Now, more than ever, parents are plagued with monitoring the content on their children’s smartphones, tablets, computers and televisions. While it is a good practice to exchange children’s TV-viewing time with more family activities, it is also a good practice for parents to embrace technology because of the positive effects it can have as well. Now that bring your own device (BYOD) polices have been implemented in schools throughout the country, it is important for children to utilize the technology to its fullest.
For instance, there are currently thousands of education and brain-stimulating apps that parents, teachers and students enjoy. So, instead of turning on the TV for your children, turn on their tablets and check out these wonderful education apps.
Sketchpad Explorer is one of the most popular pieces of mathematics software in the world! If your child is between grades one through ten, this is a perfect app for them. Focusing on elementary math, geometry, algebra, trigonometry, calculus and more, Sketchpad Explorer takes numbers and equations and transforms them into animated visuals to promote understanding.
Whether a Spanish-speaking child needs more comprehensive support for the English language, or an English-speaking child wants to learn Spanish, the Oxford Picture Dictionary provides users instant access to the bestselling picture dictionary. This app allows users to access more than 4,000 terms, organized into 12 thematic units, including Everyday Language, People, Housing, Food and Recreation. Remember, it is never too early to introduce another language to children.
With The Poetry Foundation’s official app, users can now fit thousands of poems by classic and contemporary poets in their pocket. From William Shakespeare to César Vallejo to Heather McHugh, your child will be introduced to the culture and beauty of the written word. This app is a great way to help a child’s reading comprehension skills.
From Brain Parade, See. Touch. Learn. is a picture care learning system that replaces all physical flash cards. Gone are the days of buying packs of 3×5 cards to create flash cards for an exam. This app is also great for autistic children.
Based on the children’s books, Aesop’s Fables, Aesop’s Quest is a learning game where the student must remember elements of a famous Aesop story to progress in the game. The game uses reading comprehension to develop cognitive reading skills, and also promotes a hands-on, interactive learning experience.
Although technology has its distractions, there are actually a myriad of educational benefits. And with more BYOD policies being implemented in schools every day, parents should become familiar with the positive impact that technology can have on their children… In addition to family activities, of course.
Author Bio: Jessica Oaks is a freelance journalist who loves to cover technology news and the ways that technology makes life easier. She also blogs at FreshlyTechy.com. Check her out on Twitter @TechyJessy.
Feature image courtesy of Flickr, Jan Persiel.