that is completely untrue so calm down already.

Eugenics doesn’t have to be seen as wholly negative in nature – one can argue that any research focused on trying to eliminate genetically inherited conditions (like Huntingtons or cystic fibrosis) is eugenics. That’s why there’s always so much ethical controversy over this type of research because:

• it could lead to unforeseen outcomes.
• Unless a birth defect is uniformly lethal prior to or at birth then who gets to decide whether that trait or condition is considered ‘undesirable’?

Whether its intentions are positive or not, I’m not a fan of a eugenic approach. Genetic therapies, genetic testing – I don’t in general have a problem with those, but trying to direct the course of human evolution – that leaves me queasy.

How can I say that AS is a eugenic organization? Well it’s right on their website:

“Autism Speaks has grown into the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism.”

It’s also right there in Part II of their Form 990 (U.S. tax return filings).

They want to eliminate autism. I’m not going to support anyone who wishes my sons could have been prevented.

They are anti-autistic

Not one of their board members is autistic. Not one of their leadership team is autistic. One person, John Elder Robison, is a member of the Autism Speaks Scientific Advisory and Scientific Treatment Board – he self-identifies as aspergian rather than autistic.

If there was an organization called “Femininity Speaks”, led and staffed by men whose goal was to prevent, treat and cure femaleness, would you be comfortable with that?

Take a look at the responses from autistic people to the AS produced video on AAC: Autism Speaks, I want to Say for a wonderful set of critiques about why the messaging from AS is still anti-autistic and very problematic.

They don’t spend money in ways that would actually support autistic people and their families

Let’s take another look at that Form 990 from 2011 (the latest year available). Total revenue (Part I, line 8): $50, 238, 297. Amount spent on family services (Part III, line 4c): $4,477,702, or 8.9% (round down to 1 decimal place).

I think that bears repeating: less than 10% of AS’ gross revenue is spent on helping autistic people and their families.

They spend a lot of money on executive and independent contractors’ compensation

Form 990 Part Part IX line 5: Compensation for key employees – $3, 154, 665. This isn’t total compensation, this is just for the highly paid, top executives. There are 18 people in AS who make in excess of $130,000.

Total compensation for all of AS would also include lines 7, 8 and 9 which adds up to $14,620,085.

Line 11 includes all the amounts paid to independent contractors including government lobbyists, public relations firms as well as legal, accounting and management firms. The total amount paid out is $2,864,784.

Do I have a problem with charities paying their employees a reasonable, competitive wage? Absolutely not. Do I have a problem with an autism charity spending 5 times as much on compensation, public relations, lobbying, etc than on autistic people and their families? Yes, I do.

For every dollar you donate to AS, less than a dime goes to autistic people and their families but 41 cents will go towards compensating AS executives, employees and independent contractors.

Why not support ‘light it up blue’?

AS started the light it up blue campaign. It’s inextricably linked with them so by supporting it you provide them with free publicity, legitimacy and, if you buy a blue lightbulb at Home Depot (the co-founder of Home Depot is on the AS board), then you are financially supporting them as well.

For the perspective of some autistic people on this, check out the Tone it Down Taupe campaign.

I love someone without autism

Are there any ‘good’ autism charities out there?

Here are the ones that seem to be the least problematic:

Autistic Self Advocacy Network

The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation

If you’re in Toronto, my recommendation would be The Geneva Centre for Autism.

Let’s move from awareness to acceptance

No point in me re-writing this, so just go read a couple of excellent round ups from Steve Silberman and Shannon Rosa of why autistic people want you to focus on acceptance of autism, not awareness. I’m with them 100%.

Someone recently asked me how I would encapsulate the difference between awareness and acceptance. My best attempt was that awareness stigmatizes difference but acceptance values it. I value my boys, just the way they are.

My beautiful boys

Thanks to all of you, I recently placed #1 in the Circle of Moms vote for 2013 Tech Blog. All of the Top 25 Mom bloggers were asked a series of questions including “What’s your favorite kid-friendly app?” You can read all the interviews here. My answer to that question was:

“Asking an app reviewer to pick a favourite app is pretty cruel! There are so many wonderful apps out there but for a variety of reasons my top recommendation would go to the ‘Bugs’ series of apps by developer Little Bit Studio. Bugs and Buttons, Bugs and Bubbles and Bugs and Numbers all contain some key common elements – outstanding value for money, beautiful graphics, lovely music, lots of content (each app contains 18 mini games) and just the right amount of skill-building and educational content. If you have children these apps are a must-buy and I’ve never known anyone to be disappointed with them.”

So you can imagine how excited I am to be able to give away to my readers copies of ALL three of these apps! If you would like to try and complete your collection or win all three apps if you don’t yet have any, please enter via the rafflecopter at the bottom of the page.

Click on the app title to view the app in iTunes.

Bugs and Buttons

The first of the Bugs apps from this developer, is a must for all children at the pre-school level. Like all the bugs apps, Bugs and Buttons combines gorgeous graphics, music, adaptive learning and lots of bugs and puts all these into 18 different mini games that focus on building and strengthening fine motor, counting, patterns, sorting and matching skills. I have THREE copies of this app to giveaway.

Bugs and Bubbles

Those of us who fell in love with Bugs and Buttons couldn’t believe it could be topped and yet, with Bugs and Bubbles, the developer produced something even more beautiful. It builds on the skills your child has been practicing in the first app and also works on colours, letters and shapes. I have THREE copies of this app to giveaway.

Bugs and Numbers

The focus of the latest Bugs app is on math. It takes a staged approach to learning – stage 1 covers identification and matching for numbers and shapes, counting activities and (my favourite) an arcade-style roach racing game which teaches and reinforces left-right concepts. Stage 2 adds tracing, sequencing, comparisons and math with ten and the games in stage 3 cover U.S. currency, time, measurement, patterns, fractions and addition and subtraction. How much content is that?! I have TWO copies of Bugs and Numbers to giveaway.

All of these apps offer tons of quality content at a price of only $2.99 each but if you want to try your hand at winning one or more, then enter via rafflecopter:
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shake-A-Phrase on Windows, name parts of the body, become cheer captain of Sky High, and count with ladybugs with apps from our family-friendly app network.

Please take a moment to read the full app descriptions, and to screen the apps you download, in order to fully understand the features and elements in the app. If you find an app you like, please write a review.

If you are a developer with news or an app to announce, visit the Jellybean Tunes information page.

- Garry Froehlich | Jellybean Tunes

Apps for Little Ones

	Clever Ever ABC by Kalicinscy.com Let your preschooler explore the world of letters through 26 creative watercolor animations. Each illustration is enriched with a sound characteristic for an object and voice of lector. Just tap on the letter and see what’s under it! The game offers two play modes: learning alphabet and recognizing letters. Every correct answer is rewarded. Find the letter and pop colorful balloons! The user interface is simple and intuitive – designed to be child friendly. iPad: $1.99, Google Play: $1.99
	Ladybug Number Count by Busy Brain Media Ladybug Number Count stands out with it’s incredible images – real, beautifully photographed objects and charming scenes. Kids love following the crawling bugs with their fingers! It teaches kids to count by focusing specifically on two things: numeral recognition and number sequencing. It’s simple by design – just the ticket for a child learning to count! And parents will be delighted to hear their child count in three different languages (english, french and spanish – with more to come)! (Watch Video) iPad: $0.99
	Now I Know My Planets by Ideas4Ed Developed with Montessori licensed teachers, the My Planets app gives a basic introduction of our planets to children as young as two years old. This multi-level app allows children to work at their own pace to learn the names, pronunciations, order of planets and general facts about each planet. Perfect for use in home-schooling environments, Montessori classrooms and for parents who want to expose their children to more than basic learning opportunities. iPad: $1.99
	Clever Ever Memo by Kalicinscy.com Clever Ever Memo is an educational memory puzzle for kids. It’s a great tool for developing cognitive skills such as memory and concentration. The user interface is simple and intuitive – designed to be child friendly. It’s so easy to use that kids can play the game by themselves. Keep your kids entertained with adorable hand drawn illustrations and fun animations! iPad: $1.99

Books

Pride goes before a fall by Genii Games Pride goes before a fall is built around a popular African folktale. It tells the story of the cunning animal, Tortoise in his quest to become King of the Animal Kingdom. First, he has to outwit the Strength and Size of two powerful contenders in the Lion and Elephant. Rich graphics with moral undertones for learning good values. Also, users can select from 3 options: Read to me, Read to myself and Auto-Read. iPad: Free (Optional Registration on Start), Google Play: $0.99

I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! and Other Stories – Dr. Seuss by Oceanhouse Media I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! and Other Stories features a trio of zany tales in verse where we’re introduced to The Cat in the Hat’s extended family. Dr. Seuss teaches us the importance of humility, equality and teamwork. iPhone and iPad: $3.99, Google Play: $3.99

Creative Play

Niki and Jazmin’s Sticker Album by Niki & Jazmin Enjoy Niki and Jazmin’s New Sticker Album! There are 3 different scenes in the application which might be already familiar to you from the stories of Niki and Jazmin: Come, play with us! Kids’ room – design and decorate the wallpaper of Niki and Jazmin’s room for your own taste. At the doctors – make the doctor’s waiting room cozier. In the garden – you can plant your own flowers, bushes and trees, so that every insects and little animals could find their home. (Watch Video) iPad: Free

Memollow Coloring Pages by KiooiK Games Choose a favourite character, dip your fingers in a paint and start doodling with all your fingers or invite another person to draw together! Features: beloved pictures to colour from Memollow app, different thematic sets of pictures like “Free Joy”, “Sweet Moments” or “Jolly Machines” and “Draw&Learn” mode – read and spell names of pictures. (Watch Video) iPad: Free + In-App Purchases from $0.99 to $2.99, Google Play: Free + In-App Purchases

Literacy

	Shake-a-Phrase by Artgig Apps Now available for Windows! Learn-as-you-laugh language, vocabulary and creative writing app for ages 8+. (Watch Video) Windows 8: $1.99
	BookBot by Glen Storey Create engaging stories for your child to put together as they learn about sentence structure, key sight words and grammar. You create the story, they rebuild it to make sense. Retell a family event or teach your child something new! StoryBot is an interactive shared reading tool designed by teachers. It’s perfect for use at home or in the classroom. iPhone and iPad: $2.99

Games

Clever Clues by Andrew Tetlaw Clever Clues is an addictive word game that challenges your knowledge and vocabulary. It’s like a cross between a crossword and a word search. Great exercise for keeping your brain active. The perfect antidote for boredom while on the train, plane, bus, car, tram, boat, sidecar or covered wagon. Easy to pick up on your lunch break! Delicious with either coffee or tea. Cuddly in bed on a wintery morning. If you like crosswords, quizzes, word searches , you’ll be hooked on Clever Clues. iPhone: Free + In-App Purchases from $0.99 to $2.99

Cheer Captain by Popular Games Network, LLC Play as Skyler, Cheer Captain of Sky High. She’s hoping to score some major points at Nationals, but first she needs to conquer each city that stands in her way. Travel from your humble school yard to beautiful places around the world. Visit New York City, Paris, Vegas and more! Jump high and fly through the sky as the crowd cheers you to victory. (Watch Video) iPhone: $0.99

Science

From Earth to Space by Chocolapps At what altitude does a helicopter fly? What is the outer core? Who was the first astronaut? Is the Eiffel Tower taller than the Statue of Liberty? Learn about over 60 objects that fly, crawl, swim, or float, as well as monuments from Earth and space. (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad: $2.99

Naming Parts of the Body by Storm Educational Software The science curriculum for young children states that as part of understanding living things and life processes, children should be able to recognise and compare the main external parts of the bodies of humans. The Parts of the Body activity is a way that children can get to know the names of the main parts of the body by putting body parts and labels onto a picture of the body. iPad: $1.99

If you’re working with a child on building spelling and reading skills then you should definitely check out the apps from Reading Eggs, brought to you by the same folks responsible for the Reading Eggs website. Currently their apps are all on sale with a price drop from $2.99 to only 99 cents each. The sale prices are in effect until April 2nd so it’s the perfect time to treat your kids to some educational, healthy eggs in addition to the chocolate ones.

These apps have British, American and Australian accents as well as difficulty settings and support for multiple users.

Click on the title of the app to go to it in the App Store.

Tap the Cat

If you only have enough money to buy one app for younger kids then consider this one – two different levels and nine games in Level 1 (I haven’t made it to Level 2 yet…) including drag and drop tiles to make a word, matching rhyming words, matching letter names to their phonic sound, a cute sight word bunny race and more, including a painting activity just for fun. Great value for only 99 cents.

Eggy Nursery Rhymes

I’m looking forward to trying this with Owen as he finds songs very motivating and he is perfectly able to do the five activities even as a non-speaker. There are fifteen nursery rhymes to choose from and the five activities for each are:

• Sing along – the nursery rhyme is played with animation and words are highlighted while sung.
• Find the word – words in the nursery rhyme drop from the sky on parachute wearing eggs. Tap on the correct words before they hit the bottom of the screen.
• Starts with – a word from the song is shown and your child has to scroll through the alphabet to find the correct letter that it starts with.
• Make the word – drag and drop letter tiles to create the word shown in the picture.
• Make your own – create your own animated nursery rhyme scene.

Eggy Alphabet

For children who know their letters and need practice writing them as well as putting them into context, this is a great app to try as it has so much variety as well as working on both upper and lower case letters. For each letter of the alphabet (both upper and lower case) your child gets to draw it by copying an animated version on screen, using a dot-to-dot method (where visual prompts are gradually faded), drawing free-hand and then there are also letter games where your child is shown a picture, given an audio label of the word and they can then answer whether the word begins with that letter or not. Great fine motor activities and all suitable for non-verbal kids.

These apps offer a lot of repetition which I think is great for those with developmental or learning disabilities but they also strive to make the apps sufficiently varied that the activities don’t get boring. Also included in this one – after completing a certain level of activity then your child can hatch an egg to add a critter to their collection.

Eggy 250

Eggy 100 is a free lite version of this app which you can download if you want to try before you buy.

This one makes a fast and furious game out of learning sight words. Choose one of three environments in which to play the game in and you’re given a word, e.g. ‘her’. Things start slowly – the word ‘her’ is shown at the top of the screen, and eggs with words on them are thrown up and float back down off screen. Tap the ones that have ‘her’ on them. Then the word is removed, the eggs move faster and get smaller and other items like pigs and frying pans are thrown in just to confuse matters. Tap on the wrong item and lose a life. Collect 25 correct words and you can move on to spell out the word you just learned. Better than flashcards any day.

Reading Eggs Spelling Grade 1

There are 6 apps in this series, sorted by grade:

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Grade 6

To get a feel for how these apps work, you can download Spelling Games Lite for free.

All of them offer multiple games which reinforce spelling skills. In the Grade 1 app that I tested there are 10 games:

• Beat the Bomb – spell out a word using the keyboard provided. Guess the correct word within 2 minutes or the bomb goes off!
• Check Mate – this game has you proof-reading and correcting errors in sentences at a newspaper.
• Compound Word Snaps – put together the words that, when combined, make a new word.
• Helping Hands – select the correct suffix in order to make a single word a multiple – e.g. es for boxes and s for boys.
• Hit and Miss – Choose the word in the balloon that completes the sentence – e.g. choose either bare or bear for the sentence “We ran in the sand in ___ feet.”
• Quiz Master – answer a question and complete a word in the time allotted.
• Stop the Clock – complete five sentences within two minutes. Each sentence has a word missing and all the words start with the same letter.
• Two Minute Dash – Complete a Word Wall within two minutes. Words are separated into heads and tails (e.g. ba and con, se and cret) – you have to put the correct heads and tails together to build a wall in the time given.
• Word Factory – In this game, there are letters missing from several words shown. Put the correct letters in place to complete the sentence.
• Word Works – Similar to Word Factory but in this game you are given a sentence and one of the words in it has several letters missing. Your child has to fix the word.

In summary – two free apps and 10 apps discounted by 67%. You can buy ten really good apps worth $30 for less than $10. That’s a great deal!