What's great about StoryBots for kids, especially the littles, is that they can add themselves as a StoryBot in their very own story. How awesome is that? You can add characters as the teacher and they can choose who will "star" in their story or video. There are multiple stories and videos to choose from online like: The Alphabet Wrangler, Monster Mayhem, A Princess Perfect Day, Shapes, and Animal Songs.
The fun doesn't end there though. StoryBots also has engaging learning videos, ABC videos, and activity sheets.
Now let's get to the FREE apps!
These first few apps are available also on their web service.
StoryBots Starring You Books: There are 42 Premium books (that means you need that Educator login) otherwise you can only create the one free book. Click Login. The library pops up just like online and you have access to these books where students can be the "star". Click the green down arrow to download the book onto your device. TIP: Download the book before you want the students to use it; otherwise, they could spend their entire station time waiting for the book to download. Under the settings > books there is a button to download all the books.
StoryBots Starring You Videos: This works the same way as Starring You Books. Simply login and you will have access to all the videos in three categories: Shapes, Animal Songs, and Classic Songs. Click the purple arrow to download the video and put your character in the video. There is no setting to download all the videos so make sure you have the videos downloaded before placing it in a station. However, I can see myself using these for brain breaks in my 2nd grade classrooms.
Learning Videos: This app takes awhile for my iPad mini to load. However, like ABC they are the learning videos on their website. Some are free and you have to login with your educator account to unlock all the videos at once. The videos are engaging with catchy tunes in different styles of music.
ABC Videos: Tap on the beginning screen to make this app go. It will start with the first letter and move you right through. You will get a video for A, B, and C free. Use your educator account to unlock all the other letters at once. There is a pause and share button at the bottom. Just tap the screen and these appear at the bottom. This is something fun to use whole group at first with your video adapter. At first glance, you think this is only appropriate for PK and Kinder. However, how great would it be to have 1st and 2nd graders listen and see how many "A" words they can identify and write in the "A" video!
The following apps are app only and not on their web service.
Math Racer: Students go through tracks in multiple levels practice their addition facts. Each level has about 4 facts and they must complete a level before unlocking the next ones. Students earn trophies and can choose their medals when they finish a track or level. The game has settings like color and difficulty level. The settings are for each character so this is a great way to differentiate. The Beginner level has kids completing the most basic facts (ex: 2+2). The Intermediate levels moves them up to larger numbers (ex: 10 + 10). The advanced level had them regrouping in the teens (ex: 17+18) and finally the Smarty Pants level is also regrouping with larger numbers (ex: 28+26).
Share Timer: This is an iPhone app, but will work on your iPads. This is truly awesome. First you login of course. Then you choose which characters you want to add to your share timer. The share timer puts all the characters on screen. Choose the time each person gets to share. The app chooses who starts, who goes next, and then counts their share time down as a colored bar goes up as a visual indicator as well! Where has this been all my life? Tapping on the screen will let students go to the next turn, restart a turn, resume a turn, or end.
Memory Match: First, you guessed it - login with your educator account. Choose which level you want, 8, 12, or 24 cards. Start matching. The game randomly puts your characters into different hats or costumes and you try to make a memory match. Easy enough!
Coin Flip: This is an iPhone only app, but will install on an iPad. Here only two kids can flip at a time, but the winner of that flip can then flip with another student (character). The coin is cute because it has their faces on the sides.
Tap and Sing for iPad: This is a cute app where you don't need to log in unless you want more songs! This works like a piano except the keys are bots and you can change what they "sing". You can select songs at the bottom and hit the bots that light up to play the tune. Very cute.
StoryBots Christmas:
StoryBots Halloween:
Beep & Boop:
Kids Radio for iPhone:
Kid Quoter:
Now for the good news!! Want to get started now and not wait around for your educator account to go through? Sign up to get 30 free days with Premium access! Visit the site http://www.storybots.com/summer and use the promo code summer14
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