5 Free Nook Apps for Kids

The way teachers teach and the way students learn has changed over the last several years due to technology.  Instead of students seeing pictures of different landscapes across the world in a textbook, they are now touring those landscapes online with Google Earth.  Instead of teachers having their students put all their work into a folder or binder, they are now having their students create online portfolios to share with their fellow classmates, family and across the world.  

All of this comes with using technology in the classroom.  Whether it be with computers, smartphones or tablets, technology has changed how we teach and learn.  Recently, I picked up the Barnes and Noble Nook HD +.  Over the next few weeks, I'll be reviewing this device and providing more resources on how this device can engage our students and fellow teachers.  To begin, here is 5 free Nook (compatible with the Nook HD/HD+, Nook Color, Nook tablet) apps for kids:

Letter Paper

Letter Paper is a free app that allows kids, or even those learning to write for the first time, the opportunity to practice writing on their Nook.
The app provides the traditional practice writing lines for when kids are learning the basics of writing and differences between capitalized and non-capitalized letters.  With this app, students can practice their writing skills even when a pencil and paper is unavailable.





Learning Gems - Colors N Shapes

Learning Gems - Colors N Shapes is a free app available in the Nook store that lets kids learn shapes and colors in the form of a game.  The game has levels of difficulty, each getting gradually harder the further you get into the game.  Each level asks the player to click on the matching color or shape from the given color or shape displayed.  For example, the game will provide a picture of a triangle and the player must select a triangle from a selection of different shapes.  The game continues on in that fashion while adding in different shapes and colors.  

Math Racer  

Math Racer Addition is a fun math game for kids that requires the player to add different numbers.  At the beginning, the player gets to choose the color race car they want and choose the numbers that want to play with (1's, 2's, 3's, 4's, etc).  If the player chooses to play with 1's, the game will ask the player to do addition with 1's - i.e. 1+2, 1+3, 1+10, etc.  Each time the player gets the answer right, their race car advances to the "finish line".  It will track their score and time so that the player can keep track and try to beat their record.  

Memory Master Lite

Memory Master Lite is a free Nook app that helps kids with their memory skills using a simple card matching game.  The player can choose from 4 cards to start out with and go up 16 cards.

Alphabet Robots HD

Alphabet Robots HD is a another card matching game that helps kids recognize letters by sight and pronunciation.  This can be either a one player or two player game and has different levels of difficulty.  At the first level, it is a simple card matching game.  At the second level, the player matches the pronunciation of the letter (an audio file is one of the cards) to another card that is the letter of that pronounced letter.  With the addition of the audio pronunciation, the player learns how the letter is pronounced and what the letter looks like.



If you would like more resources over the Barnes & Noble Nook devices, please feel free to look at my new Livebinder, Nook for Educators:

Nook for Educators