Super Why! from PBS Kids
PBS is known for wonderful television programs for children. Classics such as “Sesame Street” and “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” share airtime with newer shows such as “Caillou” and “Sid the Science Kid“. A PBS show that my son loves is “Super Why!“. The adventures that the “Super Readers” go on include phonics, learning the alphabet, word pronunciation, and spelling skills. This morning, while we were watching an episode together, I decided to check to see if there was an application in the iTunes App Store for “Super Why!” and I was surprised to find one!
Super Why! from PBS Kids —> 
Here is the full App Store description of the application…
“This collection of four super literacy games provides interaction with each of the four main characters from the TV series: Alpha Pig, Princess Presto, Wonder Red and, of course, Super WHY! Each game focuses on the character’s special word power, intended to help your child gain the power to read!
ALPHA PIG’S LICKETY LETTER HUNT
Help Alpha Pig find his way home by identifying the letters he needs!PRINCESS PRESTO’S WANDS-UP WRITING
First, choose the right sounds. Then trace the letters on your touch screen and get instant feedback when you’ve drawn the letters correctly.WONDER RED’S RHYMING TIME
Find the rhyming words missing from Wonder Red’s word basket.SUPER WHY’S STORY SAVER
Finish each story to save the day. Help Super WHY! complete the sentences that fit the story.LEARNING REWARDS
Kids collect virtual stickers as they learn and can decorate their sticker book with over 50 items.ABOUT SUPER WHY!
The SUPER WHY! app from PBS KIDS was developed by Bean Creative in partnership with PBS and Out of the Blue Enterprises, the producers of the breakthrough preschool series SUPER WHY. The series is designed to help kids ages 3 to 6 with the critical skills that they need to learn to read (and love to read!), including alphabet skills, word families, spelling, comprehension and vocabulary.”
Impressions
My son managed to navigate and find his way around the entire application after only a few minutes. He tends to do this with new apps. It is his way of “exploring” and seeing what parts of the application he wants to start with first. His two favorite literacy activities happened to be led by his two favorite show characters “Whyatt” and “Princess Pea”. “Whyatt” leads the “Super Why’s Story Saver” activity and “Princess Pea” leads the “Princess Presto’s Wands-up Writing” activity. My personal favorite, out of those two, is the “Wands-up Writing” activity. I like how my son hears the sound of the letter, is expected to pick the letter out of a group, is instructed on how to write the letter, and then is given an opportunity to practice writing it. This is great and I hope to see proper letter writing transfer over to his writing on paper.
Below is a short video of my son using the application to help you see what it is like…
Overall I am quite pleased with all that this application has to offer. If your child is a fan of the show then you should consider checking out the application too!
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June Alison
/ March 7, 2010I live in the United Arab Emirates and my daughter absolutely loves this show. I tried to download this game as soon as I saw it. Unfortunately, it's not available in our region. Why does iTunes has such policies where a simple educational game can't be acquired in all regions? It's very frustrating, and I think it is also unfair that kids from certain regions are deprived of some really good games such as Super WHY!
Michael
/ March 7, 2010I have always wondered why some apps appear in the States but not elsewhere. It might have to do with licensing in the different regions. You certainly are right that it isn’t fair. Hopefully it will appear soon.
Michael
/ March 7, 2010I just looked around online and I think you can change the country store in iTunes. Maybe you can set it to the U.S. and gain access to some the apps not available in the U.A.B. Store.