In response to our IT Training Survey (June, 2014) where we asked “What iPad Apps do you use in your Kindergarten and what Learning Outcomes do they achieve from the EYLF?”, we have a collated a list of suggested Apps.

Hear feedback from Early Learning Educators on the suggested Apps for use with children and what Learning Outcomes these achieve.

Please note: these are only suggested Apps, this list is not exhaustive nor authoritative. Please check the suitability of these apps for your intended purpose. View customer ratings, reviews, IOS compatibility and more about Apps on the Apps Store; https://itunes.apple.com

EYLF Learning Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity

Pic Collage (free)
Feedback from Early Learning Educators;
“Children engage with us while we are doing our observations on the ipads. Children have a strong sense of identity and feel recognised and respected for who they are as we show them their photo and talk about the reasons we took the photo.”
“Children are confident and involved learners as we allow them to manipulate the photos and contribute to the text.”

  • Have a play with Pic Collage; create a photo memory adding stickers, fun fonts and images!
  • Adjust the school setting feature to restrict children from searching for images on the web or being able to see collages shared by others.  Settings/ Pic Collage/ ‘Allow Photos from Web’, ‘Allow Social Features’

NASA (free)
“Children are effective communicators using technology to investigate ideas and represent their thinking.”

  • See how children can explore with the NASA App; discover over 13,000 images, videos, mission information news and stories directly from NASAs website.

EYLF Learning Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world

Captain Plop (free)
“Environmental, sustainability”

  • Join Captain Plop’s water saving mission in this engaging book that teaches children the simple concepts for saving water at home.

Please touch the exhibit (Melbourne Museum) (free)
“Connecting with nature”

  • Discover iconic stories and treasures from Melbourne Museum – Please touch the exhibit. Shake, touch, and tilt the iPad to explore the different science and history themes.

EYLF Learning Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of well being

Victor & Victoria’s Pet Town (free)
“The responsible Pet Program has a great App Victor and Victoria’s Pet Town. We found it useful to reinforce the messages from the responsible Pet Program especially being safe around dogs. A few children were reluctant to approach the dog during our visit so the app was great for them to practice the skills learned in a non-threatening way.”
“Children become socially responsible and show respect for their environment.”

  • Explore Pet Town, an engaging App to reinforce messages about responsible pet ownership and safety around dogs.
  • Enter the name of the child to begin
  • Try activities & earn rewards.

EYLF Learning Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners

We are still searching for a suitable app that links to this outcome, any suggestions please email to info@kindergarten.vic.gov.au

EYLF Learning Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

Touch & Learn – Emotions (free)
“Particularly helpful for children with autism”.

  • The Touch & Learn – Emotions App, focuses on helping children read body language and understand emotions. You can customise the concepts and pictures to play.

Speakazoo (free)

“Great for children becoming effective communicators as you can target particular sounds and grammar.”
Create an account in Speakazoo and discover animals that talk to you! SpeakaZoo includes 20 characters in 4 four natural habitats: The Serengeti, forests, tropics, and underwater.

Cross reference all your observations directly with the EYLF

Teaching Made Easy (document observations) (free download, charges per child profile)
“The Teaching Made Easy program is fantastic resource for teachers to use for planning and has all the EYLF embedded into the program. You are able to add individual children’s photos, print out observations for mid and end of year
reports and the best thing is – to write the learning story in the here and now, whilst being in the classroom.”
“Brilliant app. Free to Download and then a cost of just $1 per child profile. The learning outcomes are all listed at the bottom of the observation. All you need to do is click on the relevant outcome according to the observation. It’s easy!”

Other iPad Apps recommended by Early Learning Educators

2Simple – 2Build a Profile (document observations) (free download, charges per child profile)
“The children engage with us while we are doing our observations on the ipad.” 

Pages (word processer, document observations) (free)
“I like the templates that are on the Kindergarten IT program website.”

Play School Art Maker (free)
“Creating pictures, encouraging children to make 30 second stories adding their own words.”

Baby Sign & Sing – AUSLAN Nursery Rhymes (free)
“Sign Language App, brilliant under Education Royal Vic Institute for deaf & blind.”

Where’s my water? (free)
“Puzzle world of a crocodile who needs the child’s help to get his water for a bath.”

Photo booth (default App on the iPad)
“Lots on self-image and laughter as children can manipulate photos to please themselves”

The little crane that could (free)
“Great for fine motor eye/hand co-ordination”

Lunchbox maker (free)
“A cognitive pairing, memory game.”

Toilet Training for children with Special Needs ($6.49)
“It’s really easy for children to use this app before going to the bathroom”

Word Wagon HD ($2.99)
“Literacy skills, especially letter recognition”

Musical me HD ($2.99)
“Lots of musical interests”

Faces iMake – ABC ($3.79)
“A creative game with awareness of foods and shapes to make facial feature.”

Bugs and Bubbles ($3.79)
“Children are connected with and contribute to their world”

Monument Valley ($4.99)
“Beautiful aesthetic puzzle and logic layered game in 10 levels”

Dexteria jnr ($3.79)
“Fine motor eye hand co-ordination. Lots of pre-writing exercises in fun play”

Zoodle pad ($3.79)
“Fine motor drawing and creating”

Mathlandia ($3.79)
“Numeracy awareness and challenges”

The Wrong Book ($6.49)
“Interactive picture story. Winner of Gold Parent’s Choice Award 2013- mobile apps for ages 3-8.”