Nick Myers is a primary school teacher working in England, and he has a special interest in Early Childhood. Nick created the iPhone app called Guided Play, which helps parents play with their children and teach at the same time.
According to Nick, “The intention is simple, to provide parents of infant children with useful (and fun!) tips to give playtimes purpose. Guided Play covers five areas of sound related activities (drumming, shaking, clapping, speaking and listening), contains 77 activity tips, over 500 key words to use during playtimes, a Progress Summary (tracking tool) and 13 video tips for parents. I’ve done my best to offer parents a worthwhile resource.”
Included in the app are several videos in which Nick explains what you’re working on, and suggests neat ways to play (and teach). Ultimately, the work is up to the parent. This app is a tool for tracking how many times you’ve introduced a concept, how many times the child has practiced it with you, and whether or not they’ve mastered it. What a great way to get a big-picture view of development!
I was a little intimidated at first because I didn’t completely understand what I was supposed to DO here. After watching all of the videos and reading the FAQ’s, I figured out that I am to do what all good parents do with their little ones: play.
The app has suggestions which are motivational and helpful, and the concepts it tracks are enough to get me started. Well, they would be if I was working with a toddler. Which I’m not until grandchildren come along, most likely. And thankyouverymuch.
At $1.99, this app is definitely worth its price. Both first-time parents and those that are old hands can benefit from the structure and suggestions of this app. It’s available in the iTunes store, and I’ve also put it in the Earnest Parenting App Gallery.
Earnest Parenting: help for parents who want to help their children develop.
FTC disclosure: I was provided with a complementary copy of this app for review. All opinions are my own.