Archive for the ‘Children’s apps’ Category

Macaroni & Cheese Chef, Boo-Boo Kisser, Monster Scarer, and Reading Teacher

Posted by allyson on March 27th, 2012

… are just some of the many roles parents play.

I remember when I first learned to read. I remember when the words to my very favorite children’s book, Clotilda,  started to becomes clearer and sounding them out started to become easier.

I think about my childhood often as my oldest daughter, who at three-and-a-half, is starting to remind me of myself at that age. She has learned to write the letters in her name and while she struggles with the ‘Y’ every time, when she finally does get it, the proud look on her face warms my heart. Her interest in books is getting more and more profound. She asks me every day if today is “library day” and points out the Library when we drive through town.

(c) Cass Just Curious Photography

Where do parents begin to teach their kids to read? I think it starts with building a love for books and stories. Town libraries offer free, weekly story-times, some for babies as young as 6-months. We’ve read books before bed nearly every single night since my kids were infants (I’m a bit of a stickler for a routine). If there was ever a night that they didn’t want to read a book (rare!), my oldest would ask us to tell her a story. If we started with anything other than, ‘Once upon a time’ and ended with anything other than ‘Happily Ever After’, we were instantly corrected.


Where does new technology come in? An app is a great way to learn to read. And it’s a guilt-free excuse to let the kids use the iPad! When learning to read books, kids are dependent upon their index finger pointing to words and saying them aloud simultaneously. In most apps, this is done automatically with words highlighting or being underlined while spoken by a narrator. There are also options to turn the narration off so that your child can read alone. Other ways to introduce a love for words and letters is stenciling. Tracing is not only important for recognition, but also for muscle-memory and small-motor control.

Using the iPad as a learning tool not only allows parents to continue the use of a device that has gained popularity with their kids, but it also helps children gain necessary life skills. Reading along with the ponies from My Little Pony or the trucks like Chuck from Chuck & Friends, and reading classic books like Velveteen Rabbit and Thumbelina – these are brands that win with kids and story lines that contain popular, important messages.

Apps today make it easy to build a love of words and stories with your kids. To visit the full library of Ruckus Media Apps, please click here.

App Production 101: A Chat with Susan Hood, Ruckus Story Editor

Posted by ruckusholly on February 14th, 2012

Recently we’ve been delving into the process of App Production.  The other day we heard from Susan Hood, our Story Editor, about the editorial process and she told us how she works with authors, producers, art department and curriculum developers to cook up a great digital storybook.  We enjoyed the post so much that we thought we’d go back to Susan to hear more about her role here at Ruckus and her thoughts about the future of digital storytelling, what makes a good app, what role education has in what we do and more.  Here’s what Susan had to say:

Tell us about your role at Ruckus Media Group.

I’m the story editor and curriculum advisor at Ruckus. I work with our authors, producers, art department and curriculum developers.

As an author, how do you feel about the future of reading given the fact that digital storybooks are becoming so popular?

It’s an exciting time. Digital books complement bound books and the best ones can draw in a new audience. One of our authorsA Present for Milo was telling me that his son was a reluctant reader. Then one day, he realized that he could enlarge the font on an ebook. For him, suddenly, reading wasn’t so daunting! This is one small way digital books can help kids who are struggling. I strongly believe that digital books won’t completely replace traditional children’s books; it’s not an either/or proposition. But together, they can only make reading more popular.

What do you recommend to a parent who is reluctant to get their kids involved with storybook apps?

I’d say, just try them. You’ll like them! And so will your kids. Read the reviews and, just as you look for quality children’s books, look for quality storybook apps. Look for ones that use animation, activities and games to further the story, rather than ones that have games tacked on at the end. Continue to read traditional books with your child and your child will get the message: reading is important and enjoyable no matter what form it takes!

How important is the emphasis on education in digital storytelling?

I think the emphasis should be on creating great stories that take advantage of the medium. Good stories motivate a kid to learn to read. An educational curriculum built into the stories can only make them stronger, but it should be organic and invisible.

What makes a storybook a good one?

Spot the DotA good storybook is age-appropriate, uses interesting language, engages a child’s senses and emotions, invites participation, and is enjoyable for parent and child alike. For very young children, great stories use bright colors, simple, fun-to-say words and lots of repetition. As kids get older, good stories have stronger plots (with a clear beginning, middle and end), richer vocabulary, and more complex art. Grade school kids enjoy branching out, reading different genres, such as information books, folktales, mysteries and so on. 

What makes an app a good one?  Why do you think apps are so popular?

A lot of the requirements for a good story apply to apps as well. A good digital storybook should take all the ingredients that go into a good book and then add the icing on the cake—high-quality music, narration, animation, video and interactivity. I think apps are so popular because they are so portable and interactive. Kids who can’t read can listen to a story anywhere–in the car, in a tree house, wherever. And they put the child in the driver’s seat. Kids can move through the story at their own pace. If they don’t recognize a word, they can tap it and hear it repeated as often as they like.  

What do you think is the future for digital storytelling?

The future looks bright as award-winning authors and illustrators enter the field and the games and activities become more and more innovative. The downside is that the field is becoming more crowded and there are a lot of subpar apps being released. The question is how will parents and kids find the really good digital storybooks? That’s the challenge ahead!

Susan Hood was mostly recently the Children’s Content Director of Nick Jr. Magazine, published by Nickelodeon, and has been an editor at Scholastic and Sesame Workshop. She is also a children’s book author, whose first picture books will be published this fall.


 

Inspiring Children Through Technology at the Darien Library

Posted by ruckusholly on February 10th, 2012

Here at Ruckus Media, storytelling is our priority.  Our mission is to create experiences through mobile devices that entertain toddlers to teens from their fingers to their minds. We are always looking for partners who feel the same way.  Libraries fall into that category, and we are constantly inspired by the strides being made by their efforts in the digital space.  This past October, we joined forces with School Library Journal for a Twitter Party about this very subject.  You can check out the party’s wrap-up.

The Darien Library is one such partner who feels the same way about digital storytelling as we do.  I have read about the tech initiatives that they have created to inspire digital children but wanted to experience them firsthand, so yesterday I headed over to meet with some of the folk behind the scenes to hear more.

The staff agrees that interactive storybooks and apps should not replace traditional books but that both can co-exist and support one another.  Their efforts to teach and inspire children about literacy via digital story-telling are truly inspiring and I want to share some of their educational methods here:

Darien LibraryFirst, I was introduced to an interactive e-book area.  Right in the middle of the children’s section, there’s an iPad mounted on a wall. It’s pre-loaded with an “App of the Day” for young children to experience. Children were gathered around the iPad, exploring its every touch and feel, and watching words and images slide across the screen.  It’s a great way to introduce children to the world of iPads and digital storytelling.

Then I was introduced to their Early Literacy iPad Kits.  Their six available kits to check out include an iPad 2 in a tote bag, pre-loaded with librarian-selected apps and eBooks designed to stimulate early literacy skills. The kits also include informationdarien library for grown-ups on using technology with young children, research on appropriate amounts of screentime, evaluating apps for children, and a list of the librarian-selected apps.

The kits may be borrowed for one week by parents of children ages 2 to 5.  I think these are brilliant and fantastic opportunities for parents and children to explore new technologies and digital storytelling.

They also have a Microsoft surface table, a table top, pre-loaded iPad with specialized apps like Chess.

The library really focuses on children as readers and creators and they offer classes to teach them more about the digital space (the levels go from Little Clicklets, Techplorers and i-Kids).  They realize that there is a current generation of digital kids and they are making every effort to provide the tools they need to be successful.

Lastly, they have just launched an initiative called “Appy Hour” which will give adults a chance to find out how to stay on top of the best apps.  Parents will be able to find out how to find the best apps for kids, for example.

What are your libraries doing to advance children’s technical skills and introduce the world of e-book and apps?  We’d love to hear in the comments below.

Our Newest Partnership Promotes Science, Kids and the Universal Love of Dinosaurs!

Posted by ruckusholly on February 9th, 2012

Dino Dan

Do you have dinosaur-loving kids?  Then you’re certainly familiar with Dino Dan, a Canadian/American television series for children seen in 100 countries around the world.  The award-winning series was created by Sinking Ship Entertainment and follows the adventures of a paleontologist-in-training and his friends, who uncover clues about the past and secrets of dinosaurs.

After announcing our recent partnerships with Cyberchase, which combines digital media with math, SeaWorld, which delves into the wonders of the sea, The Wiggles, which teaches kids valuable skills through music and fun and Crayola, which offers kids creative tools to learn, we are thrilled to announce our partnership with Dino Dan.  The brand teaches kids how to use scientific methods to explore and identify everyday problems.  As you can, we’re onto something here!

We have been granted worldwide English language rights to develop interactive DINO DAN e-books, enhanced e-books, interactive storybooks and story-based applications.   The new Ruckus digital storybooks, designed for children ages 4-8, will expand kids’ knowledge of dinosaurs and develop their scientific thinking and problem-solving skills as they build their literacy skills.  The first three storybooks will be available for mobile devices in April 2012.

To find out more about our upcoming DINO DAN apps, please check out the press release and sign up for our newsletter to stay on top of all our latest news!

 

App Production 101: Words from Our Story Editor

Posted by ruckusholly on February 6th, 2012

In the upcoming weeks, we are going to delve more into the process of App Production, as requested by many of you on Twitter and elsewhere.  We heard direct from Patrick Dorey, our Art Director, about the creative process last week, as well as from Lynn Smith, our Director of Business Development, about how great ideas come to fruition.  Today we’re learning about the editorial process with words from Susan Hood, our Story Editor.  We sat down with Susan to find out more about the editorial process.  Here is what she had to say:

Susan Hood

As the story editor and curriculum advisor, I work very closely with our chief content director, producers, curriculum consultants and art department. So a variety of talents go into the editorial soup! Here’s the Ruckus recipe for cooking up a great digital storybook:

Gather the best ingredients

1. When we decide to do a new digital storybook, we meet with the creators—authors, illustrators and/or licensees (such as Hasbro, SeaWorld or Cyberchase). We learn all about their characters, brands and curriculum goals. We discuss art assets, voiceover talent, music, activities and video clips.

2. We hire appropriate authors and consultants to write original stories or adaptations. As with any story, we may have several drafts until we get a final, polished manuscript.

3. When the story is complete, we work with our curriculum consultants and designers to develop age-appropriate games and activities that go with each story.

4. Meanwhile, any original art is created. We review sketches, revisions and final art and ensure the art works with the text.

Combine and stir

5. The producers create basic storyboards combining text with art assets, video clips and ideas for activities and games.

6. Using the storyboards as a rough guide and working hand in hand with our producers, the art department designs final screens and activities.

7. Meanwhile, voiceovers are recorded and added.

Check the temperature

8. At various steps along the way, everything is reviewed by the creators, our publishing partners and our curriculum consultants and any necessary revisions are made.

9. We consult with our tech team at various stages to iron out any potential programming issues.

Add the special sauce

10. Sound effects, animations and music are added.

Simmer…

11. Rough builds are made and reviewed and refined by our editorial, production and art departments.

And serve!

12. Final builds are submitted to Apple and then released in the iTunes store.

Serves thousands!

 

Susan Hood was mostly recently the Children’s Content Director of Nick Jr. Magazine, published by Nickelodeon, and has been an editor at Scholastic and Sesame Workshop. She is also a children’s book author, whose first picture books will be published this fall.


App Production 101: Words from Our Art Director

Posted by ruckusholly on February 2nd, 2012

In the upcoming weeks, we are going to delve more into the process of App Production, as requested by many of you on Twitter and elsewhere.  First up, we have an explanation of who does what on each project by Pactrick Dorey, our Art Director, based out of our NYC office.  This is a very broad overview and we will try to get more into the specifics in the upcoming weeks.

 

my little pony

Here’s a break down of various peoples jobs that work on each app:

First, dancing pixies sprinkle fair dust on a iPad and speak some secret magic words and with a burst of light, an interactive story book app is born. (Just kidding!)

First,  a producer will work out with the client on the general concept of the app. For instance, if the story is based on an existing TV show episode or an original story, there are particular considerations.

Then a writer will write the original story or adapt it.

Once the story is ironed out, the producer will use it to create a rough storyboard which gets handed off to a few designers.

The designers will piece together story page art using existing images and digitally create some of the graphics from scratch and create animation.

Meanwhile, voice recording will take place and story’s narration begins.

When all the graphics and audio are complete and approved by the client, then everything will go to a team of developers to program the functionality.

At the end, the finished product gets delivered to Apple for their approval.

Once Apple approves it, then they will put the book in the iTunes App Store.

And voila, an app is born!


Ruckus and the Wiggles Join Forces

Posted by ruckusholly on January 23rd, 2012

The WigglesIf you’re like me, you either raised or are raising your children to the sounds of the Wiggles.  From “Fruit Salad” to “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes,” the Wiggles have a song about everything and kids love every one.  But it’s more than that. What’s special about the Wiggles is that these four guys who hail from Australia can really, really sing…and dance.  They’re colorful, they’re entertaining, they’re funny.  As a matter of fact, I enjoyed their music just as much as my kids.  We’d pop the CD in the car, sing our hearts out together and then after I dropped them off at pre-school, I left the music on and kept singing my heart out (without the kids in the car).  That’s how good the Wiggles are!

So, imagine my, and all of our, delight here at Ruckus as we announce a digital partnership under which we have been granted worldwide rights to develop storybook applications for iPhone, iTouch, iPad and Android-enabled mobile devices and tablets!  The first three titles are slated for release worldwide with English language distribution through iTunes at the App store in April 2012, followed by additional Apple and Android releases later in the year.

True to The Wiggles’ philosophy of “Wiggle and Learn,” an edutainment platform that teaches children while they’re having fun, the new Ruckus interactive storybooks will feature The Wiggles’ music, video and educational activities appropriately placed within the narrative stories so children can truly interact with the mobile digital experience.

 

Day #10 of Holiday Free Family Fun with Jenn Jacura

Posted by ruckusholly on December 22nd, 2011

Advent CalendarWe are continuing 12 Days of Holiday Free Family Fun with our friends at ZiggityZoom.  Our tenth guest blogger is Jenn Jacura who  shares her over-opinionated view and tidbits about living with a special needs daughter at Princess Prose.  She leads a pampered, over-indulged life with her geek husband and is fairly certain that the world revolves around her.  You can also find her on Twitter at @PrincessJenn and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/theprincessprose.

When asked how she keeps her special needs child busy during the holidays, Jenn said:

Over the years we’ve created our own Christmas traditions to suit raising a special needs child. This means understanding that many things that are holiday related can simply be too overwhelming for our daughter (taking her to a mall during the month of December?  Ha!  Not a chance).  It also means learning to go with the flow, and leave behind some of the ‘holiday rules’.

We’ve incorporated an advent calendar to help manage the expectations around Christmas.  And part of the advent calendar is breaking that major Christmas rule “Don’t open presents before Christmas day!”.  I can hear you all gasping in shock.  Yes, it’s true.  We allow our daughter to open her presents early and throughout the month of December.  Once or twice a week, her calendar will hold a special card that allows her to open one gift that day.

I think it’s a great practice, that doesn’t have to be reserved for special needs kids, though.  Allowing a child to open one present a week allows them to spend days enjoying it and playing with it before they move on to the next one.  And then on Christmas morning our daughter still gets to enjoy opening her stocking and presents from Santa.

I encourage all parents to take a look at what part of their Christmas routine is stressing them (or their kids) out, and CHANGE it!  I promise that Santa won’t leave you a lump of coal in your stocking if you do.

Visit ZiggityZoom.com for today’s 10th Day of Christmas Free Family Fun Printable Snowflake WORD Worksheet and to win a FREE Ruckus app!ziggity zoom

 

Day #9 of Holiday Free Family Fun with Pauline Campos

Posted by ruckusholly on December 21st, 2011

pauline CamposWe are continuing 12 Days of Holiday Free Family Fun with our friends at ZiggityZoom.  Our ninth guest blogger is Pauline Campos of www.aspiringmama.com.  Pauline M. Campos is a stay-at-home writer mama and a featured www.owningpink.com contributor, an editor on www.bookieboo.com, a book reviewer at www.hippocampusmagazine.com and a writer at the www.anarmyofermas.com humor site.

You can also follow her over on Twitter at @aspiringmama.

When asked how she keeps her kids busy during the holidays, while teaching them about giving back to others, Pauline said:

For us, getting ready for Christmas means watching classic movies like The Grinch who Stole Christmas, listening to Christmas music all day, and counting down how many days are left until Santa comes with our Advent calendar.

But most importantly, I’m trying to make sure our four-year-old understands that Christmas is about giving. With that in mind, we have gone shopping for items requested by a two-year-old on a Christmas Angel tree at her preschool, made a special trip to buy a new toy for Toys for Tots, crafted gifts of appreciation for her teachers, and are sorting through her gently used toys so she can decide what to donate to local charities.

But the most time-consuming activity, of course, is cleaning the house so Santa (and her grandmother who is flying in for a Christmas surprise) is impressed with how clean our house is. Wouldn’t want Santa to think we’re messy, right?

Merry Christmas!

Visit ZiggityZoom.com for today’s 9th Day of Christmas Free Family Fun Printable- fun kids activity-a Word Santa Maze for Preschool Santa Maze for Preschool and a giveaway for a FREE Ruckus app.

 

Day #7 of Holiday Free Family Fun with Ashley Saunders

Posted by ruckusholly on December 19th, 2011

Ashley SaundersWe are continuing 12 Days of Holiday Free Family Fun with our friends at ZiggityZoom.  Our seventh guest blogger is Ashley Saunders of TeachableMommy.com.   Ashley is a Teachable Mommy of 2. When she is not teaching her children or learning life lessons, Ashley is a blogger, foodie, coffee lover, and a book nerd.  You can also follow her over on Twitter at @IrishRed02.

When asked how she keeps her kids busy during the holidays, Ashley said:

If you are like me, keeping little ones busy during the holidays can be a daunting task! I like to get mine involved in as much of the to-do of Christmas as possible. My daughter likes to help wrap and my son uses his muscles to put, or throw, the presents under the tree (thank goodness nothing is breakable!).

We also love a good dress-up dance party. Nothing gets the sillies out like rocking out to our favorite songs.  It’s also a great way to work off any extra holiday treats!

Visit ZiggityZoom.com for today’s 7th Day of Christmas Free Family Fun Printable- fun kids activity, Snowflake WORD Worksheet, and a giveaway for a FREE Ruckus app.