Story Creation Apps for Conversation

I found a few apps that allow children to make up their own stories. The iPad also makes it a fun and easy way for children to start learning the art of creating stories for film and stage. These apps can also be used for descriptive conversation and answering your “wh” questions related to the story. The fact that they are free makes them especially attractive

        

Sock Puppets: This is a cute app and simple to use. The child selects from six character(s), eleven backgrounds and eighteen props and scenery for her story. The child records the conversations for the characters. The puppets automatically lip-synch to the child’s voice.

Ages: 4-7

Developer website: http://my.smithmicro.com

Cost: The basic app is free. Additional charges for extended recording time, more content, importing one’s own background, and to save videos to a camera.

Puppet Pals HD: The characters in this app are attractive and amusing drawings rather than puppets. There are seven fairytale and seven Wild West actors and backgrounds. One has the option of adding actors and backgrounds from one’s photos.

Ages: 4-7

Developer website: http://polishedplay.blogspot.com

Cost: The basic app is free. There are nominal charges for additional characters and backgrounds.

Super Duper StoryMaker Free: This app can be used in different ways. One choice is to tell the story already written in Tell Story. The child can read the text, describe the pictures and talk about the story. The child can change the story by adding pictures available in numerous categories or draw his own with emarkers. I like the simple, pleasing line drawings of the pictures. Text can also be changed by swiping clean the words in the book and typing in one’s own. Another option is for the child to create a story from scratch. The pictures, keyboard and markers are the same as above. When creating a story, the child can also add his own photograph.

Ages: 4-8

Developer website: www.superduperinc.com

Cost: Free. The $4.99 app allows you to save, print, or email your stories but is otherwise the same as the free app. 

Toontastic Create Cartoon: The most appealing aspect to this app is that its first screen states the terminology for story creation: Story Arc, Setup, Conflict, Challenge, Climax and Resolution. Tap on any step to read what that event entails. For instance, tap Setup and the following appears, “Introduce the characters and story setting.” If one chooses, one can remove an event such as conflict or add one. The order of the events can also be switched.

This app offers four scenes from which to select. Characters are selected and then placed on the scene. Characters can be “animated” but not really. What the app allows the child to do is move a few of the characters’ body parts and position on the setting. The animation is a replay of the movements. Conflict is represented by a choice of emoticons.

This app should allow for a lot of conversation when the child needs to talk about the conflict, challenge, climax and resolution of his story.

Ages: 7-9

Developer website: www.launchpadtoys.com

Cost: Free. Additional scenes cost $.99 each. An “all access pass” can be purchased for $9.99.

Apps for Getting Children to Converse

Sometimes it can be a challenge to engage children in conversation. One of the ways I have done so is to use what I call conversational materials. Generally, I look to these products when it is time for the child to integrate what she has learned into conversation. These materials encourage children to verbally interact with me. Now there are apps that can be used to do the same. I have 14 apps that I have categorized as conversation apps. Rather than blog about them all at once, I will discuss two in this post and two at a time in subsequent posts.

         

What’s Different: These first apps ask the child to identify which picture is different. These apps can also be used for same and different concept learning. Four pictures are presented at the bottom of the screen. One of them is different from the rest. The child moves the one that is different into a box on the right side of the screen. When using this app, I would ask the child to talk about why the picture is different from the other three. One could extend the task and talk about why the other three pictures are the same.

Ages: Levels 1---ages 3-5, Level 3---ages 4-6
Ratings: ++
Developer website: myfirstapp.com
Cost: Lite version has eight different series and is free. A set of 12 for each level can be purchased for $1.99 

 

Spot the Differences: I like this app a lot.  I have always liked the challenge of finding what is different in scenes. Wasn’t it the Highlight magazine in doctors’ offices that had us finding hidden objects and scene differences to distract us from the sound of the drill or other children crying when they got their shots?
In this app, two seemingly identical scenes appear side-by-side on the screen. Differences can be found when one compares the details in the scenes. When one finds a difference in each attractively presented cartoon scene, one taps on the scene and a yellow check mark appears accompanied by a ding. If one taps and there is no difference, a red X appears accompanied by a buzz. There are seven differences in each scene. Explaining what is different between the scene’s characters and objects is the conversational task. There are easy, medium and difficult levels for each scene. I tried the difficult level and found that finding some of the differences was challenging.  Another way to use this app is to ask the child to describe the scenes and then talk about what they would do if they were there.

This app can be set to any one of the following languages: English, French, Portugese, and Italian.
Ages: Easy level---ages 4-6, medium level---ages 4-7, difficult level---ages 7+
Ratings: ++++
Developer website: paddix.com
Cost: Lite version has two different scenes and is free. A complete set of 15 can be purchased for $1.99.