Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/96153
Apps, Software, Video Games & Websites Apps, Software, Video Games & Websites Reading Rainbow PRESCHOOL TO EARLY ELEMENTARY EARLY PRESCHOOL TO ELEMENTARY Pat the Bunny Random House Pat the Bunny of wonadded all kinds Random House derful improvements added all kinds of wonto this extraordinary derful improvements digital update version to Dorothy Kunhardt's of this extraordinary digital update version classic touch and feel of Dorothy Kunhardt's children's book. The classic touchare even more illustrations and feel children's book.include interactive and The illustrations are even more an Easter egg hunt and a interactive and include coloring book. The best an Easter egg hunt and a additions this year are the ability for children to record coloring book. The best themselves reading the book and a camera function that additions this year are the ability for children to record projects the child's face into a mirror. Random House; $4.99; themselves reading the book and a camera function that www.randomhouse.com/kids. a mirror. Random House; $4.99; projects the child's face into Ages 2 to 6. www.randomhouse.com/kids. Ages 2 to 6. This app from Reading Rainbow the popular televiThis app from sion program for the popular televikids presents users sion program for with a magical kids presents users world of floating with a magical islands, each folworld of floating lowing a particular islands,On each theme. each following a particular island, parents can purchase virtual books theme. On each to download. All of the books are of uniisland, parents can purchase virtual books formly high quality (many are classics) and to download. All of the booksMany of them come with fun games to play. are of uniformly highcelebrities. Each island also and are read by quality (many are classics) has come with fun video clips featuring Reading a collection of games to play. Many of them are read by celebrities. Each island also has Rainbow host LeVar Burton in a variety of a collection of video clips featuring Reading fascinating places, including an observatory, Rainbow host LeVar Burton in a variety of a sailing ship and a nuclear submarine. fascinating places, including an observatory, RRKidz; $9.99 a month or $29.99 for six a sailing ship and a nuclear submarine. months; www.rrkidz.com. Ages 3 to for six RRKidz; $9.99 a month or $29.99 9. months; www.rrkidz.com. Ages 3 to 9. Meet NAPPA's Judges ■ Toys – Ellen Metrick consults with major toy ■ Books – Helen Meet NAPPA's Judges Foster James, Ed.D., is a veteran teacher manufacturers on product design. She has created systems ■ Toys – Ellen Metrick consults with major toy to research and evaluate toys' impact on childhood manufacturers on product design. She has created systems development and their therapeutic value for children to research and evaluate toys' impact on childhood with special needs. She therapeutic extensively on creative development and their has written value for children applications needs. She has written extensively on creative with special for play products, including a bi-monthly column for ASTRA (American Specialty Toybi-monthly applications for play products, including a Retailers Association). The lead evaluator for theToy Retailers column for ASTRA (American Specialty Toys 'R' Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids for the years,'R' Us Toy Association). The lead evaluator for 16 Toys Metrick currently Differently-Abled of business development Guide forserves as manager Kids for 16 years, Metrick at the National Lekotek Center, a business development that currently serves as manager of nationwide nonprofit at focuses on accessible Center, children of all abilities. the National Lekotek play for a nationwide nonprofit that ■ focuses – Peggy Brown works children of all abilities. Games on accessible play for for many of the world's ■ biggest – Peggy Brown as an inventor, designer, writer, Games toy companies works for many of the world's creative director and consultant. She's done creative biggest toy companies as an inventor, designer, writer, development for hundreds of games, done creative creative director and consultant. She'sand she writes development for hundreds of games, and she writes children's activity books that promote curiosity and children's activity booksthe TAGIE award for game design, creativity. She has won that promote curiosity and creativity. She has wonthe toy industry. for game design, a prestigious honor in the TAGIE award a prestigious honor in the toy industry. ■ Games – Kim Vandenbroucke is a game inventor and ■ developer, brainstorming facilitator andinventor and Games – Kim Vandenbroucke is a game president of developer, brainstorming facilitator she writes for Games Brainy Chick, Inc. In her spare time, and president of Brainy Chick, Inc. In her spare time, shepromotes using for Educators (www.G4ed.com), which writes for Games for Educators (www.G4ed.com), which promotes using games in schools. She also runs her own game review games inThe GameAisle (www.thegameaisle.com). website, schools. She also runs her own game review website, The GameAisle (www.thegameaisle.com). ■ DVDs – Ranny Levy is founder and president of the ■ Coalition for Quality Children'sand president of the DVDs – Ranny Levy is founder Media. The Coalition's Coalition for Quality Children's Media. The Coalition's KIDS FIRST! initiative reviews and evaluates children's KIDS FIRST! initiative reviews and evaluates children's programming, trains kids to become critical media users, programming, trains kids to become critical media users, and produces the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival. and produces the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival. 28 28 Magazine | Parent and Family • December 2012 Fredericksburg Month 2012 28 Magazine | Month 2012 and former coordinator of library media services for the ■ Books – Helen Foster James, Ed.D., is a veteran teacher San Diego County Office of Education. A recipient of the and former coordinator of library media services for the International Reading Association's Celebrate Literacy Award, San Diego County Office of Education. A recipient of the she's also a book reviewer and author of the children'sAward, International Reading Association's Celebrate Literacy books E is for Enchantment: A New Mexico Alphabet (Sleeping she's also a book reviewer and author of the children's books Bear Press, 2004), and A is for Mexico Alphabet (Sleeping E is for Enchantment: S New S'mores: A Camping Alphabet (Sleeping Bear Press, 2011). S'mores: A Camping Alphabet Bear Press, 2004), and S is for ■ (SleepingVirginia Loh-Hagan, Ed.D., is a multi-published Books – Bear Press, 2011). ■ author, full-time Loh-Hagan, Ed.D., is a multi-published Books – Virginia professor at Ashford University, parttime faculty member at San Diego State University and author, full-time professor at Ashford University, partUniversity of San Diego San a former K-8 school teacher. time faculty member at and Diego State University and She has a of San Diego and Masters in Education UniversityB.A. in Englishand aaformer K-8 school teacher. (K-8) and B.A. in Education/Learning Disabilities (K-12) She has a Special English and a Masters in Education from the Special Education/Learning a recipient of the (K-8) and University of Virginia and is Disabilities (K-12) "Outstanding Woman Scholar and is a recipient of from the University of Virginia in Education" award.the "Outstanding Woman Scholar in Education" award. ■ Music – Michael Berick is the calendar editor at L.A. ■ Parent, where he also reviews children's CDs. at L.A. Music – Michael Berick is the calendar editor He has Parent, where children's music children's CDs. He has written about he also reviews for the Los Angeles Times written about children's music for the Los Angeles Times and Entertainment Weekly, and about music, in general, andmore than 20 years. for Entertainment Weekly, and about music, in general, for more than 20 years. ■ Apps, Software, Websites & Video Games – Allen ■ Rausch has worked for such renowned game developers Apps, Software, Websites & Video Games – Allen Rausch hasEntertainment, Toys 'R' Us, Interplay as Acclaim worked for such renowned game developers as Acclaim Entertainment, Toys 'R' Us, Interplay America. Entertainment, UbiSoft, Riot Games and Nexon Entertainment, UbiSoft, Riot Games and Nexon America. The PC Editor for GameSpy.com (www.gamespy.com) Theseven years, he has also been a contributing author for PC Editor for GameSpy.com (www.gamespy.com) for seven years, he has also been a contributing author for games published by White Wolf and Wizards of the for games published by White Wolf and Wizards of the Coast, a noted columnist-reviewer, and an editorialist for Coast, a noted columnist-reviewer, and an editorialist for publications such as PC Gamer, GameSpot and Gamasutra. publications such as PC Gamer, GameSpot and Gamasutra.