New Apps To Try

 We tried 2 new apps for the iPad this week: Scene and Heard (lite/free version) and Thinkin' Things, Collection 1.
Scene and Heard is an interesting program that lets you take pictures and record sentences about them. So far, James likes tapping the images already loaded into the program. I am hoping that by summer, he and his sister can build on this. It would be a great way for James to build his expressive language.

Bonus, it blends in with the picture schedulers he's used to seeing at school.


Thinkin' Things is a collection of games he met in his first grade classroom. He finally was able to ask specifically for this application last week, after an attempted visit to his old classroom didn't work out .... and he had a huge, Hulky, howling, meltdown. I figured that if he could pull himself back together after that extreme disappointment and form a calm and articulate request, by golly that deserved an attempt to get this thing!

It's older software, by a company that's been acquired, so it took a little sleuthing to track it down online. There are 3 collections, and James was Very Firm that what he wanted was collection 1. How lucky for us that this seems to be the one collection that's downloadable to the iPad. You can find CD ROMS on Amazon or elsewhere, but as my DVD drive died last month, they are not options for us at this time.

I had best results by conducting a Google Search using the following terms: "Thinkin Things, Edmark, Mackiev" -- and in the iPad App Store I had to search under "Mackiev" to find the app. Was it worth it? Definitely! His favourite game is the BOX- Flying Shapes. Well worth the $8.99 we paid for the download.

During my original search for this software, I was surprised to see a warm review of all 3 collections on a site for autism resources.


I even have my eye on our next free app to try: Squiggles. It was my code name for James before he was born, because that's what he did for 9+ months!

Yes, because I make informed decisions like that.

Angry Birds in space -- goes without sayin'!

 We're open to more iPad app suggestions too, if you have some.

For the record - no one is paying me to do write this post. This is just us, living our lives.