I usually stay pretty lo-tech on this blog. On purpose. In real life I love my hi-tech gadgets, but on Kid Baltimore I usually focus on real life stuff. I'm also one of those mean moms, who limits screen time and absolutely refuses to break down and get a dvd player for the minivan. That said, sometimes teaching with technology just plain old works, and I am at a point where I could use a little help.
Math and reading are coming perfectly easily for one of my twins. And perfectly not for the other. I know, I know, I'm not supposed to compare them, kids learn at different rates, blah, blah, blah, but I also know that if someone (okay, fine, he), if he falls behind now, it will be harder to catch up later. He loves listening to stories, but absolutely digs in his heels when it comes to reading and math. They are a chore for him and I want them to be engaging, maybe even fun. I know he's smart, he's just not interested.
Enter, my latest gadget, my ipad. I love my ipad and many of the apps. None stand out as much for learning though as the ones by Montessorium. Their fist app Intro to Math, which is also available for iphones, won me over instantly with its clean interface. The activities are designed for kids from age 2-6, and focus on basic math skills like ordering, identifying numbers, and counting to 10.
I loved it so much, I was giddy when Montessorium agreed to let me test drive their next product Intro to Letters, before it hit the app store. Intro to Letters starts by introducing letter sounds, not names (that comes later) – a Montessori approach, which I think makes a lot of sense. It also has a section that focuses on phonograms, a great pre-reading skill. Last, but not least, a section where kids can record their own voice, repeating back the letter sounds, letter names, or phonograms. And hurray for Montessorium, as of now, Intro to Letters is available in the app store.
So is my little guy making progress? Yes, I think he is, slowly and surely. And having a bit more fun along the way.
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