[November 28, 2012]

New Phonics iPad App Taps Potential For Learning Literacy

Parents and educators may have more and more high-tech devices available to them by the minute, but certain things stay the same, among them, the need for high-quality apps and curricula to teach early literacy and phonics to young children. The team at Mrs. Judd's Games is excited to announce the release of comprehensive early literacy app Crabby Writer: Phonics, Read & Write, the fifth app in this line of teacher-designed games for iPad, iPhone (News - Alert) and other tablets.

Crabby Writer: Phonics, Read & Write is an early literacy game covering letter formation, basic spelling, phonics and practicing the pincer grip, a fundamental previously seen in Mrs. Judd's Chalk Walk app, to develop handwriting and muscle memory. In the setting of a tranquil beach, young learners help a cartoon crab rebuild his castle by collecting shells and other objects and tracing letters in the sand that frm recognizable words. Players use the thumb and finger pincer grip; an action frequently overlooked in early childhood touch-screen games, to help Crabby trace words in the sand. A tugboat pulls along three and four-letter words grouped by sounds, rhymes and themes to empower children to make key connections essential for reading. "We hope teachers and parents take the learning off-screen to encourage children to also write in real sand or textural sandpaper," Mrs. Judd says.

As with all of Mrs. Judd's Games' apps, Crabby Writer: Phonics, Read & Write was developed with feedback and consultation from early educators, literacy specialists, speech therapists and occupational therapists, who conveyed to the team their greatest challenges and fundamentals with teaching literacy. "If we had only had this app when we were all learning to read," a Chicago-area reading literacy specialist writes. "What a fun way to read."

Crabby Writer: Phonics, Read & Write is available for the iPad and iPhone and costs $2.99. Mrs. Judd's Games are available at the iTunes App Store and are ideal for children ages 3-7. Each game complements specific U.S. Common Core State Standards. Join in the conversation and connect with Mrs. Judd Games on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest. Stay tuned for news on many more exciting titles in the works.

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