The little guy has been enjoying some great story apps on my iPhone (lifesavers when our wait at the Post Office or grocery store has passed the line from bearable to unbearable).
Ruckus Media Group has created these apps that can be enjoyed three ways:
- illustrated text pages that can be read aloud by Mom
- a “record and play” option which lets him scroll through the pages and record his own description of what’s happening on the page
- a still/video movie narrated by some serious talent
The first app we downloaded was Pecos Bill. I’ll admit that I didn’t know much about this tall tale legend, but I consider myself an expert now! I read the story to LM6 just once, then let him explore the “record and play” option. I was impressed by how much of the story he retained (and how fun his embellishments were!).
Less interactive, but the most entertaining, is the video option. Pecos Bill is told by Robin Williams – you can imagine the fun of his many voices, sound effects, and improvisation from the text; I’ve watched this without The Little Guy, so I could enjoy it fully, without sharing the screen.
The star-studded line-up of narrators for current Ruckus Media apps includes Denzel Washington, BB King, Elvis Costello, and John Cleese, among others. These voices are as appealing to parents as they are to children.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving (through Monday, November 29), Ruckus Media is offering two free storybooks for iPad and iPhone – The Velveteen Rabbit and The Night Before Christmas- both narrated by Meryl Streep. Just click the link above to connect to their site.
Enjoy a little quiet time reading with your kids this weekend, and have fun with the “record and play” and movie options.
That is an amazing lineup of talent! My kids both read Pecos Bill in I think it was third or fourth grade, and it is a great story. This is a great idea to have on your phone in those times of waiting, waiting, waiting.
I started to watch the video and then had to stop – Velveteen Rabbit can always get me crying!
Great idea! I’ll keep that in mind for my friend who have iPhones and who have kids.