Create your own DINO TALES learning adventure

It's my goal to raise children who forever see the world as an exciting place where they can always be learning.  That means that I am forever on the hunt for new and exciting ways that my children can learn.  I love when I am able to find a subject that fits their interest and is also presented in such a fun fashion that they don't immediately recognize that they are learning.

With the DINO TALES app, available in the App Store, your child can not only enjoy a fun learning experience - but create their own story! “The game combines a fun exploratory world with a beautiful story book to encourage children’s reading, writing, listening and speaking skills.” explains David Miller, award-winning educational expert at Kuato Studios. DINO TALES allows your child to capture their session of play and turn it into a digital storybook.

Aimed at children aged between 4 and 10, DINO TALES is designed to strengthen literacy, reasoning, and inquiry skills - in and beyond the classroom. The game has also been developed alongside pupils and teachers to ensure that language and content are age-appropriate, and that all opportunities for learning have been explored.

Game Features

• Hatch 6 baby dinosaurs to play with and nurture
• Discover an island teeming with prehistoric wildlife
• Use Word Wheels to ask Darwin, the talking dino, any questions you have about dinosaurs
• Explore an epic land filled with caves, forests, rivers and even an erupting volcano
• Enjoy the musical boneyard, river rapids, boulder bowling, lava slides and more
• Unleash your creativity with the Berry Blaster to make your dino stand out from the rest!
• Fill a Storybook with your own Dino Tales, to be personalized and read with others
• Collect loads of fossils and minerals to add to your Treasure Trove

While playing DINO TALES children will uncover a wealth of paleontological facts and fictions, enough to satisfy the most curious of minds. Using the intuitive Word Wheels, children can construct thousands of questions to ask Darwin, the in-game learning buddy, who answers in a child-friendly voice.

Parent Corner

I love this feature within Dino Tales. The Parent Corner is a pin-secure area where you can set your child’s reading age, session length and get email notifications when your child creates a new Dino Tale. It's great that you can customize it to your child and keep up with their app activity.

What others are saying

Fantastic Reading and Dinosaur fun

The kids set their age the minute the start the game and have fun meeting new dinosaur friends on each new level. What I love particularly is the fact that you have the game- which is fun and entertaining but can touch the bottom right corner to ask random "dinosaur facts"--- it's such a great way for kids to raise their confidence for reading as well as teaches them fun new facts to share . Best new reading app I've seen in a long time!! - Jennifer Arcuri

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ABC Games for Pre-K by Kid's Academy

As a mother, I am always on the hunt for educational resources to use in aiding my kids inside and outside of the classroom. Heading into our fourth year of home education, I've found that it's beneficial to use interactive educational tools in the classroom and supplemental programs outside of the classroom. Kids seem to learn better in a creative environment. In fact, my daughter's reading improved when she began using a hands-on, supplemental reading program we found online.  If your child is anywhere from 2 years old to 5 years old - now is a great time to get them started on education apps by Kid's Academy.  Starting my daughter on programs like this age the age of 5 was a great supplement to her Kindergarten reading course. 

Thinking back to my Kindergarten days - I remember the large and colorful alphabet cards that were used to teach me the various letters and their sounds. In those days, personal or school computers didn't exist - so brightly colored alphabet cards were used to grab the student's attention. The visual of the different letters - an apple for the soft 'a' sound and a bright, yellow ball of yarn for the 'y' sound - will never be forgotten.  Though I'm reminiscent of the alphabet cards that hung above my teacher's chalkboard, I enjoy seeing updated alphabet learning tools online.

With the exciting advancements in technology - my children will have their own memories of learning the sounds and how to blend them together to form words. One of the funnest and most effective resources for this is Kid's Academy and their ABC Games for Pre-K (Montessori Phonics-enabled Alphabet HD) available on iTunes and the Android Market.

I enjoy allowing my children to improve their skills or learn something new with online programs and apps because they are animated which grabs their attention and they are interactive. Being able to interact with something gives them a hands-on experience that I find adds to the learning experience and growth.

To this day, my daughter will talk about the different characters and events that were a part of her supplemental reading program.  It caught her attention and made it fun for her.

If you are wanting educational resources, you should also consider the following factors that make Kid's Academy and their ABC Games for Pre-K worth your child's time.

 

-   For kids aged 2-5

-   100+ amusing animations

-   70+ charming characters, exquisite design, and original sounds

-   The app helps to develop their memory and motor skills

-   Kids can learn ABCs at their own pace, they can pick flashcards randomly

-   Parent's Area with Progress Chart and profiles

Keep up with Kid's Academy

Kids Academy   |   Facebook   |   Twitter   |  iTunes   |   Android   |   Pinterest

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

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Ripley's 3 D Moving {Now 4D} Theater -Gatlinburg

Another stop you will want to make while in Gatlinburg is the Ripley's 3-D Moving Theater. It has actually now been updated to 4-D! The kids enjoy rides and movies, so why not add the two together! The moving seats and #D glasses allow you to feel as though you are a part of the movie itself.

We watched the 4-D version of Happy Feet. Of course, you don't watch the entire movie - just a portion. You get to feel as though you are there, sliding on the ice and diving into the water. With snow actually coming at you and the feeling of sliding down the great hills of ice - it is a fun time.

The kids enjoyed it and could probably have sat through and entire full length 4-D movie if those were available.

There are of course various movie options and the choices will change periodically.  So check out the listings and see if anything fits your tastes.  It doesn't take too much of your time and is a thrilling little adventure for the kids.

www.tiffanynoth.com/2012/05/ripleys-3-d-moving-theater-now-4-d

www.ripleys.com/gatlinburg/your-visit/ripleys-3d-moving-theater

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Ripley's Believe It or Not Odditorium - Gatlinburg

Passing by the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium in Gatlinburg, TN – you’re immediately drawn to the, well, odd displays that occupy the entrance. The over-sized heavy equipment tire, the giant granite ball floating on a thin layer of water and the robotic statues made entirely of random parts and items.

The kids immediately began to touch, push and move the granite ball. They were amazed that they were able to easily move something as large as they are.

If items out of the ordinary fascinate you, walking through the Ripley's Odditorium will be an interesting stroll.  Inside you'll find a collection of weird and rare sculptures, creations and facts.  Historical pieces such as a piece of the Iron Wall and a lock of George Washington's hair were among the most interesting and unexpected displays.


The hologram of Robert Ripley, who founded Ripley's Believe It or Not, startled the kids at first.  Then they were caught up in trying to figure out if it was real or a movie.  This picture was actually taken during the hologram display, though you can't see the image of Robert Ripley sitting in the chair.

It's ghostly and eerie - yet fascinating.  He briefly explains what you will see on your journey through the collection and what prompted him to begin such an endeavor.

Take your time while walking through the Ripley's Odditorium.  If a display is set out for you to interact with and take part it - make sure that you do!  


www.tiffanynoth.com/2012/05/ripleys-believe-it-or-not-gatlinburg

www.ripleys.com/gatlinburg

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Titanic Museum - Pigeon Forge

I am so glad that on this trip to the Smoky Mountains, we were able to visit the Titanic Museum. Driving through Pigeon Forge, you can't help but take notice of the breathtaking ocean liner just before the mountain view.

Well, it isn't the entire ship.  However, it is very large.

The museum is located on the main road through Pigeon Forge - you will not miss  it as you drive by.  

Standing next to it, you can only imagine the grandeur of the RMS Titanic.

"The best way to respect and honor those who gave their lives is simple:

Tell their stories..."

Even as you approach the museum, you notice that everything has been done with great care.  It's peaceful.  It's respectful.  The smallest detail was given great attention.

Upon arrival, you will receive a boarding pass.  Each pass represents an actual passenger aboard the RMS Titanic.  In essence, you become that passenger.  Your boarding pass gives history, information and reminds you of the true loss on that fateful night.


Walking through the museum, you will find scaled versions of the ship - showing in great detail all that she had to offer.  A large portion of the museum is made up of items retrieved from the wreckage at some point since she sank.  No pictures are allowed inside the museum, as most items are under copyright protection.  You will be much too caught up in the stories, either on postcards and letters or through the audio tour if you decide to utilize that (and I highly suggest that you do).  If you opt for the audio tour, there is a version for children and a version for adults.  I took the time to listen to both.  They were both very well produced.  You will be able to listen to portions of interviews should you decide to take the self-guided audio tour.  Again, do it. 

Inside, there are recreations of portions of the ship, including the grand stair case.  They have also recreated the Bridge (the room from which the ship is steered) of the Titanic.  From there, you are given a view of what anyone in that room would have seen that night.  The cold, dark sky.  Stepping out into a room created to look like the front of the ship, you will find a real and growing ice berg on the starboard side.  Reaching over the edge of the Titanic in this replicated room, you can touch and dip your hand into the icy waters.  The room is kept at the same temperatures that were experienced that night.  It will instill even more compassion for those who gave up or never secured a seat on one of the few life boats. 

So many displays inside captured my attention and can never be forgotten.  Entering one room within the museum, you will be presented with a staircase enclosed behind a protective window.  Water rushes down the staircase, seemingly filling the room.  For a moment, you have a window - a glimpse into history.

The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge is more than a tourist attraction.  When visiting the area, you should plan spend a few hours walking through and getting to know some of the passengers and their stories.  It took us two hours to make our way through the museum.  I could have stayed another two hours simply gazing at displays and taking in a better reality of that maiden voyage.

Titanic Museum Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Titanic Museum Branson, Missouri

Check out Jaynee's blog - the First Class Maid aboard the Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson, Missouri.

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