iTrace iPad App Review

 Now that Noah is in school he has to write a lot more. His handwriting isn't the best but it is legible.  He is only six but handwriting is something he needs to practice. He knows all of his letters and how to read but he hasn't mastered how tall to make a lowercase t. Sometimes he forgets how long the lowercase p is. He needs to have a way to practice more. I have him write it on paper. If he does it wrong I ask him to try again.  He is always in a hurry so I think that has something to do with it.  I am having him slow down and make sure he is making the letters the proper size. 

He loves to spend time using technology. I think that with the educational apps that in moderation he can use them as a learning tool.  It doesn't replace traditional learning but it can supplement it. A great app called iTrace came out yesterday. It is definitely the answer for us. It teaches Noah about letters and how big they are supposed to be. I am sure it will help him and let him have fun at the same time. I used to teach at a Montessori school  and I know that when a child learns letters they trace them a couple times. They also write them in sand a couple times. It is kind of the same concept but a lot less messy. 

Here is some information about iTrace from the developer:

iTrace Features
- 600+ different rewards
- 50 animated objects
- Supports multiple players
- Saves the entire history of each child's progress
- Supports multiple methods of writing the same letters
- A simple switch adjusts the entire system for left-handed kids
 

Not only does iTrace teach your child how to write letters. It also teaches your child to write words. There is a really cool option where your child can write their name and include their picture. You could do this for other members of your family. It would be a great tool to teach your child how to spell and write different names. iTrace also teaches your child how to write sentences. They do it a few times in a row to help them remember. I love that there is a left handed system. I am left handed and I know how much trouble lefty kids can have in a right hand world.  Practice makes perfect. It also has great graphics  and teaching tools so your child will learn maybe without realizing it. 

I am confident that with iTrace and some practice that Noah will improve his handwriting skills a lot. 

iTrace is available on the iPad for $3.99. You can find it in iTunes here.

For more information please visit the iTrace website.

Fiction or Nonfiction?

Noah doesn't like fiction books. He prefers nonfiction and knows the difference. When I was young I loved fairy tales and fictional things. Noah prefers books about fish, science, and space to name a few. When we go to the library, he always looks for nonfiction books. Of course there are some fiction books he likes but if he had a choice it would be nonfiction books. He loves to learn about new things. He also doesn't like when fish or animals have smiles. He knows that fish do not smile so that would make them fiction. I used to draw happy faces on everything, especially the sun. He doesn't mind if people have smiles. He thankfully likes to watch shows that are fiction like Octonauts and Doc McStuffins but also loves to watch NASA and fishing shows.

Kindergarten Update

Noah is half way through Kindergarten. Where has all the time gone? It seems like only yesterday he was a newborn in my arms. Time flies when you are having fun. I wanted to talk about how he's doing in school. I really like his teachers a lot and I couldn't have asked for better teachers for him. I am so happy that he is in the class he is in. The kids in his class are all really awesome too. He is blessed that he has such a great class. He is doing great in school. He reads at a second grade level. He is really good at math, very advanced and loves to learn. He is an awesome kid and I am so proud of him. He is full of questions and loves space and sea life and is really great. I feel blessed and lucky that he is my son.