Now What Baby

6.02.2011

Magic School Bus: Oceans + Giveaway!

Magic School Bus: Oceans ($7.99) - If there was ever a book made for the iPad this is it. Everything that makes the Magic School Bus series so cool has been taken to the max with the amazing app. Now you not only get to enjoy the book but you'll also get a kick out of the narration, the interactive parts (some are even videos), and the games. It is really one of the coolest books I have ever seen in the app world. Your child will truly get so much more out of it because of all the interactive aspects. It has 26 real photos and 11 videos for your child to observe. The marine based knowledge crammed into this app is truly impressive.

Thoughts from a 5 year old: He really loves this app - it is so exciting to him to learn about all the undersea creatures. He gets a big kick out of the characters (there are 20 different voices) and the story too. Having each word highlighted as it is narrated is wonderful for him since he is just beginning to read.

Thoughts from a 2 year old: He loves this book too! He finds it hilarious when the bus drives straight into the ocean. He loves to touch the characters and listen to them talk. The videos are his favorite -he will watch them on repeat!

Mom's Take: I have always loved the Magic School Bus series - it was one of my childhood favs. I loved the idea of being able to go to all those places on a bus - not to mention really enjoyed Ms. Frizzle's outfit choices. It is really cool to see the book come to life for my children. I can't wait to see if they come out with more apps from the book series!

Simply Stated: Truly the best interactive book app for children I have seen yet!

We have 1 free download code to giveaway! To enter to win share with us your answer to the following question: What is your family's favorite Magic School Bus adventure? The deadline to enter is June 9th at midnight EST.

DoodlePhrases + Giveaway!

DoodlePhrases ($1.99) - This app can be challenging at times but it is definitely addictive! You see an image or a moving clip and have to come up with the well known phrase it is displaying. Instead of choosing from a list of options, you actually type in your answer. It will also allow you to choose between beginner and advanced game play.

Thoughts from a 5 year old: This is too advanced for him.

Thoughts from a 2 year old: Definitely too difficult for my little one.

Mom's Take: This is a word game for me for sure - I am pretty much hooked. It's a perfect time killer and can be very challenging. Some of the phrases will have me so stumped I have to check out the facebook page for a little extra hint. It is definitely perfect for helping me survive the boredom on long car rides and it's fun to play with hubby too (seeing who can crack it quicker).

Simply Stated: Fun word game for adults and teens - very addictive and challenging at times!

We have 7 free download codes to giveaway! To enter to win share with us your answer to the following question: Who can give me ONE (or a few lol) word to describe the Appstore! The deadline to enter is June 9th at midnight EST. You can score extra entries by liking Van Nostrum Games on Facebook and/or following Van Nostrum Games on Twitter.

AlphaTots + Giveaway!

AlphaTots ($2.99) -Creating by the same clever minds behind TallyTots, this fun app is a wonderful way to introduce the alphabet to your child. It does more than just say the letter and follow it up with the pronoucaition - it also has a fun activity for every letter. This makes it an app that your child will keep coming back to and have probably no clue how much they are learning in the process. They can even enjoy a sing-along alphabet song.

Thoughts from a 5 year old: He is a little old for the app because he already has learned all of his abc's but he still would enjoy completing some of the activites like building a robot and finding treasure.

Thoughts from a 2 year old: Completely perfect for our little guy. He was hooked from the get go (just as he was with TallyTots) and I would catch him reciting the letters as he went through all the activities. He comes back to the app time and time again - it never seems to get old for him. I have also noticed a great improvement in his letter recognition.

Mom's Take: I am constantly searching for learning apps that my kids will enjoy. This is an easy to navigate and fun app for my child. I love seeing how much he learns and enjoys the app all at once!

Simply Stated: This would be an asset to any preschooler - it is a wonderful teaching accessory!

We have 5 free download codes to giveaway! To enter to win tell us the answer to the following question: "What is about this app that makes you want to win it?" The deadline to enter is June 9th at midnight EST.

I love you through & through + Giveaway!

I Love You Through and Through ($4.99) -Scholastic Book's classic story is something that graces almost every parent bookshelf. This is the story perfect for reading & bonding with your little one and now you can have an interactive version on your iPad. You can choose to turn on or off the narration & music. Your child will love seeing the characters come to life with animations brought on by simply touching and tilting your iPad.

Thoughts from a 5 year old: This was a great book for him to help aid with our beginning reading. It highlights the words as they are being read and makes it easy for him to associate the sounds with the letters. He remembers me reading this to him since he was a baby and really enjoys being able to listen to it whenever he desires.

Thoughts from a 2 year old: He has a ball touching the characters to see what they will do.He will bring me the iPad with the app ready to go and say "let's read mom".

Mom's Take: I love how it takes a story our family has always enjoyed and makes it feel new and engaging. Being able touch and get a response from the book is really cool to my kids. It also makes it easy to bring along one of our favorite books on any trip and no longer do we have to worry about mis-placing it (Daddy would never let his iPad disappear).

Simply Stated: It's a beautiful story and a great addition to anyone child's reading library!

We have 1 free download code to giveaway! To enter to win tell us the answer to the following question: "What is your favorite childhood book & why?" The deadline to enter is June 9th at midnight EST.

Shape-O ABC's + Giveaway

Shape-O ABC's ($1.99) - Composed of over 100 puzzles for your young one to put together this is one app they won't tire of easily. Each puzzle has letters built into the completion process - so your child is also learning letter recognition and spelling. With 8 color palettes and graphics with the feel of craft papers and wood - this is a beautifully designed app. The voice overs are great learning assets and the encouragement given for each completed puzzle are great for your developing child.

Thoughts from a 5 year old: He was a champ at the puzzle construction and really got into putting the letters for each image into place. He would actually start to retain the way to spell words just from putting together the puzzles. I was floored.

Thoughts from a 2 year old: He really likes putting together the various puzzles and it will keep him engaged for some impressively long stretches of time. This is a mom must have!
Mom's Take: I am really impressed with the graphics and the versatility of this app. It is great for both of my children and the ability to customize the difficulty is a genius feature.

Simply Stated: I love, love, love this app for my children! It is wonderfully designed and a great way to encourage learning through play!

We have 20 free download codes to giveaway! To enter to win visit Bellamon and comment back with the answer to the following question: "What makes this an app you would like to win?" The deadline to enter is June 9th at midnight EST.

Trouble in Tin Town + Giveaway

Trouble in Tin Town ($2.99 - $4.99) - This wacky turn based strategy game is composed of creative characters and intriguing campaigns. You have 3 different campaigns to complete and to do so you must successfully defeat your enemies. Spanning across 26 levels - it's filled with humor, battles, and toys you loved as a child. Coming soon you'll be able to enjoy multi-player and a whole new campaign with the the Tomorrow Bots!

Thoughts from a 5 year old: I think he would have really enjoyed this game but it had a great deal of reading and he is not a reader yet. He did enjoy watching mommy play and would try to offer bits of strategy advice my way (surprisingly helpful advice too).

Thoughts from a 2 year old: This is definitely too mature for him.

Mom's Take: I was drawn to the unique graphics and characters. The whole cupcake boxer instantly got my attention and any game with a campaign called "The Kandy Kingdom" is something I just had to try. Being new to the defend and battle type of game it took me a minute to get accustomed to but once I got my feet wet - I was a fan.

Simply Stated: It's definitely a creative adventure that will keep you engaged as you wonder what to expect next!

We have 10 free download codes to giveaway! To enter to win visit Jovian Minds and comment back with the answer to the following question: "What Trouble in Tin Town faction will be featured in an upcoming release of the game?" The deadline to enter is June 9th at midnight EST. You can score extra entries by liking Jovian Minds on Facebook and/or following Jovian Minds on Twitter.

Aefo Alfie + Giveaway!

Aefo Alfie ($0.99) - If your a fan of the whole hidden object game - this is right up your alley. Search for Alfie on his trek across Europe and North America. You can even enjoy the same scenes multiple times - as Alfie tends to get lost in different locations. You can also earn a gold tick for finding in all 5 places!

Thoughts from a 5 year old: It was pretty tough for him at times - he would try to tough it out and sometimes be successful at finding Alfie. More often then not it was just a bit out of his league at the moment.

Thoughts from a 2 year old: Way too advanced for this little guy - he didn't have a clue how to find Alfie, although he did enjoy pointing out other items he would catch sight of in each scene.

Mom's Take: I loved it. I would spend far too much time searching for Alfie. I enjoyed traveling the world with him and certainly found it to be pretty challenging at times.

Simply Stated: If you like Where's Waldo - this app is a must have!

We have 9 free download codes to giveaway! To enter to win share with us your answer to the following question: Who can give me ONE (or a few lol) word to describe the Appstore! The deadline to enter is June 9th at midnight EST. You can score extra entries by liking Van Nostrum Games on Facebook and/or following Van Nostrum Games on Twitter.

WordGirl Word Hunt + Givwaway!

WordGirl Word Hunt ($0.99) - Help WordGirl through 40 levels filled with vocabulary building skills. The app has over 100 word definitions and they are cleverly built into the game. You get to use tilting to help her fly through her superhero missions and also of course - your newly learned vocabulary words!

Thoughts from a 5 year old: This was just perfect for him. I could rapidly notice his vocabulary improving and he also really enjoyed playing it. He loved that it had spy references like eavesdropping and he had a great time avoiding the obstacles.

Thoughts from a 2 year old: Although I don't think he had a clue what he was doing when he would play - he still likes to play this app. Perhaps it's the super hero aspect that appeals to him but he opts to play it on my phone time and time again.

Mom's Take: It was a wonderful blend of a show my kids love, learning, and addictive game play. I am happy to hear it in the background and know that they are getting some brain food even if they have no clue.

Simply Stated: Great learning app - it makes a game out of it!

We have 1 free download code to giveaway! To enter to win share with us your answer to the following question: What is the importance of reading for you and your family? The deadline to enter is June 9th at midnight EST.

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6.02.2011