Dr. Seuss? There's an App for That

These days there are apps for everything. Children are becoming just as fascinated with the iPad and iPhone as adults are, if not more. Oceanhouse Media is looking to harness the technical fascination, and put an educational twist on it. Now, you can have a whole library of Dr. Seuss literally at your fingertips, for less than the cost of the actual book.

History of Oceanhouse Media

Oceanhouse Media was formed in January of 2009, in response to the upswing of interest in apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Now with the iPad, they hope to promote education through a media that appeals to the new generation of techno-enthusiasts. Their first Dr. Seuss app was The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, which appeared at the end of 2009.

Dr. Seuss Apps Available

Oceanhouse Media has several Dr. Seuss classics available in their app store. Look for favorites, such as Yertle the Turtle, Dr. Seuss's ABCs, Hop on Pop, Green Eggs and Ham, and The Cat in the Hat. New e-books are being added on a regular basis. Each are available for less than $5.

For about a dollar apiece, you can also download games based on favorite Dr. Seuss stories. For a little more, download apps that allow you to take pictures with favorite Dr. Seuss characters, or create and send e-cards to friends and family.

In addition the the Dr. Seuss apps, parents can choose other favorite childhood characters, such as the Berenstain Bears and Spookley the Square Pumpkin.

Advantages of Dr. Seuss Apps

The Dr. Seuss Apps for the iPad and iPhone are similar to the LeapFrog programs that went on the market a few years ago. You can choose the "Read to Me" option, which has a prerecorded narrator telling the story. The child can follow along, with each word highlighted as it is said. In "Read it Myself," the audio is turned off. For both options, the child "turns" the pages by swiping his finger across the screen. In "Auto Play," the app reads and turns the pages, as if the child were watching a movie. The child can control his interaction with the book.

Children can learn new words by using the highlighted text option when having the story read aloud. They can make that print-word connection. Also, they can learn vocabulary by touching a picture from the illustrations. The name of the picture will pop up.

Dr. Seuss is also great for teaching children about rhyming words and phonics, and lays the foundation for later study of iambic pentameter in high school. Children love the stories and nonsense words. They will also probably seek out the real books in the library and classroom, as they will be familiar from the Dr. Seuss apps.

The iPad is obviously much larger than the iPhone, which makes the screen size more conducive to reading. It will also be closer in size to the actual books found in libraries and stores.

Disadvantage of Dr. Seuss Apps

Everything has its down side. A huge debate is going on right now over the true benefits of using this new technology with young children. Increased screen time has been linked to childhood obesity, and possibly even ADHD. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children not start watching TV until after the age of 2, and some say these apps are very much like watching TV. Young children are starting to have temper tantrums when not allowed to use the iPhones and iPads.

Parents need to use their discretion with any kind of technology for their children.

Resources:

Dr. Seuss Apps page from Oceanhouse Media http://www.oceanhousemedia.com/products/drseuss/

"Dr. Seuss's "Yertle The Turtle" E-Book For iPhone and iPad Released From Oceanhouse Media" [2010, August 6] PRWeb. Retrieved 10-24-10 from http://www.prweb.com/releases/drseuss/yertletheturtle/prweb4361214.htm

Stout, Hilary. "Toddlers' Favorite Toy: The iPhone." [2010, October 15] NY Times. Retrieved 10-24-10 from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/fashion/17TODDLERS.html?_r=2&hp