For the past several days I’ve been at the annual Alaska Library Association conference in Juneau, Alaska. It’s my chance to catch up face to face with the other librarians around our vast state and learn a few things from this resourceful bunch.  (Juneau librarians turned books into these beautiful table centerpieces! Cool, huh?)

I was asked to present a pre-conference on new media and young children and here are the resources I shared. The 3 hour session was jam packed with great questions, ideas and enthusiasm. Thanks to everyone who attended!

First the slides from the pre-conference:

This second link is a resource list including references specifically for librarians/educators and others useful for parents/caregivers. The resource link also includes review sites and other online resources. Early Literacy & New Media for Young Children Resource List

Here are the apps we discussed and several others I wanted to share:

• Alphabet of Insects: Oceanhouse Media and the Smithsonian Institution (iPad and iPhone) ECRR2: Reading, Talking
• Animal Sounds- Toddler Fun Game: Innovative Mobile Apps (iPad and iPhone) ECRR2: Reading, Talking (Free with in-app purchases)
• A Story Before Bed iPad and iPhone or Google Hangouts
• Buckle My Shoe (iPad and iPhone, Amazon/Android and Nook for Kids) ECRR2: Reading, Talking, Singing
• But Not the Hippopotamus: Loud Crow (iPad and iPhone) ECRR2: Reading, Talking
• David Wiesner’s Spot: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (iPad) ECRR2: Talking
• Dentist Bird: Literary Safari (iPad and Google Play) ECRR2: Reading, Talking
• Endless Alphabet: Originator (iPad and iPhone, Windows and Google Play/Android) ECRR2: Reading, Talking, Playing
• Everyday Grooves: Fred Rogers Center (iOS and web browser:Play and Learn) (Free)
• Felt Board: Software Smoothie (iPad and Amazon) ECRR2: Talking, Playing, Singing
• Felt Board- Mother Goose on the Loose: Software Smoothie (iPad) ECRR2: Talking, Playing, Singing (Free)
• Good Night, Good Night, Construction Site: Oceanhouse Media iPad and iPhone ECRR2: reading, Talking
• Grow a Reader: Calgary Public Library iPad and iPhone (caregiver support)
• Happy Hippo, Angry Duck (iBooks) ECRR2: Reading, Talking
• Hairy Maclary and Donaldson’s Dairy: Penguin New Zealand iPad and iPhone ECRR2: Reading, Talking, Writing
• ICDL – Free Books for Children – International Children’s Digital Library: ICDL Foundation (iPad and iPhone and web browser) ECRR2: Reading, Talking (Free)
• Keynote (or Power Point, Google Slides, Evernote) to present lyrics or images
• Kindoma iPad and iPhone
• Makey Makey: Joy Labz (desktop)
• Merlin Bird ID: Cornell Lab of Ornithology iPad and iPhone and Google Play ECRR2: Talking, Reading
• Metamorphabet: Vectorpark (iPad and iPhone) ECRR2: Reading, Talking, Playing
• Mil’iq Maaliq-llu Qavartaliyartuk (Milly and Molly go Camping): Kashunamiut School District (iPad) ECRR2: Reading, Talking, Writing (Free)
• My A-Z: Night & Day Studios (iPad and iPhone) ECRR2: Talking, Reading
• Sago Mini Doodlecast: Sago Sago (iPad and iPhone) ECRR2: Writing, Reading, Talking, Singing
• Sago Mini Monsters: Sago Sago (iPad and iPhone) (Amazon) ECRR2: Talking, PLaying
• Skype iPad and iPhone, Google Play, Windows phone or desktop
• Toca Nature: Toca Boca: iPad and iPhone ECRR2: Talking, Playing
• Toca Robot Lab: Toca Boca (iPad and iPhone) ECRR2: Talking, Playing
• Toca Hair Salon Me: Toca Boca (iPad and iPhone) (Google Play) ECRR2: Talking, Playing
• Up to 100 (with wooden numbers): Marbotic iPad Math
• Pettson’s Inventions: Fillimundus iPad and iPhone and Google Play Math
• Toca Builders: Toca Boca iPad and iPhone and Google Play Math
• Inventioneers: Fillimundus iPad and iPhone, Google Play, Amazon Math
• Endless Numbers: Originator iPad and iPhone Math
• Wee You Things: Wee Society (iPad and iPhone) ECRR2: Reading, Talking, Playing
• Winter Is: Auryn, Inc. (iPad) ECRR2: Reading, Talking
• Zero to Three-Let’s Play: Zero to Three iPad and iPhone and Google Play (caregiver support)