The Jellybean Tunes App Report: Volume 21

Welcome to the 21st weekly app report, collecting news and product announcements from the members of the Moms With Apps network. Before we get to the apps this week, I’d like to highlight a couple of new projects designed to help parents find good apps.

First, AppStar Picks is an app catalog for children’s apps. So what sets it apart from other catalogs? It takes the top picks from veteran review sites that you are likely already familiar with, including Fun Educational Apps, Digital Storytime, Applicable2U and Teachers with Apps and presents them in a colorful and easy to use app.

Second, APPraisal (on Facebook) is “… looking for parents and educators who enjoy receiving promo codes for apps. In turn, an honest review must be written in iTunes in a timely fashion. This is one way we can show our support and our thanks to the developers and their apps.”

As both a parent and a developer I know how hard it is to find apps, which is why this App Report exists, so it is great to see these additional efforts. I’m also happy to say we have another diverse collection of apps to share with you this week.

Apps for Little Ones: Recognize musical instruments with Accelerated Learning. Join in on the Voyages of Professor Pelican. Sing along with My 1st Songs Collection. Learn numbers with Learn to Count.

Books: We’re happy to have a pair of titles from Pickpocket Books this week: Super Harry’s Rotten Luck and Choco Gets a Check Up. AppBooks brings an app version of The Waterhole by Graeme Base (New and Noteworthy in Australia). Make sense of the world with Striding Bird, learn about our senses with Doctor W and meet the Honeycomb family with HoneyComb & The Little Mouse.

Creative Play: Bring drawings to life with Magic Doodles. Make up funny fellows with Character Creations. Scary Story Kit (ages 9+) will enhance your storytelling sessions with spooky images and sounds.

Math: Learn multiplication to stop the Invasion of the Moon Monkeys.

Chess: Yes, chess. Chess Academy for Kids teaches basic moves and strategy.

Games: Janes Chalkboard Games 2 includes five new games and is available on the iPad, Nook, Kindle Fire and on Google Play.

Parents: Keep track of all of the little family details with Family & Friends. Scan barcodes to keep track of the physical books your child reads with iReadIt.

DoInk Animation and Drawing has been awarded an Editor’s Choise from Children’s Technology Review. The hard working developers behind Sight Words Hangman, iLuv Drawing Animals and Janes ABCs 123s have all updated their apps with new content. Fraction Math has become a universal app, and the incredibly popular Noodle Words is now available for the iPhone.

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

– Garry Froehlich | Jellybean Tunes

Books

	Striding Bird – An Interactive Tale by Comicorp: Join Striding Bird as he struggles to make sense of the world around him. Follow his footsteps in self discovery and engage in his journey to discover the true meaning of happiness and self-identity. (Watch Video) iPad
	Doctor W by PipilApps: Welcome to the interactive book of Dr. W. The Mysterious Case of the Missing Sense! In this adventure you will have to help the Doctor to find the missing sense, mysteriously disappeared , and with your active contribution on every page of this amazing adventure, learn more about the human body senses , and enjoy this fascinating search for the sensibilities. iPad
	Super Harry by PicPocket Books: Have you ever had a day – or a WEEK – of rotten luck? Harry can’t believe how one boy could have so much rotten luck. So he decides to do something about it…with surprising results. Super Harry’s Rotten Luck is a funny and uplifting tale about how changing your actions can change your luck! iPhone, iPad
	The Waterhole by AppBooks: The original book, The Waterhole by Graeme Base, is an ingenious fusion of counting book, puzzle book, storybook and art book – an exhilarating journey of discovery from the plains of Africa and the jungles of the Amazon to the woodlands of North America and the desert of outback Australia. Our App brings Graeme’s wonderful art to digital life with an animated read through and an array of games to challenge and delight kids and adults alike. iPad
	Choco Gets A Check Up by PicPocket Books: Choco is a little brown pet bunny who loves to learn and do new things. Today, though, Choco has to do something that makes him a bit nervous. He has to go … to the doctor! This whimsical photo book will ease the fears of any child as they join Choco on a visit to Dr. Poppi in his cabin in the woods. Photo pages of a real check-up and a story line based on Fry’s Instant Words add meaning and educational value to the beautiful photos of Choco and his friends. iPhone, iPad
	HoneyComb & The Little Mouse by Marcio Morais: Meet the HoneyComb Family and their magic adventures. These tiny characters have wings on their feet and magical little antennas, and they are always ready to help their friends and entertain the children. Suitable for children in preschool age, this adventure shows solidarity and team spirit. A great history for anyone who loves sweets, pies and candies. iPad

Catalogs

AppStar Picks by AppGrade: AppStar Picks is a collection of over 250 top picks apps for kids reviewed and tested by well-established independent review sites. It offers a large selection of curated apps for kids of all ages – from toddlers to teenagers. AppStar Picks is specifically designed to allow parents, grandparents, teachers and carers to easily find the best apps for kids available via a friendly interface and an amazing smart search engine. iPhone and iPad

Education

	Multiplication: Invasion of the Moon Monkeys by EduGame UK: The Moon Monkeys are multiplying, it’s time to turn the tables! Test your multiplication skills to the limit as you battle to save the world in a thrilling arcade style invasion adventure you just won’t want to stop playing! iPhone and iPad
	Accelerated Learning – Flashing – Musical Instruments by Mercury Learning Systems LLC: Imagine your child able to instantly remember then accurately recall hundreds of objects, their names and unique facts about them with lightning speed. This app focusses on musical instruments. iPad
	The voyages of Professor Pelican by mobix e.K.: Join the inquisitive Professor Pelican on his journeys around the world. Whether it is a farmyard, old temple ruins in the jungle or a valley in the African savannah, Professor Pelican enjoys every new place, finds interesting animals everywhere and loves to listen to the animal sounds … by day and even by night. iPhone and iPad
	Chess Academy for Kids by Geek Kids by Next is Great: Designed for children ages 5 – 99 who want to learn basic moves & strategy and challenge their friends and parents in chess duels, Chess Academy teaches chess in an engaging, step-by-step rewarding way where learning is well balanced with practice. iPhone and iPad
	Magic Doodles HD by G S Phinest: Magic Doodles is an innovative doodling application for kids where doodles you draw come to life with magic. Kids will be amazed when their drawings come to life with animation and sound effects. (Watch Video) iPad

Entertainment

Character Creations by Dave Baxter: Do you like using your imagination to create funny characters? Download Character Creations, using a simple drag and drop interface you can create all the funny looking characters you want. You can then email the characters you have created to your friends or post them on Facebook. (Watch Video) iPhone and iPad

Games

	JANES Chalkboard Games 2 HD by JANES Works Co.: Following in the footsteps of the bestselling Chalkboard Games HD, Chalkboard Games 2 HD brings you 5 more classic games all in a single app. It is “chalk”-full of hours of fun with five classic games all in one app, including: Code Breaker (like Mastermind), Apple Speller (Hangman with a twist), Copycat (like Simon, the classic electronic game), Leapfrog (like Marble Solitaire), and Tic Tac Gobble (Tic Tac Toe with a twist). Except for Leapfrog, all of the games come with 2-player as well as 1-player modes. iPad, Android, Nook, Amazon
	My 1st Songs Collection by Pixel Interactive: From the multimedia team of Pixel Interactive and A-Star comes this fully animated collection of lovely nursery songs that touch on nursery themes like garden, my body, occupations plus favs like ‘Do your ears hang low, Incey Wincey Spider and a touching Cabin Song. (Watch Video) iPhone, iPad
	Learn To Count by Pixel Interactive: What better way for children to learn counting than through rhymes and songs. This cheerful and heart-warming collection will get every child learning to count. Hidden from children who are having fun singing or reciting is the pedagogy that lays the foundation for multiplication skills. While children are counting in two’s and three’s, they are actually learning to multiply without realising it! (Watch Video) iPhone, iPad

Productivity

Family & Friends by Vesta Software, LLC: Families are filled with details. Organize and keep track of them with Family & Friends. Family & Friends uses a clean, easy to use drag & swipe interface. Minimal use of buttons, just use your finger to swipe and drag your way through the app. Track birthdays, clothing sizes, medications, contact information, favorite foods and more. iPhone

Utilities

	Scary Story Kit by Comicorp: Bring traditional storytelling to the 21st century with a toolkit for creating extraordinary scary story telling experiences! Create and edit pictures, select from a range of sounds and use a dynamic screen light that reacts to your voice. NOTE: rated ages 9+ (Watch Video) iPhone
	iReadIt by coderighter: iReadIt helps parents easily keep track of the books their child reads. By simply scanning the book’s ISBN barcode on the back of the book, you can start adding books to their reading list. After adding a book, you can track and rate the books. iReadIt will show you trends and opportunities for challenges (and rewards) in your child’s reading habits. iPhone

App News