Noah loves to read. He also loves technology. So when I can find books that combine both
things, he really enjoys it. When I was around his age, I remember going to the
library and listening to books on tape. I also had some, the kind that would
beep or chime when you are supposed to turn the page. It was always a treat when there was an
opening on for the books on tape. That was also like 25 years ago. Technology has really made many advances since
then. Now children can read books on iPads.
The books interact with them too. Noah also loves animals and the environment.
We recently planted flowers at his school. He had an amazing time. He always
talks about how it is bad to liter and really cares about the planet. I wanted to share with you an app called Mudbuddy. Mudbuddy is an outdoor adventure on your
iPad. You don’t have to worry about if
you live in an apartment or if you just gave your child a bath. I think teaching your child about the environment
is so important. If the environment isn’t taken care of, everyone including
people, animals and plants suffer. We
live in a beautiful area, it would be a shame for the world to lose its beauty.
Here is some information
from the developer:
New
to iTunes in May 2013 and the first in a series, Mudbuddy is a
delightful, interactive storybook app for families who would like to learn more
about the organic world around them and help their children make a positive
impact on nature and our environment. Through simple stories, humor,
and touch-screen interaction, readers can help Mudbuddy, the
very adorable and slightly confused glob-of-mud-main-character, and his friends
learn more about each other and their special abilities. Readers can
manipulate the screens, drag and click, open up new scenes and bring the
characters to life!
Hailing
from Lightborne Studios, a world-class production house and design factory in
Cincinnati, Ohio,Mudbuddy author, Ben Nicholson, and illustrator,
Kurt Koch, have created a new children’s book app which parents are sure to
love and is sure to even have reluctant outdoor enthusiasts – and their parents
– running outdoors to find their very own Mudbuddy and
hopefully plant some seeds of their own.
“It
can be socially disconnecting to use a wireless device. I’m guilty
myself. But tablets such as iPads are interactive tools and should
be used for engagement, and not just for escape,” says Nicholson. “We hope the Mudbuddy app
encourages parents, together with their children, investigate and interact with
the world around them—and make a positive impact too.”
It’s
an app that reads like a book. With charming illustrations accenting
the story’s vibrant and often hilarious verse, Mudbuddy takes
children of all ages to a never-seen underground world of environmental
adventure where rocks talk and mud morphs. Clever situations and colorful
imagery bring this new app book to life with wit and
adventure. Written in language that is fun and silly, parents,
caregivers and teachers can have fun reading this book to children, or they can
have the built-in narrator read the pages aloud. There are
laugh-out-loud sound effects and images too. Mudbuddy also
includes the following themes:
The size of the globe, versus a state, city and neighborhood
The endless activities that occur under our feet
What is the purpose of dirt?
Ways to understand what is silly and why
Discovering how fun the outdoors can be
Uncovering your own special abilities or purpose
The
story lends itself to discussion and engaging your imagination! How
would you feel if you were Mudbuddy? What purpose would you like to
have, that of the seeds, the water, the mud, etc? What colors are
your favorites? Why? Does your belly grumble like
Mudbuddy’s when you eat too much or too little? Did you know that grubs, worms,
bones and moles were under the very ground you walk on? What else is
under there?
“Backyard
Environmentalism means that we can teach our kids about nature by giving them
an appreciation of the things right outside their door,” adds
Nicholson. “We can’t begin to change the world unless we start at
home. Mudbuddy is a vehicle for this message.”
Noah
loves Mudbuddy.
He smiles and laughs the whole time he plays it. I love educational apps, so I know that he is
really learning something when he plays Mudbuddy. We even play it as a family. It
sparks conversations for what we can do to help the planet in real life. He has
become really interested in bugs too. We have made plans to go on a dig and see
what kinds of different bugs we can find.
We love to explore together and learn. He will be so excited to see that
the plant we planted last week already has already sprouted. This app is a must
have for all children. It is so educational and fun. It is not like a typical
educational app that is boring. I don’t
know if Noah even knows that it is actually educational. I would love for them to have another app to come out about different sea and water creatures to expand the
series.
Mudbuddy
is available for iPad in the iTunes store for $1.99 You can download it HERE.
Do
your children like the environment? If
so check out Mudbuddy.
