Preschool Applications and WebsitesOctober 2015
Jayne Clare,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 / Comments
free /
  1. Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame
/ 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.
  1. 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.
  1. 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.
  1. 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.
  1. 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.
  1. Angry Birds
/ Has been used if someone is really upset -- It has helped several kids transition into class.
  1. 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
/ A day in the life of Daniel - daily routines
Self-expression and language development / Comments
free /
  1. Sounding Board
  1. GoTalk Now
  1. BitsBoard Preschool
/ 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!
$ 199
(all will go on 50% off at some point)
$199 /
  1. aacorn AAC
  1. Avaz
  1. Proloquo2Go
/ 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 in English-Spanish - you can switch between English and Spanish in the same app. Grid-based
Fine motor and writing readiness / Comments
free / Tiny Hands / educational apps for toddlers, has several different sorting games that have some free levels or you can purchase the full game
$2.99 / 1.Writing Wizard app
2. / tracing, games, audio, videos
Reading readiness / Comments
free /
  1. Reading Rainbow app
2. Learn with Homer
3. Starfall / 1.hundreds of books, field trip videos, and themed “islands”
  1. Interactive stories, phonics, record own voice
  1. is a great one for letter sounds and recognition

$
Math readiness / Comments
free / Autism ihelp Hands
Tiny Hands / 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)
educational apps for toddlers, has several different sorting games that have some free levels or you can purchase the full game
$4.99
$2.99 / 1.Elmo Loves 123s app
2. Doodle Critter Math app: Shapes / counting 1-20, games, videos
6 key shapes, games, puzzles, activities
Social readiness / Comments
free / 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
free
$
Games / Comments
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



TokenMe is a token board app where you can customize the tokens used and have pictures of what they child is working for
- 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