Play is much more than fun and games, it’s an important tool for children to develop essential skills. Every child should be able to experience the extraordinary benefits of play every day – especially on the International Day of Play, taking place June 11.
JUNE 11, 2024: In celebration of International Day of Play and to offer toy companies an opportunity to work together to ensure the world’s most vulnerable children have access to play, The Toy Foundation™ (TTF) is inviting companies to donate toys to The Toy Bank. The Toy Bank delivers toys to a vast network of charities, allowing small, medium, and large toy companies to create a meaningful collective impact. Donated product will be picked up quickly and delivered to children in need around the world. https://www.internationaldayofplay.org
Bluebee Pals will collaborate with the Toy Foundation and provide donations through the Bluebee Pal Project. “We are honored to part of the International Day of Play”. This is an exciting opportunity for companies of all sizes to participate in an international campaign. It’s vital for all children around the world to have access to toys that promote play and education for future development. https://www.bluebeepals.com/about-us/
International Day of Play was recently adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to celebrate the power of play, which is a fundamental right that builds resilience, instils confidence, and helps children develop. It is a necessity to invest in diverse, inclusive, and safe play spaces, extending access to all, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized children.
Since 2003, The Toy Bank has provided play to more than 32 million children worldwide.
If you are worried about the apps your child is using, both free and paid, then why not explore our library of age-appropriate curriculum relevant apps? Their apps are teacher reviewed, ad-free and covers key subject areas such as English, Maths, Science and more. Suitable for iOS and Android devices.https://www.educationalappstore.com/parent-app-library
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Parental guidance can add a lot of value to educational apps. Kids need help to build the use of revision apps into their daily practice routine. Knowledge-building apps work best when children are encouraged as they develop independent learning skills. Other apps gain a whole new dimension when parents spend time supporting children as they use them.
The Parental App Library guides you towards the best apps for your child by explaining what each app does and which parts of the curriculum it addresses. The Library goes further — it provides you with guidance to support, help, and encourage your child to utilize apps to maximize their educational development.
We are thrilled to announce the 5 star rating for the Bluebee Pals App by the highly esteemed Educational App Store.
Educational App Store is a discovery, review, and recommendation platform for educational apps and websites. Apps and websites are certified and reviewed by professionally experienced teachers to assist parents and educators in progressing a younger child’s education. In addition, they believe in challenging the status quo of app discovery through trust and transparency. https://www.educationalappstore.com
Bluebee Pals is a mini game and activity app for early learners, pre-k, and kindergarten kids. The app can support its associated range of Bluetooth-enabled physical Bluebee Pals, but this is not essential, and the on-screen Bluebee Pal will accompany kids as they learn.
Bluebee Pals App is free and does not restrict any of its content. There are no in-app purchase or subscription options at all. The app is available on iOS and Android devices.
App Review by EAS: What is Bluebee Pals App?
There can be no doubt that apps have captured the attention of kids. Games occupy their entertainment, and digital learning activities support their education. Anything that motivates and inspires kids is excellent, but we need to be careful that kids don’t concentrate on anything at the expense of other positive experiences.
That’s part of the motivation behind Bluebee Pals. The app’s designers don’t want today’s kids to miss out on the warmth and comfort of a favorite soft toy, so they have combined a fun learning app with Bluetooth-enabled soft toys to merge the digital and physical realms.
As you’ll see in this review of Bluebee Pals, the developers haven’t made it a closed system. Even without extras, the app is a great addition to kids’ devices for fun and learning, especially as the full app is free. http://bluebeepals.com
Bluebee Pals is a free app that can connect to a real-life Bluebee Pal plushie toy but what we really love is that this is not a baseline requirement for using the app. Even without the physical toy, the app is entirely usable.
The app has a good selection of mini games and activities popular with early learners. These have a variety of play styles and learning content. Played independently by a child, some are purely fun while others teach early skills. When an adult joins in, any of the activities can be used for developing knowledge and thinking skills. Bluebee Pals app’s supporting website helps parents know how to do this. https://www.bluebeepals.com/bluebee-pals-app/
We did not use a compatible physical toy during this review of Bluebee Pals, so every feature mentioned is available to you at the app’s basic cost, which is free. Of course, kids might want a Bluebee Pal after playing this app, but the choice is yours, and you would already know something about the Bluebee Pals material and how relevant it is to your kids.
What skills does it teach?
Bluebee Pals app includes learning content covering personal hygiene and daily routines, ABCs, sight words, colors, and other early learning material.
What age is it appropriate for?
Bluebee Pals is designed for kids aged 4+. The upper end will depend on your child’s educational progress and any needs they might have. The app’s features, including the link-up to compatible soft toys, can provide focus and motivation for kids to keep trying. The app’s supporting information provided by teachers, therapists and other educational professionals describe how to do this with tutorials on the Bluebee Pals Website.
Is Bluebee Pals app easy to use?
The text within the app is narrated so that kids know what to do with each activity, and the activities are grouped by rooms in the Bluebee Pals’ house. The house’s playroom contains simple mini games, puzzles, and activities. The player’s Bluebee Pal will involve and demonstrate to the player different routines relevant to each of the other rooms.
The app contains links for parents to help them learn how to support their child’s development in general and using the Bluebee Pal’s app. The information is detailed and informative as practitioners such as the app’s Teacher Ambassador have created it.
The most difficult thing with anything that connects to other devices is making that connection. If you are contemplating getting a physical Bluebee Pals toy for your child, you’ll want to know how easy it is. Fortunately, Bluebee Pals starts with a video explaining how to do this in straightforward terms that, if followed, should not pose a problem. Parents should watch this when they get the app to know how to do it.
How will students benefit?
Kids who just have the Bluebee Pal app will have a fully featured new app to learn with and play. If their parents are watching their spending, kids might be used to seeing their apps cut them off from some of the content, either for lack of in-app purchases or subscriptions.
Bluebee Pals app won’t do this, and kids can play and learn without hitting an educational dead-end caused by a paywall.
How will parents benefit?
Bluebee Pals educates parents. Too many apps do nothing to enlighten parents on how they can use the app to support their kids as they take their first steps in learning. Bluebee Pals provides a wealth of supporting resources ranging from general education to special needs, such as speech therapy.
The supporting information works well with the app’s features but also goes further with practical suggestions and guidance on how to work with kids.
How will teachers benefit?
The ‘educators’ tab behind the protected gateway has loads of information, ideas, and lesson plans. This is not restricted only to classroom teachers but also considers the role of homeschoolers and special education tutors.
These ideas and resources are great starting points to help busy teachers build lessons around and get the most use out of the app and, possibly, a classroom Bluebee Pal toy.
While a physical Bluebee Pal is not part of this review, it is useful to understand how they fit into the full experience.
If you own a physical Bluebee Pal, it can connect to any app on a Bluetooth-compatible device. The toy will then animate and talk as it reflects the sounds from the app. The app connected to could be the one reviewed here, but it could also be a third-party app (such as a favorite bedtime stories app) or a website.
The toy will need the app or website to include sounds or narration as it cannot add speech to an app that does not already have it.
The Bluebee Pals app and physical toy are ideal companions but not dependent on each other.
How much does Bluebee Pals app cost?
Bluebee Pals is a free app without advertisements, subscriptions, or in-app purchases. It is part of a broader ecosystem of learning resources and physical toys, but it is still very usable without any extra apps or purchases.
Is Bluebee Pals app safe to use?
All of the Bluebee Pals app content is suitable for kids of its targeted age group. While there are some external links in the app, these give parents extra information and are behind a parental gateway. Parents need to enter a valid birth year to progress into the parental area.
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As a standalone app, Bluebee Pals is an exceptional mini game app for young kids. These apps are popular with kids who love the not pressured play style of such games. The activities may seem simple and repetitive to you, but too many young kids, they are just what they want.
Other mini game apps might have more content, but it is locked behind in-app purchases and subscriptions, whereas Bluebee Pals gives you everything for free. This makes Bluebee Pals a great addition to an existing app for extra variety or as a way to see whether your kids enjoy this style of app before you do spend money. Either way, your kids will likely continue to enjoy this one.
If you like the idea of your child linking their learning with a soft toy, then look at the app’s supporting cast of lovable soft toys.http://bluebeepals.com
My name is Julie, and I’m a Speech-Language Pathologist. I was super excited to hear about Bluebee Pals and how they can help facilitate communication with my kids! It looks like an incredible product for some of my younger, not yet verbal children. I work in a low-income, rural area of North Carolina, so I’m conscientious about what I use or recommend to these families.
I have been SO impressed with how my kids have responded to Bluebee Pals. I have been getting my feet wet and introduced it to 5 kids on my caseload in the last four weeks. I am happy to share my testimony regarding the positive reaction from my early childhood students. Bluebee Pals are genuinely a practical assistive technology tool to engage communication. http://bluebeepals.com
GREAT APPS TO CONNECT WITH BLUEBEE PALS
One feature I’ve been loving is pairing Bluebee with Epic books or just using youtube to have Bluebee “read” books to kids. It has been so engaging for my little ones, who typically aren’t book lovers. Also, the speed and accuracy with which I can pause a story to review vocabulary, cue for page-turning, ask questions, etc., has been excellent.
I have also found Bluebee to be an effective tool for using songs/nursery rhymes. Some of my kids get hyper-fixated on technology, so using my tablet or phone to play songs is more of a distraction than anything else. Using Bluebee to play the songs has changed the game! I love that I can use his arms to model finger plays/gestures associated with songs (head, shoulders, wheels on the bus, etc.).https://www.bluebeepals.com/apps-bluebee-pals/
Using text-to-speak apps has been a fantastic experience with Bluebee. I have many kids working on greeting others, and it’s been so easy to use Bluebee as a low-stakes “peer” to practice this skill. It also gives me complete control and the ability to navigate practice conversations without my kids feeling like they’re always just talking to me.
I was so surprised to use text to speech, even for babbling sounds! For my kids just learning early sounds, Bluebee could model back reduplicated; CV babbles, which was engaging and impressive for my little ones.
I am still experimenting with pairing Bluebee to communication apps and devices, but this is next on my list. So far, I am so grateful to have received this product!
My name is Kristen Ponce and I am a speech-language pathologist currently working at an early education center with preschool students from the ages of three to five. I have been an SLP for eight years. Throughout my seven years, my caseload has continued to grow and change and now I currently serve our students with significant communication delays with the majority of my students being minimally verbal and communicating through the use of some sort of assistive technology device.I have learned a lot about AAC implementation, strategies, and systems both high tech and low tech.
I am privileged to be a part of an amazing school team of teachers and therapist who are always willing to think outside the box with me and try new supports and strategies. It is my hope that by sharing our ideas, it will help others beginning their own journey into the world of augmentative and alternative communication.
Bluebee Pals Reviews
Bluebee Pals is so engaging for many of my students! Students of all levels and ages request that we use it during language therapy sessions. We use it to request, comment, protest and for social exchanges in both small group and large group sessions! In addition to being great at facilitating communication, it is so easy to use. Just turn it on, connect to Bluetooth and it is ready to go! ~Sara Spisak, Speech-Language Pathologist
Bluebee Pals have been such a fun addition to my therapy sessions! My older students love using it to play music! My students who use augmentative and alternative communication devices (AAC) are so motivated to use their devices when they see Bluebee saying what they said! Almost every student will come to therapy and ask if they can use Bluebee! ~Kristen Ponce, Speech-Language Pathologist..http://Bluebee-pals.com
When I first pulled the Bluebee out I modeled “hi” on my students AAC device. The student smiled and watched. He was very intrigued! He pressed one button and watched Bluebee and let out a little giggle. He started pressing several buttons and watching then started big belly laughing! It was so much fun to watch him see his words through a stuffed animal. Every time I pull it out it is a hit! I can’t wait to use it more throughout our circle time and in more activities! ~Rachel Danley ECSE Teacher
The Bluebee Pal Project, which traditionally donates to schools and special needs organizations, changed its trajectory in a new direction this year. The Bluebee Pals Project extended donations to individual speech therapists who work with large school districts. The positive response and feedback have reinforced years of determination and hard work; our Interactive tech plush companions are an effective, engaging assistive technology tool that supports children in achieving communication goals.
Bluebee Pals is so engaging for many of my students! Students of all levels and ages request that we use it during language therapy sessions. We use it to ask, comment, protest, and for social exchanges in both small group and large group sessions! In addition to being great at facilitating communication, it is so easy to use. Bluebee is user-friendly; turn it on, connect to Bluetooth, and it is ready to go! ~Sara Spisak, Speech-Language Pathologist
Bluebee Pals have been such a fun addition to my therapy sessions! My older students love using it to play music! My students who use augmentative and alternative communication devices (AAC) are so motivated to use their devices when they see Bluebee saying what they said! Almost every student will come to therapy and ask if they can use Bluebee! ~Kristen Ponce, Speech-Language Pathologist.
When I first pulled the Bluebee out, I modeled “hi” on my student’s AAC device. The student smiled and watched. He was very intrigued! He pressed one button and watched Bluebee and let out a little giggle. He started pressing several buttons and watching, then started big belly laughing! It was so much fun to watch him see his words through a stuffed animal. Every time I pull it out, it is a hit! I can’t wait to use it more frequently throughout our circle time and in more activities! ~Rachel Dan, Speech-Language Pathologist.
Today, we introduced Bluebee Pal Hudson, the Puppy, as an assistive technology tool in my speech therapy class. Our 3rd and 4th graders’ speech and language therapy students used Hudson the Puppy to help with verb tenses. Although the students are older than elementary age, they were still engaged with Bluebee and excited to use their sentence knowledge to “program” him, much like they have been working on programming small robots in their stem classes this year.https://www.bluebeepals.com/tutorials/
Before Spring Break:
The students wrote future tense sentences to predict the weather and also what activities they planned during spring break.
After Spring Break:
We reviewed those sentences to see if everything they predicted happened and then formulated new sentences with the past tense verb forms to tell what actually happened on spring break.
How we used Bluebee:
Each student assisted in helping “program” Hudsonusing a Text to Speech App to say at least one of their sentences. The other students had to listen to Hudson to determine whether it was future or past tense.
Engaging with the Bluebee Pal Hudson motivated students who typically avoid writing to participate in the verb curriculum; they heard his voice and watched him speak, knowing they were instrumental in making this happen. One of the students commented, “it is so cool because he is animatronic, and I want to learn how to build one someday.” Programing Bluebee Pal Hudson created a segue to another topic where we will be talking about future careers. My students are so inspired and look forward to researching what it is to be a mechatronics engineer.
I highly recommend Bluebee Pal as a therapy tool for engaging students of all ages!
Allison Cusumano, MS Ed., CCC-SLP-Speech-Language Pathologist
Chestnut Elementary School for Science and Engineering
Bluebee Pals and Whole Group Projects – Creativity with AAC Communication
Allison Cusumano, MS Ed., CCC-SLP: I am attaching whole group pictures and narrative with Bluebee Pals in Pre-K.
What is AAC communication? AAC means all of the ways that someone communicates besides talking. People of all ages can use AAC if they have trouble with speech or language skills. Augmentative means to add to someone’s speech. Alternative means to be used instead of speech. Some people use AAC throughout their life.https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/aac/
High-tech Options:
using an app on an iPad or tablet to communicate
using a computer with a “voice,” sometimes called a speech-generating device.
Connecting a Bluebee Pal to a AAC app on iPad to engage speech
Bluebee Pals Week #1
We worked on following 1-2 step directions to complete a craft related to a topic we had been learning about in small group sessions that week, Bees. Hudson, the puppy, started the group session by talking about bees and asking questions after watching a video utilizing the TouchChat App on an iPad mini. “What do bees eat?” “Do you like bees?” Students raised their hands to help answer questions for Hudson. Hudson used his communication board to request items he needed to complete the craft, especially when Mrs. Cusumano forgot to give everyone gluesticks.https://www.bluebeepals.com/autism/
Bluebee Pals Week #2
Heading into the second week of the Bee Project, during the whole group, the students used their bee puppets made during the previous week to follow directions with location concepts (i.e., in, on, under, between, etc.). Hudson helped tell what each picture card said when the students came up one at a time to move their bee puppets around the garden. For example, “Put the bee next to the purple flower.” https://touchchatapp.com
Allison Cusumano, MS Ed., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Chestnut Elementary School for Science and Engineering
Bluebee Pal instantly placed a smile on my son’s face, and he was utterly amazed how the voice was coming out of the Zebra and the Monkey. It encourages him to use more his AAC device once he keeps eye contact with Bluebee Pals and pays attention to what it’s saying.
It’s incredible how my son Oliver fell in love with the Bluebee Pals. It’s not just a stuffed animal; it gives the child with autism a sense of belonging by having someone that is not unpredictable they can listen to, and eventually, he will communicate too.https://www.assistiveware.com/products/proloquo2go
It is helping him to self-regulate by practicing waiting and listening as well. My son loved the app and used it a lot once it was educational. Whenever my son uses Proloquo2go, Bluebee Pal App, social stories, and reading stories, he expresses joy and definitely thrilled by his Bluebee Pal friend.https://www.bluebeepals.com/bluebee-pals-app/
We have to express our gratitude to the organization and the customer service. Thank you so much for everything you have done for our family!
Hope Haven was founded in 1926, near the height of the tuberculosis epidemic in America, with a mission to serve malnourished and tuberculosis-infected children. Though it opened with just three patients, it quickly outgrew its original facility on the Trout River and, in 1940, moved to a large, white brick hospital on Atlantic Boulevard that quickly became a community landmark. As modern medicine brought tuberculosis under control, a new public health threat emerged – poliomyelitis, one of the most feared diseases of the mid-1900s. At its new hospital, Hope Haven shifted its attention to treating children afflicted with polio. By the 1960s, when the Salk vaccine began to stem the tide of polio victims, Hope Haven had treated more than 20,000 patients.As community needs continued to change, Hope Haven continued to adjust, providing general medical and surgical care for children. In 1980, with major changes occurring in the health care system, Hope Haven limited itself to outpatient services. In 1990, it sold the landmark hospital on Atlantic Boulevard and moved to a purpose-built facility on Beach Boulevard, where its staff treats children and families with a range of educational, developmental and mental health concerns.https://www.bluebeepals.com/bluebee-pals-project-participants/
Today, Hope Haven is recognized as one of the community’s leading nonprofit providers of specialized services for children and their families, and has earned the highest respect from its peers. It serves more than 5,000 families each year. https://www.hope-haven.org
“Thank you for your generous donation of Bluebee Pals to Hope Haven. The feedback on Bluebee Pals has been highly positive, and parents, educators, and therapists are impressed with the response and reactions from children. They are excited about this product and introducing Bluebee Pals in home and academic settings.” Arien Peppers, M.Ed : Hope Haven, 4600 Beach Blvd.Jacksonville, FL 32207
Bluebee Pas Testimonials
“Bluebee Pals are an effective technology tool to engage children in pro-social skills. I introduced this interactive device to my children and in my classroom to discuss important subjects: boundaries, respect, and caring for one another. The children love engaging with Bluebee Pal Riley the Zebra, and I find Bluebee Pals adaptable, user friendly, and compatible with a host of apps. I can play songs for dance parties, tell stories via YouTube videos, and utilize various applications like ABC Mouse.” Apps Bluebee Pals
“I currently utilize Bluebee Pal as a source of encouragement for my 2-year-old during potty training. I use the Speak App to have Parker the Monkey encourage son to go to the potty and praise him when he does. It is an excellent aid, especially during these times where children have minimal contact with their peers.”
Elan Santiago, MS, LMHC-Licensed Mental Health Counselor: Special Needs Children Pre-school Age
2. “The children were in awe of the Bluebee Pals when we introduced them in our classroom. We use Bluebee during circle time during social-emotional lessons. They have opportunities to ask him questions, and we sometimes use him to role-play social situations to model how the students should approach things (asking to play with something, expressing why they are upset, etc.)”
“We also use him in our Calm Down Corner that students utilize when upset or angry. The student will go into the calm down corner, and we will use the Bluebee to help them talk through what they are feeling and offer comforting words. Bluebee Pal is an effective teaching assistant in our classroom, engaging children in communication and literacy.”
Educator: Kiara Moscrip: Teacher Ages 3-7 with Special Needs
“I had the opportunity to see the Bluebee Pals at FAAST/Hope Haven a few weeks ago; it was so fascinating to realize that I could get Bluebee to say whatever I wanted. I brought it home for my 10-year-old daughter Piper to try, and she loved everything about it. She loved how cute the dog was even before setting up the iPad. She loved controlling what it said. We’ve had several friends over, and it’s always the first educational tool that the kids pick up to play with.” Carol Chiang, OTR/L, CAPS, ECHM, CHAMP-Thanks for making such a great product!”
1. He called on students by name to answer questions. (Mia where is the nose?) She was able to find it on Hudson, her communication board, and her craft.
2. He used his communication board to request pieces for the craft and make choices. (I want the red hat.)
3. He commented on each student’s creation. (e.g. I like your snowman!) (That’s a great color!)
4. He even asked for help when he needed it, providing an excellent model for his peers in the group. (It’s sticky, can you help me please?)
I pre-made communication boards for the craft, and also pre-programmed expected comments and phrases in the text to speech app for Hudson, to help the flow of the session. Not all students needed the communication board to request items, however, they were helpful at the end of the session when sequencing all of the steps with Hudson. http://bluebeebpals.com
The students were engaged, attending well, and were excited to work with Hudson again. He is a celebrity when he enters the room now.
Allison Cusumano, MS Ed., CCC-SLP
Chestnut Elementary School for Science and Engineering
School District of Osceola County
4300 Chestnut Street
Kissimmee, FL 34759
Allison Cusumano, a speech therapist, was first introduced to Bluebee Pals while working at Princeton House Charter School for students with autism. The teachers and therapists utilized Bluebee Pals to interact with AAC Devices, modeling the use of devices and communication core boards, reading stories, singing songs, and engaging in social communication in various settings. As the new Program Specialist at Osceola School District, Alison received an overwhelmingly positive reaction to a Bluebee Pal demonstration at an SLP professional development event.
According to Assistive Technology Industry Association, “Assistive technology (AT): products, equipment, and systems that enhance learning, working, and daily living for persons with disabilities.”
Bluebee Pal Pro is a “plush learning tool to learn, communicate, and connect to technology” that comes in a variety of animals and colors. Once connected via Bluetooth to a tablet; Bluebee can add extra engagement to your storytelling experience. Instead of the voice coming directly from the iPad, allow Bluebee Pal Pro to tell your child’s story. It also can be an excellent strategy to use in a group therapy or classroom with one Bluebee Pal or more. The Bluebee Pal Pro can be passed around, so each student gets the opportunity to use this helpful tool. This assistive technology tool is excellent for turn taking, increased engagement, language and learning goals.
Are you working on cause effect activities with an emerging communicator? Bluebee Pal can be an ideal companion for these apps.
Building literacy with Bluebee Pal can be fun and engaging for children with Bluebee Pal. Whether it’s just beginning to expose your student to letters and sounds or building more complex phonological awareness, Bluebee can help build these skills.
Learning daily living skillsis an important part of becoming more independent. Part of what making following steps for daily living more complex and challenign are the step involved. Check out how to use Bluebee Pal with Choice works here https://www.bluebeepals.com/bluebee-news/choice-works-bluebee-pal/
It’s the season for holiday gifting! It can be especially difficult to select quality gifts for young children, and even more difficult to find gifts with excellent educational value that also have that “fun” factor! Look no further…Bluebee Pals are the perfect gift choice for children! They are uniquely suited to engage the interest of little learners, they easily support reading and educational activities, and they make charming friends! Bluebee Pals make stories come to life, encourage listening, speaking, language development, good social skills, and more! They work with any tablet or smartphone, to deliver not only hours, but also years of enjoyment. If the child on your list is also receiving a tablet for the holidays, or already has access to a tablet, a Bluebee Pal gift would be a perfect match!https://www.bluebeepals.com/store/
Bluebee Pals are softly huggable, lovable, plush interactive learning tools/toys that connect via Bluetooth to all iOS and Android devices. They wirelessly pair with all apps with a narrative, which provides endless educational opportunities and entertainment for children of all ability levels. Bluebee’s mouth and head realistically move while speaking, making reading, educational apps, games, and activities so much fun!
Which Bluebee Pal will you choose? Hudson the dog, Riley the zebra, Leo the Lion, Lily the lamb, Sammy the bear, or Parker the monkey?http://bluebeepals.com
With Bluebee, children become immediately more engaged and attentive, and eagerly look forward to focused learning opportunities
20% off Bluebee Pals: COUPON CODE– bluebee20- Enter at Shop Cart
We love to see children smiling and laughing during the Halloween Season. This holiday provides an equalizer for everyone to express themselves through dressing in fun costumes and trick-treating with family and friends. We recommend a few of the below Halloween Apps to share with your children!
First Words Halloween by Learning Touch is a fun universal app aimed at preschoolers that includes 54 Halloween themed spelling words like hat, broom. Each word is illustrated and has sound effects as they are completed. A fun themed way to pass time and teach sight words.
Toca Mystery House by Toca Boca is a fun free haunted house app aimed at elementary school age children where various items you touch have different actions like the mystery noise from the basement or opening drawers to see what you find. This app is a mix of fun without being too scary!
Zoo Train by Busy Bee Studio includes various animals, trains, puzzles, music and alphabet practice. Kids can build trains, make short words and build tracks and even make music! This is a classic that is great for those quick distraction moments with kids and keeps them learning!
Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown by Loud Crow Interactive takes the Great Pumpkin move to new interactive heights. It reminds me of a paper cut book with pop out animation, music by Schroeder’s piano and interactive narration.
Oh Boy! It’s October! My students and I are getting all geared up for plenty of good books and apps! Here are some of our favorites for this month! Grab your Bluebee Pal and try one out! https://www.bluebeepals.com/inclusive-curriculum/
Gather around with your Bluebee Friends and enjoy this classic Halloween tale, complete with the original narration! Create your own avatar and costume, and carve a pumpkin! All of your Peanuts friends are here to celebrate the big event! Will the Great Pumpkin make an appearance? This is a great book to read and discuss, retell, and practice sequencing!
his is a fun app to practice spelling skills! Your goal is to find the gold and capture the outlaws in Word Town! Explore the buildings to complete spelling challenges. Featuring 3 levels of difficulty, you can use the included word lists, or create your own. You can even record your voice to use with your own words. This is an excellent way to easily practice spelling and vocabulary words. For use with single or multiple players. My kids have so much fun, they forget they are learning! You can play this game with your Bluebee Pal by your side!
This is an engaging app for practicing math skills while exploring 8 museums while helping a friendly ghost rescue dragonflies! Unlock rooms and passages as you practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills. Select the skills you want to work on by customizing the activities to suit your needs! Great for problem solving and critical thinking skills!
Happy Halloween 2018! Play the cutest Halloween party games for girls and boys with kitty Sue, puppy Bu and bunny Blu! Make DIY spooky decor and carve adorable pumpkins! Play fun hide-and-seek games with tiny ghosts and slime monsters! Go trick-or-treating with the baby animals! Have fun and enjoy the best Halloween mini games for girls and boys, kids and toddlers!
Halloween Hunt! Jump, casts spells, and capture all of the spooky creatures as fast as you can! This simple and lively action game stars our costumed crusader chasing and capturing each creepy enemy with her magic wand so that the sidewalk is clear for trick-or-treaters! Guide our sorceress through three different levels to collect them all and win!
One of our favorite books to read in October is “Room on the Broom”. We complete language learning activities centered around the book. Read about it here! It is usually available at your local book store or library.
About the book, from Amazon: “The witch and the cat are happily flying through the sky on a broomstick when the wind picks up and blows away the witch’s hat, then her bow, and then her wand! Luckily, three helpful animals find the missing items, and they all return to ride on the broom. But is there room for so many friends? And when disaster strikes, will they be able to save the witch from a hungry dragon?”
Alternatively, go to: You Tube Kids https://apps.apple.com/us/app/youtube-kids/id936971630 to have the book read to you and watch the movie with your favorite Bluebee Pal. Just do a simple search and you will find this and even more narrated books! (FREE).
After reading the book, I let my students play the companion games which are available in the iTunes App Store. There are 2 apps and we love to play both!
There are 8 magical games to play to foster creativity and critical thinking skills, all while having fun! Collect medals while playing the games, which feature all of the wonderful characters from the book! You can fly from star to star making pictures in the sky, help the dragon eat his favorite food, help find things the friendly witch has dropped, and much, much more!
Take control of the friendly witch’s broom and fly across the sky! Collect stars along the way to see how high you can score! Pick up all of your friends, but watch out for the fire-breathing dragon! Catch letters to spell words! What fun!
Technology has transformed a host of industries since its creation, specifically education. Yahoo reports that the global EdTech market projects to reach $181.3 billion by 2025, with a 16.1% average growth year-over-year. The numbers used to be much smaller, but the pandemic has called for the rapid adoption of smart classrooms and eLearning solutions, fueling the need for new online teaching-learning models.
Enabling distance learning
The 2020’s pandemic has led to a global need for distance learning technologies. And luckily, many educational tech tools were already in place—their capacity just needed extra adjusting to accommodate the volume of users. Software like Google Classroom and Adobe Connect aims to emulate the traditional classroom experience, with screen sharing features, virtual whiteboards, and even a chat room for students to interact with other students.
The activity has begun to be more inclusive for students with disabilities. Laura Nota, a professor at the Department of Applied Psychology at the University of Padova, shares how her school has ensured that teachers have the necessary assistive technology tools to even the playing field for their students with special needs. For instance, those with trouble hearing had the online stenotype service. It contained the transcriptions of all their classes.
Bridging the communication gap
Not every student is the same kind of learner, and those with special needs often require extra help keeping up with the lessons. Fortunately, technology is here to help with this aspect as well. Since 2012, the Lawrence school district in New York has been providing their students with free iPads and internet access to enrich their classroom experience. As a pathologist for the district and director of Maryville University’s speech therapy program, Meaghan Goodman has been taking advantage of this opportunity to help her young students communicate. Her department uses tablets that have been installed with videos, text-to-speech tools, and voice recognition apps, to help students understand and express their words better (see below video). In addition, AAC Apps( Augmented, Alternative, Communication) like Touch Chat and JABtalk can also facilitate communication for children with limited expressive language ability.https://web.archive.org/web/20210304065608if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/xVJSUfdK1nM?feature=oembed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVJSUfdK1nM
Immersing Students Through VR Technology
Virtual reality (VR) has many applications from gaming to workplace training and education. VR technology is utilized in classrooms to increase student engage in learning and communication. A great example of this is Microsoft’s Immersive Reader—a collection of tools that help readers learn a new language. While it’s used in many English and other language classes, education reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard and columnist for EdTech Magazine’s classroom beat, Micah Castelo, notes how this VR tool is also designed to support students with dyslexia and dysgraphia. In a space-like environment, the user can focus on pronouncing texts by the syllable.
Teachers have also used VR to conduct virtual field trips. An article on Good Housekeeping has listed over 40 trips you can consider taking your students on, such as the American Museum of Natural History, Bright Farms, and the Atlanta Zoo. Incidentally, VR is also a great way to add a change of scenery to your lessons.
Assisting With Reading:
Reading comprehension isn’t the easiest skill to teach, especially to excitable young kids. However, if the activity was made more interactive and enjoyable, they might be more willing to sit down and learn. Reading apps like Blake’s Reading Egg, FarFaria, and Epic are good assistants to start introducing to young children. They’re equipped with colorful pictures, audio feedback, and other features that can make reading more immersive. Bluebee Pals interactive learning tools connect to any smart device and assist with lessons by speaking the prompts or providing words of encouragement. A huggable plush companion that creates a reassuring and nurturing learning setting at home or school. Bluebee Pals pair with all apps offering unlimited access to special needs, reading, and educational apps promoting literacy and communication. Students watching sing-along or nursery rhymes apps or vidoes can enhance memory and recall at a faster pace. If you can find those accompanied by subtitles that can be ideal.http://bluebeepals.com
Helping Parents Stay Connected
Technology isn’t just used to help kids with their classroom activities—parents and guardians can use it to track their children’s progress too. Several types of software can help with this. One is ParentSquare—an app that streamlines the communication between parents, teachers, and administrators. Whether it’s school-wide announcements or personal remarks on students, ParentSquare ensures that parents and guardians are always in the loop. On the other hand, classroom management tools like Edmodo for Parents are there for easy access to student’s academic performance, from the scores of their tests to which subjects they need help with. For parents and guardians interested in providing supplementary help to their kids, especially if they have special needs, these tools can allow for collaborations with teachers to provide the best education possible. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/parentsquare/id908126679
Technology has created a diverse variety of educational tools, from helping students form sentences to allowing parents to be an active participants in their children’s academics.
Exclusively Written for bluebeepals.com By Jessie Bugg
One of the most endearing traits of early childhood is that magical line between reality and make-believe. It is the space where anything can happen, and THAT is how beloved stuffed pets or dollies come to life. Attachment to stuffed animals can begin as early as before a child’s first year and can in fact with some people, last a lifetime. To a child, stuffed animals or dolls represent living beings that have real personalities, thoughts, and feelings. Observing a child’s interaction with their pets can give you key insights into a child’s world. It is much easier to express worries or concerns with a stuffie, as they are nonjudgmental and will always listen.
Stuffed animals play a major role in children practicing nurturing and communicating with others.
They allow for facilitating the use of new vocabulary, practicing social skills, and rehearsing routines. In addition, they are also a source of learning to self-calm and regulate by providing deep pressure and warmth when hugged or used as a transitional object. Transitional objects are part of a parent’s toolbox in helping children build confidence to try new things or to go from one place to another. Don’t be alarmed if your child clutches tightly to their loved stuffies. The tight grasp is actually a way to provide body input called proprioception that helps ground or seats an individual. Try it yourself by clenching your fists – feel the stability? https://www.bluebeepals.com/apps-bluebee-pals/
Stuffed Animals – Getting The Most From Your Bluebee Pal
The wonderful thing about Bluebee Pals is that they are a ready and able playmate, confidante, and teacher hidden inside a stuffed animal. They can be paired with any device that is Bluetooth enabled or used as a beloved toy unplugged. Try using your Bluebee to:
Rehearse upcoming events by acting out what is going to happen and have Bluebee respond with any anticipated concerns. Children can also rehearse independently by playing an app with your Bluebee Pal as a guide – which helps build independence and confidence.
Master language skills, manners, and turn taking. Simply listening to a story read by Bluebee will help increase vocabulary. We’ve all gone to “tea parties” and I’ve heard that Bluebee loves a bit of cake with his tea. During your party, practice sharing portions. There are many food playsets that have a portion component. Games with definite turns are also a way to teach waiting – although your child can take Bluebee’s turn too!
Using the phone component with Bluebee can add to imaginative and pretend play by having Bluebee communicating directly with your child.
Have your child “teach” their Bluebee Pal how to accomplish something they may struggle with such as getting a haircut or brushing their teeth. We once used a parade of stuffies in habituating a family to getting haircuts by setting up a shop. “Haircuts 5 cents!” Of course, no real scissors were involved (play dough scissors were used), but this allows the child to be in control and regulate the sequence of events.
Allow your child’s Bluebee Pal to express the often confusing and conflicting emotions of a child. Simply ask “Why Bluebee looks sad today, what do you think is going on?” This takes the pressure off the child and gives you a window by having the child respond through their Bluebee Pal.
Dressing Blubee up in clothing helps to build fine motor skills. Baby clothing that can be purchased at a thrift store in sizes 6-9 months’ work well. All sorts of hand strengthening and manipulative skills can be enhanced by outfitting Bluebee……..https://www.bluebeepals.com/general-education/#
Virtual Learning with Bluebee Pals: Teaching Social Skills
With the recent educational focus on remote or distance learning, it can be challenging for teachers and parents to teach social skills in a virtual environment. It’s easier to learn and practice social skills with a partner or group whether it is face to face or via teletherapy. Bluebee Pals are excellent tools to help teach social skills, whether face-to-face or online.
What Are Bluebee Pals?
Bluebee Pals are softly huggable, lovable, plush interactive learning tools/toys that connect via Bluetooth to all iOS and Android devices. They wirelessly pair with all apps and activities with a narrative, which provides endless educational opportunities and entertainment for children of all ability levels. Bluebee’s mouth and head realistically move while speaking, making reading, educational apps, games, and activities so much fun! Which Bluebee Pal will you choose? Hudson the dog, Riley the zebra, Leo the lion, Lily the lamb, Sammy the bear, or Parker the monkey?https://www.bluebeepals.com/bluebee-pals-app/
The Bluebee Pal Website provides a host of free resources for homeschooling and academic institutions. Inside the world of Bluebee Pals, discover our Bluebee Pals Educational App, Curriculum, Techie Rangers Book, and Bluebee Activity Guide. In addition, we created an integrated Tutorial Page from leading experts in early childhood education, speech, and occupational therapy. Our teaching videos include free PDFs on goals and objectives for parents, therapists, and educators. Lastly, don’t forget to visit our App Resource Page, where we recommend over hundred Apps compatible with our Pals. Bluebee Pals compatibility with app activities enhance children’s attention and recall, creating memorable play and learning experiences.
Five core competencies of social and emotional learning:
Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making. Using books, apps, and Bluebee Pals, you can make learning and practicing social skills loads of fun!
The following are some favorites that can be used to teach social skills virtually via your teaching platform with your favorite Bluebee Pal, to address individual student needs.
*Let’s Be Social-Social Skills Development: Includes 20 social skills lessons with the ability to also create and personalize your own lessons . The topics include personal interactions, navigating the community, school behavior, handling change, and social relationships. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lets-be-social-social-skills-development/id1140153485
*Conversation Builder: Targets conversational skills, turn-taking, initiating conversation, and staying on topic. There are 160 conversations to choose from and the student can either initiate or respond to conversations.
*Social Detective: This app covers expected and unexpected behavior, understanding others’ comfortable and uncomfortable thoughts, social toolbox items, and making smart guesses.
*Autism and PDD Picture Stories and Language Activities: There are 5 different themed apps: Friends, School, Community, Home, Family. They contain functional stories depicting children behaving in various situations. At the end of the story select WH questions, yes/no questions, or text match language activities. Answers are automatically scored and the student receives immediate feedback!
*Between the Lines: There are 3 apps for different ability levels. The main focuses are listening skills, body language, and expressions. The app uses real videos, pictures, and voices for a variety of social situations.
It’s December! If you have been thinking about getting a Bluebee Pal for your classroom or child, now is the perfect time! Children’s eyes light up with joy when they receive a Bluebee Pal. As a Speech-Language Pathologist, my students adore them! Bluebee Pals make treasured friends, even as they help teach important educational lessons. Engaging children in literacy and communication are challenging during these unconventional times in education; Bluebee Pals offer a comforting, huggable companion enabling children to learn beyond a screen.
We are offering a discount PROMO CODE bluebee20 at the Bluebee Pals Shopping Cart during this Holiday Season. Bring a smile to a child’s face and purchase one of our talking plush animals as part of your classroom essential tools or buy as a unique gift for your child. Bluebee Pals are a versatile educational tool for all early childhood and special needs children. ENCOURAGING social-emotional skills, reading, singing, and all educational activities at home or in school . Check out all the free resources available on our website. https://www.bluebeepals.com/store/
Bluebee Pals make awesome gifts!
What Are Bluebee Pals?
Bluebee Pals are softly huggable, lovable, plush interactive learning tools/toys that connect via Bluetooth to all iOS and Android devices. They wirelessly pair with all apps and activities with a narrative, which provides endless educational opportunities and entertainment for children of all ability levels. Bluebee’s mouth and head realistically move while speaking, making reading, educational apps, games, and activities so much fun! Which Bluebee Pal will you choose? Hudson the dog, Riley the zebra, Leo the lion, Lily the lamb, Sammy the bear, or Parker the monkey? https://www.bluebeepals.com/apps-bluebee-pals/
Just-for-fun favorites apps that we love to use with our Bluebee Pals:
The Every School Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) is a federal law that calls for a well-rounded (whole child) education and a shifting away from the narrow focus on academics. Under ESSA, teachers go beyond academics to cultivate positive student attitudes, values, and habits. Inter- and intra-personal (or, “social and emotional”) competencies include attitudes and behaviors that affect how students reflect on and apply their learning capacities and skills relative to managing relationships with others. These skills are sometimes referred to as 21st century skills, deeper learning, non-academic, non-cognitive, or soft skills.
“Social and emotional learning(SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.“– The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL).
What are Social and Emotional Skills?
According to CASEL, Social and emotional skills are the tools both children and adults use in social interactions and to manage every day emotional responses. Things like social awareness, setting goals, and taking responsibility for oneself are imperative to maintaining healthy relationships and practicing self-care.
CASEL’s widely used framework identifies five core competencies that can educate hearts, inspire minds, and help students navigate the world more effectively:
Self-awareness: Know your strengths and limitations, with a well-grounded sense of confidence, optimism, and a “growth mindset.”
Self-management: Effectively manage stress, control impulses, and motivate yourself to set and achieve goals.
Social awareness: Understand the perspectives of others and empathize with them, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Relationship skills: Communicate clearly, listen well, cooperate with others, resist inappropriate social pressure, negotiate conflict constructively, and seek and offer help when needed.
Responsible decision-making: Make constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on ethical standards, safety, and social norms.
SEL programs improve students’ social-emotional skills, attitudes about self and others, connection to school, positive social behavior, and academic performance; they also reduce students’ conduct problems and emotional distress.
Bluebee Pals are excellent educational tools that can easily be incorporated in the classroom or at home to help model and build early social skills. Use one-on-one or invite a Bluebee Pal into social learning or peer groups to practice skills such as understanding and using appropriate emotions, sharing, turn-taking, asking and answering questions, making appropriate conversations, showing empathy, and more. Paired with educational apps, Bluebee Pals are perfectly suited to offer children a special learning friend who makes social skills practice fun…and therefore, more meaningful. By “speaking” the audio in connected apps, a Bluebee Pal adds just the right touch of warmth and humanity to motivate children. Just connect your Bluebee Pal and get started! https://www.bluebeepals.com/tutorials/
Helps children complete daily routines, understand and control feelings, and improve waiting skills. Designed to help foster a child’s independence, positive behavior, and emotional regulation.
Following Directions by TSApps by Teach Speech Apps, LLC
Helps to develop the skills needed to boost memory, motor, and auditory processing skills with simple one step directions, two step complex commands, inclusion/exclusion, conditional and motor-skill based directions. Great for working on language, auditory processing, vocabulary, memory, receptive language, attention, and focus.
Teaches communication skills and models personal interactions, navigating the community, appropriate school behavior, handling change, and social relationships. Includes ready to use lessons and videos and enables users to create their own social lessons.
10 Ways – a Social Skills Game by Everyday Speech LLC
Helps dig down deep into social communication skills including: conversation skills, perspective taking, asking and answering questions, friendship skills, and more.
I am an occupational therapist in New Jersey who, through my colleagues and research, discovered the Bluebee Pals Project. I currently work for Parsippany Troy-Hills School District in New Jersey, which includes ten elementary schools with various special education classrooms, ABA programs, preschool disabled programs, and many more.
Our school district is currently enrolling students for in-person as well as virtual schooling. The Parsippany Troy-Hills School District is a K-12 district with fourteen schools serving approximately 7200 students in ten elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools, and an adult education center. The community served by the district is ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse. https://www.pthsd.k12.nj.us
As a therapist, my responsibilities include treating my students both in-person and via teletherapy. I have been struggling to create new and engaging sessions for my students. After researching Bluebee Pals as an assistive technology tool to utilize in my sessions, I focused my efforts on an opportunity to receive a donation from the Bluebee Pal Project for our special needs classrooms containing a large population of children with autism. Thinking outside the box versus conventional educational channels is essential when working with special needs children at an early age. Bluebee Pals ability to connect with children is an effective and affordable educational tool that perpetuates positive results in communication and literacy
The Bluebee Pal Project donated 8 Bluebee Pals to our occupational and speech therapists for ten districts to implement in school and remote therapy. The Bluebee Pals website provides a host of practical resources for educators and therapists on their tutorial page and free educational materials to promote user-friendly applications. The Bluebee Pal Project collaborates with schools and organizations by requesting feedback through testimonials, blogs, videos, and photos to share with educators, therapists, and parents.https://www.bluebeepals.com/tutorials/
Specifically, I have started using Leo the Lion with my preschoolers with disabilities and see the incredible results with engagement in our programs. Our therapists will contribute feedback through testimonials and share it on our social media platforms in the coming months. We are honored to be a participant in the Bluebee Pal Project and grateful for this special gift to our students!
Bluebee Pals are softly huggable, lovable, plush interactive learning tools/toys that connect via Bluetooth to all iOS and Android devices. They wirelessly pair with all apps and activities with a narrative, which provides endless educational opportunities and entertainment for children of all ability levels. Bluebee’s mouth and head realistically move while speaking, making reading, educational apps, games, and activities so much fun! Which Bluebee Pal will you choose? Hudson the dog, Riley the zebra, Leo the lion, Lily the lamb, Sammy the bear, or Parker the monkey
November is a perfect time for children to learn about Thanksgiving, what it means, sharing with others, the importance of family and being grateful for what we have in our lives. Bluebee Pals have a unique charm that makes them excellent learning partners!
Fun activities you can pair with Bluebee Pals to learn about Thanksgiving.
We recommended the below videos and apps to connect your Bluebee Pals. Our soft, huggable tech companions provide your child with a learning companion that encourages communication and learning, all in the comfort of your home. Bluebee Pals connect to any app with a narrative, including the Bluebee Pal Educational App, allowing our users an infinite number of educational tools through Apple and Android Apps and Youtube Videos…Please visit our website to review all our Bluebee Pal Programs and resources for mainstream and special needs children. ..https://bluebeepals.com
Teaching your child to read is most likely one of the hardest things I have done with my kids. As a Mom, I think it among the most rewarding. Reading opens up a whole world for kids. I remember when I was young, I struggled to learn to read when I was young but used a variety of strategies I worked to learn.
Teaching my now first grader to read, is different. There are apps to use versus physical workbooks. We also have leveled early readers and go to the library often to pick up new books. At the library, it is now through the curbside. I remember going to the library when I was little and I always loved to pick out new books. As a parent, a whole new world opens to your children as they read!
Independent Reading is More Fun with Bluebee Pals
My son enjoys sitting with Sammy the Bear and reading different books. Sometimes “reading” is looking at the photos and trying to figure out what the story might say. We have read a variety of different books including Poky the Little Puppy and reading along. He often hugs Sammy and reads to him. I asked him why he liked reading with Sammy – he said Sammy helps him to learn. He uses Sammy to help him “tap” out his letters using Fundations which help him determine if he has a “just right book”.
Reading Apps for Kids
Reading Egg– this app by Blake eLearning includes a test at the beginning so that you can determine your child’s reading level. Through interactive games you practice sight words, digital story books, learning lessons including rhyming and interactive reading. My son loves working for the Golden Eggs and pairs his iPad with his Bluebee Pal so the two of them can work on reading together!
Epic is a reading app that includes 40K books from 250 platforms. You can choose books that are read aloud or your child can read by themselves. The app includes picture books, different types of books including some of my son’s favorites community helpers like police and learning videos as well! I love that my son can choose his favorites – and practice reading at the same time. We also practice looking at pictures and trying to “decode words”.
FarFaria is one of the best reading apps for struggling readers because it is such a fun app! It has several “worlds” to explore, each one containing a certain genre of books that would be captivating for kids to read or be read to.There are thousands of stories and songs, with more added weekly. And they are the most popular books available. Also, there is a badge system so your child will be motivated by his/her achievements. Plus parents and teachers can monitor their students’ achievements by seeing which badges have been achieved.
Teaching your child to read is most likely one of the hardest things I have done with my
kids. As a Mom, I think it among the most rewarding. Reading opens up a whole world for kids. I remember when I was young, I struggled to learn to read when I was young but used a variety of strategies I worked to learn.
Teaching my now first grader to read, is different. There are apps to use versus physical workbooks. We also have leveled early readers and go to the library often to pick up new books. At the library, it is now through the curbside. I remember going to the library when I was little and I always loved to pick out new books. As a parent, a whole new world opens to your children as they read.
Independent reading is made more fun with Bluebee Pals.
My son enjoys sitting with Sammy the Bear and reading different books. Sometimes “reading” is looking at the photos and trying to figure out what the story might say. We have read a variety of different books including Poky the Little Puppy and reading along. He often hugs Sammy and reads to him. I asked him why he liked reading with Sammy – he said Sammy helps him to learn. He uses Sammy to help him “tap” out his letters using Fundations which help him determine if he has a “just right book”.
Reading Apps for Kids
Reading Egg – this app by Blake eLearning includes a test at the beginning so that you can determine your child’s reading level. Through interactive games you practice sight words, digital story books, learning lessons including rhyming and interactive reading. My son loves working for the Golden Eggs and pairs his iPad with his Bluebee Pal so the two of them can work on reading together!
Epic is a reading app that includes 40K books from 250 platforms. You can choose books that are read aloud or your child can read by themselves. The app includes picture books, different types of books including some of my son’s favorites community helpers like police and learning videos as well! I love that my son can choose his favorites – and practice reading at the same time. We also practice looking at pictures and trying to “decode words”.
FarFaria is one of the best reading apps for struggling readers because it is such a fun app! It has several “worlds” to explore, each one containing a certain genre of books that would be captivating for kids to read or be read to.There are thousands of stories and songs, with more added weekly. And they are the most popular books available. Also, there is a badge system so your child will be motivated by his/her achievements. Plus parents and teachers can monitor their students’ achievements by seeing which badges have been achieved.
“The term “early math” refers to a broad range of basic concepts such as counting (1, 2, 3); quantity (more, fewer); shapes (circles, squares, triangles); spatial relations (over, under); measurement (tall, short; bigger, smaller); and patterns (red, blue, red, blue). Because children are naturally curious, they explore these concepts as they interact with their environment. Infants begin to learn math before they can sit up. They notice differences in quantity, they compare the shape and size of objects, and they use early math concepts when they play and in other aspects of their daily lives. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED594025.pdf
Why is Early Math Important?
Math is an important part of learning for children in the early years because it provides vital life skills. Math helps children to develop the ability to think critically and solve problems. Both are integral to success in school and in life. “Research suggests early math skills are a better predictor of academic success than early reading skills. The more math-oriented activities kids do before kindergarten, the better they’ll understand math in school. Early math skills foretell higher aptitude in high school math and higher rates of college enrollment. Math is the language of logic…Math builds reasoning, which leads to comprehension. Developing a mentally organized way of thinking is critical. To make that happen we need to provide high-quality math education at an early age.” https://www.bluebeepals.com/therapists/https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/early-math-equals-future-success/
Activities to Foster Development of Early Math Skills:
Bluebee Pals:
Bluebee Pals are a great tool to use when teaching and reinforcing math skills. Use one-on-one or invite a Bluebee Pal into peer groups to
practice skills. Paired with reading, storybooks and math apps, Bluebee Pals offer children a special learning friend who makes educational skills practice fun…and therefore, more meaningful. By “speaking and singing” the audio in connected apps, a Bluebee Pal adds just the right touch of warmth and humanity to motivate children. Just connect your Bluebee Pal and get started! Reading books, telling stories, and using “math talk” are easy, effective ways to integrate and promote the development of early math and early literacy skills. Using children’s book and math apps provide many ways to teach and reinforce foundational math skills. https://www.bluebeepals.com
Five Little Monkeys by LoeschWare https://apps.apple.com/us/app/five-little-monkeys/id313094173 builds counting and math skills, color recognition and opposites.
A great way to “mathematize” children is to use math in the routines of daily life, either as games or as entertaining ways to solve problems. “Make math fun! “Young children work very hard when they’re playing. Play is the perfect learning environment.”https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/early-math-equals-future-success/
Use puzzles, building blocks for stacking and manipulating, board games, and card games. Chutes and Ladders, Pop the Pig, Hi Ho Cherry-O and Candyland are great beginning games. Games with dice and number spinners reinforce counting.
Use shape-sorters. Talk about each shape—count the sides, describe the colors.
Count and sort. Gather together a basket of small toys, shells, pebbles or buttons. Count them and sort them based on size, color, or what they do (i.e., all the cars in one pile, all the animals in another).
What size is it? Notice the sizes of objects in the world around you: That pink pocketbook is the biggest. The blue pocketbook is the smallest. Ask your child to think about his own size relative to other objects (“Do you fit under the table? Under the chair?”).
You’re cookin’ now! Even young children can help fill, stir, and pour. Through these activities, children learn, quite naturally, to count, measure, add, and estimate.
Sing songs that rhyme, repeat, or have numbers in them. Songs reinforce patterns (which is a math skill as well). They also are fun ways to practice language and foster social skills like cooperation.
Use a calendar to talk about the date, the day of the week, and the weather. Calendars reinforce counting, sequences, and patterns.
The long and the short of it. Cut a few (3–5) pieces of ribbon, yarn or paper in different lengths. Talk about ideas like long and short. With your child, put in order of longest to shortest.
Pattern play. Have fun with patterns by letting children arrange dry macaroni, chunky beads, different types of dry cereal, or pieces of paper in different patterns or designs.
Graphing games. As your child nears three and beyond, make a chart where your child can put a sticker each time it rains or each time it is sunny. At the end of a week, you can estimate together which column has more or less stickers, and count how many to be sure.
Remote schooling using the virtual model is hard! My son is a first-grader and lost part of the last school year when schools closed due to COVID-19. He struggles with telling time, staying on task.
Timers: We have tried using Alexa to set timers. I also like the visual timer in Time Timer (iPhone, iPad, Android) because it provides both a visual and timer you can use out loud. Time Timer app is currently free as of the time of this post. It’s great because you can set it up in advance with timers, to make your child more independent. It also provides a visual cue with the red shrinking as time counts down to completion. I find this app especially helpful when it’s break time, lunch/recess time during remote learning to provide a visual for my son as he tries to figure out how much time he has left. In addition to the visual, it also displays the time. We also use this during independent reading (10 minutes) to make sure when my son takes his eyes off the screen, that he comes back to his virtual learning on time.
Bluebee Pal to Help During Schooling: He especially enjoys using Hudson the Puppy and Sammy the Bear. He can use it as a sensory item or we can Bluetooth it to his Chromebook or iPad to speak the words in the classroom. Other families have used a cardboard poster board or a box to help them set up a school “environment” for their children.
Schooling: Remote Learning Setup at Home One of the ways that we help to prepare for the day of remote learning is to create a schedule, provide reinforcers for completing tasks, and making sure we have everything all set for the day. We also organize items by subject to make it easier to find them when the class transitions to the next material. We try to use bookmarks in order to make it easier to open up in packets and workbooks the next day. Whenever possible and especially with my older son, we use Google Drive or scan items to keep electronic items rather than paper items. https://www.bluebeepals.com
Independent Reading Tech Style At independent reading time during remote schooling, my son will often use Bluebee Pal Leo the Lion to help us read aloud. This way, he can snuggle with Sammy and we can read aloud on the pages while tapping out words as needed. Our school uses Fundations which encourage kids to tap out words to determine if the book is hard or easy. Our library has curbside pickup during COVID-19, we can work with the librarian to get books that are “just right” and that interest my son. I also love trying audiobooks with my son so he can independently listen and then look at the words on the pages while finding sight words and items he recognizes. We also love bringing Hudson with us and listening to audiobooks in the car which I check out from our local library and then play via my phone and with our Bluebee Pal. Hudson provides a huggable stuffed animal who speaks the voice of the audiobook reader, support during reading, even someone for kids to talk to.https://www.bluebeepals.com/inclusive-curriculum/
“I am a special education teacher at The Princeton House Charter School in Orlando, Florida, working in the education field, specifically students with Autism Spectrum Disorder for over seven years. The special education field has provided opportunities to utilize a variety of educational resources and assistive technology. One of these technologies is the Bluebee Pals Tech Companions, compatible with all IOS and Apple devices via Bluetooth.
It’s essential to be flexible in the special education field, but this school year, the pandemic brought on unprecedented challenges in teaching our students. I am teaching students in the classroom and others through virtual instruction. During these difficult and unknown times, many students can become uncomfortable with all the unfamiliarity and sudden changes. Bluebee Pals educational tools maintain a sense of comfort and familiarity with my students. Bluebee performs as a teaching assistant and allows our students to interact with a plush animal who can read, sing, ask questions, and even answer phone calls.” https://www.bluebeepals.com/autism/
Bluebee Pals Beneficial to Teaching in the Classroom.
“When I was introduced to Bluebee Pals, I was impressed by the warming and comfortable presence in our classroom. Bluebee Pal has succeeded in its job by engaging and comforting the students this year. Every educator must discover new and inventive educational resources that entertain and motivate them during virtual learning. When working on the other side of the computer screen, it becomes difficult to engage your students with the educational resources you would ordinarily use in a face to face classroom setting. This year, my school team has found many beneficial resources for virtual learning and compatible with Bluebee Pal.” http://bluebeepals.com
Bluebee Pals: Applying Digital Tools in Education
Boom Cards are interactive, self-checking, and digital tools that can be used in the classroom or for the whole group and individual learning. When working with boom cards, they display only one question at a time, with multiple ways to answer. The student or teacher can select an answer choice, type, or drag the answers depending on the activity. Also, many of the cards will read the questions aloud to the students. Boom cards is an interactive digital tool that can be paired with Bluebee Pals by asking the questions aloud to the students.
GetEpic.com is another great tool to use with and without virtual teaching. I have used GetEpic.com for three years now. The website consists of many published books that are well known. Many of the books have the read to me option. There are educational videos, and quizzes that go along with some of the books.Bluebee Pals is a great educational tool that can be used with GetEpic online, especially for the read to me books. You can hit the play button on the read to me books, Bluebee Pal will read the book aloud to the students while the GetEpic book turns by itself on the digital screen.The students enjoy the books being read aloud by Bluebee Pal instead of the teacher.
Twinkl is a digital educational tool that our school recently discovered for the virtual and face to face learning. Twinkl has resources for all ages and grade levels consisting of lesson bundles, assessments, interactive PowerPoints, and stories. It provides educational resources that can be used as supplemental work for the classroom as well. Bluebee Pals, paired with Twinkl, increases students’ motivation to complete the activities. Bluebee Pal can read the stories to the students, parts of the text or activities that can be read aloud. https://www.twinkl.com
Lastly, Starfall is a fun and interactive digital website for elementary-aged students. It consists of fun videos, stories, calendar activities, mathematics, and letters, and reading activities. The students really enjoy Bluebee Pal paired with Starfall. Bluebee Pal will sing the songs, read the stories, and ask questions aloud to the students.
Bluebee Pal has been extremely beneficial in the classroom before virtual learning, especially now when schools teach remotely. It is imperative to find educational and digital tools to capture, engage, and motivate the students. By connecting to a diverse selection of digital teaching tools, they provide educators with a teacher assistant who inspires learning, encourages communication, and add comfort and familiarity during virtual learning.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES WITH BLUEBEE PALS
Boom Card
GetEpic.com
Twinkl
Starfall
**Carissa Savoy, Special Education Teacher Princeton Houe Charter School Orlando, FL
Many of us are teaching or doing therapy virtually, in-school, or as a hybrid mix of in-school and virtual visits. Although we need to limit the use of a stuffed animal for onsite sessions due to infection protocols, we can still use Bluebee Pals during virtual visits. Here are some ways we are using Bluebee Pals during the pandemic.
When my occupational therapy visits were in person and I needed to demonstrate a handling or facilitation technique, we were able do it right then and there – in person. I could monitor and correct the technique the parent was using. Now, things are different and it takes some planning and thought to communicate to parents or caretakers what to do.
As handling techniques are manual, they are very difficult to verbally sequence what to do and where to put your hands. Many parents have anxiety over their ability to follow the directions for multistep or complicated techniques. And when a parent is anxious, their children become anxious. This is where Bluebee Pals have come to the rescue! Having Bluebee up on screen, puts a smile on everyone’s face and immediately calms frayed nerves. Modeling sensory or handling techniques on Bluebee relaxes everyone! Bluebee makes movement fun and less scary. I have also found Bluebee Pals to be invaluable for demonstrating feeding techniques. Now if I would only coordinate a call from me through my Bluebee Pal to make scrumptiously delicious sounds while he is munching!
We’ve also been reviewingideas of using Bluebee as a home ambassador to kids in need. We are exploring sending a Bluebee Pal out to children that may need that extra social boost or extra practice for language or reading skills. Kids learning English as a second language will be able to hear and rehearse vocabulary and social greetings with Bluebee at their side. In addition, with the bonus of being able to use Bluebee with the phone, it gives therapists a chance to reinforce all skills learned during visits on preprogrammed phone lines..http://bluebeepals.com
Last but not least is having Bluebee teach essential life skills like wearing a mask, social distancing, and rehearsing what to do if someone makes you feel uncomfortable. Bluebee can also be a teaching aid in how to get dressed. Baby sizes 6-9 months and even 12 months fit Bluebee perfectly. Not only is the child looking at the weather and what is appropriate to be dressed in, they are also learning to have an inquisitive mind and look to science for what needs to be done
Ideas to use Bluebee Pals in a Home Teaching Environment
Tea parties to teach social skills/manners
Bluebee as a means to learn self-calming, and use in high stress community settings – how to give deep hugs and how to talk to someone who knows
Pushing Bluebee in a doll stroller or shopping cart for heavy work
Practice going to the doctor, church, post office etc.
Practice getting haircuts (Play-doh scissors)
Clipping nails or other hard to perform activities of daily living
Bluebee Pals app is an interactive app which brings your Bluebee Pal to life! No Bluebee Pal is needed to use the app or you can use your own Bluebee Pal. The app features activities of daily living like bathing, brushing teeth and washing hands this app can also be used to help your children understand the steps necessary to complete tasks.
The app features four rooms each with specific tasks: living room where you can tap on objects to hear their names; kitchen where you can eat a meal or have a snack; bedroom where your Bluebee takes off their shoes and goes to sleep; bathroom where your Bluebee Pal takes a shower, dries off, brushes their teeth and more!
The playroom has fun educational games including ABC’s, puzzles, building a robot, racing cars, find your Bluebee, matching colors and more! In a parental gated area there are access to suggested apps to use with your Bluebee Pal, resources on ways to use your Bluebee Pal with your children, app reviews and more. App encourages role play, use of imagination and allows kids to explore with no time limits!
I created a document with a list of speech and language goals and how to incorporate this app during speech and language sessions. To learn more, look at this document below!
10 Speech and Language Goals when using the Bluebee App
Teletherapy & the Bluebee Pals App
Many people ask me how to connect their iPad to their computer. There are several ways to do this!
I found the easiest way via an app called Smart Mirror. With this paid app, I can mirror my iPad in any virtual platform.
The Bluebee App is fun and interactive and wonderful, which is ideal for teletherapy. Here are some tips:
Have your mirroring up and ready for screen share.
Begin by choosing a Bluebee Pal. This is a perfect opportunity for your child/student to either use their speech and/or AAC communication device.
Enter your name! Ask your child/student either spell their name (great literacy opportunity) via verbalization or their AAC communication system.
Choose your favorite color. Worked on creating sentences by modeling, “My favorite color is _____.” This is also an opportunity for choice making and commenting.
What activity will you begin with? I use annotation via zoom to circle choices. If you are using google meet, you can go through the choices verbally. I use custom cursor (free as add-on) which can also be very helpful!
Then choose a room for your daily activity. Since you are mirroring the screen, your child/student will have either verbalize the room they want or use their talker to tell you. When in the room, encourage your child/student to communicate different actions such as “open”, “get up”, “close”, “eat”, “drink”, etc.
Play the games on Bluebee app! There are so many ways to play this via teletherapy. For example, in one game you need to “find the bluebee pal”. This can be a great way to work on language that describes where Bluebee is such as “next to”, “up”, “down”, etc.
Lesson Pix an affordable, versatile and wonderful resource for creating custom printable materials. I love this website and have used it consistently for teletherapy since the pandemic began. I use it to create visual supports, PowerPoint social stories, games, schedule boards and much more!
Lesson Pix includes 40,000 symbols and gives you the ability to also upload your own photos. The website also includes over 500 templates.
Lesson Pix is a paid subscription that can be used individually or as a group.
Upload a picture of Bluebee Pal and create schedule with Bluebee included.
Connect Bluebee pal via an AAC app and give Bluebee pal voice output. The Bluebee Pal can join in and have conversations with your child/student via teletherapy. For more information about connecting Bluebee Pals via AAC apps, click here. https://www.bluebeepals.com/apps/aac-apps/
Create a Bluebee Pal board game via Lesson Pix by uploading pictures of Bluebee Pal!
Play a describing game by making a communication board of different adjectives (big, soft, little, cute, etc.) and play “Tell me about Bluebee Pal”
Create a sequencing board for Bluebee Pal! You can read, play, or even dress up Bluebee Pal!
Download “having a conversation pdf” book via Lesson Pix and practice with Bluebee Pal!
White Plains Elementary School(Anniston, AL) is honored to receive the Bluebee Pals Project donation of Bluebee Pals educational tools. As a participant, we provide feedback and testimonials on the impact of technology in our speech therapy programs. This donation is an exciting opportunity to introduce Bluebee Pals, a creative form of assistive technology, into our classrooms and home settings. Katrina Ginn: SLP, White Plains Elementary School, Anniston, AL –https://www.bluebeepals.com/about-us/
WORKING IN SCHOOLS AND PROVIDING SPEECH SERVICES
For the past 25 years, I have been a school-based speech-language pathologist in public schools. My journey has been rewarding working in school-based services that provide therapy to various student populations. I work with children as soon as they turn three years old, and students can stay in school with speech services until they are 21 years old. I currently have students from 3 years old to 19 years old in my programs. In addition to the students who attend my school, I work with preschool children before they come to school, as well as students in our preschool classrooms at my elementary school.
Just as the ages range greatly, so do the disabilities of the children. My students are working on producing speech sounds correctly to make their speech more understandable. Many of my students have autism or language delays in skills that we take for granted. These students focus on learning conversational turn taking, new vocabulary/concepts, providing appropriate answers and learning to ask their own questions.
MOTIVATING SPEECH WITH BLUEBEE PALS
Some of my students are learning about fluency control techniques to make their speech more smooth. The variety of age and disability varies when providing services as a school-based speech pathologist. So many of my younger students are motivated to practice new skills with the Bluebee Pals assistive technology tools. Young children learn faster when learning is fun and play-oriented. Play is the natural state for preschool and young children, so the Bluebee Pals fit right in with this therapy setting.
We are utilizing Bluebee Pals in the speech room, in two preschool classrooms, and a self-contained classroom for children with significant disabilities, including autism. In the speech sessions, our objectives are on comprehension skills using story apps. In articulation therapy, we use them for modeling the target word and also recording the child’s attempt for playback in speech apps like Articulation Station. http://bluebeepals.com
CONVERSATIONS AND INTERACTIVE PLAY
The students practice their words with the Bluebee–the Bluebee listens in this activity, but the children love to practice saying their words to Bluebee and give better effort knowing the Bluebee is listening. I am working toward using text-to-speech to reward/encourage them during this activity. We are also using it for conversational and social skills with students who have a social language delay.
They learn to take conversational turns and participate in interactive play, which is essential for language development. The students love the Bluebee Pals! In the classrooms, we are still in the introductory stage and using them primarily with storybook applications and songs. I have sent the teachers your information with ideas to use across the curriculum and we will continue to use them in different ways in the classroom. https://www.bluebeepals.com/bluebee-pals-project-participants/
Thank you again for this wonderful donation to our school and students! Katrina Ginn: Speech-Language Pathologist, White Plains Elementary School, Anniston, AL
We hope that you will spend some time getting to know the companies on this 2020 homeschool curriculum list. They are all small businesses and your support of them is not only greatly appreciated, it gives you the chance to try something new and innovative with your kids. The products in the 2020 Ultimate Homeschool Curriculum List are sure to get your kids excited about learning this year. Have any suggestions for next year’s Homeschool Curriculum List? Email Info@HowToHomeschool.net to submit nominations for the next Top Homeschool Curriculum List! We’d love to hear from you.
These are our top picks for the Top Homeschool Curriculum List in the Special Needs category. This is your one stop homeschool curriculum list to see all of the Homeschool Resources we love!
Bluebee Pals – Laura Jiencke is the founder and creator of the awarding winning Bluebee Pals Interactive Plush Learning Tools, Bluebee Pals Life Skills/Educational App and co-author of the Bluebee Pals Techie Rangers book. The Bluebee Pals and companion app are recognized globally as an effective assistive technology tool for early learners and special needs children for engaging communication and learning. https://www.bluebeepals.com/store/
With the intent of bringing back the plush buddy, they had an idea of combining traditional plush toy designs with state-of-the-art technology. The concept of an educational “huggable” plush learning companion that could be combined with a wide range of online digital content would provide children with a great source of entertainment while assisting in educating and developing cognitive and communication skills.http://Bluebeepals.com
In 2019, Kayle Concept introduced the Bluebee Pal Program that includes a complete curriculum program of 19 Lessons Plans for ages 3-7 for main stream and special needs children. https://www.bluebeepals.com/general-education
Bluebee Pals was chosen as a 2020 Top Homeschool Curriculum List winner!
supplies parents, teachers and homeschoolers with loads of fun, educational and sensory play printables that give parents and educators the confidence to teach and equip their children with the skills to succeed at school.
Printables designed by Tash Kritter, B.Ed K-7 and mum of 2 kids with Autism, meaning lots and lots of experience with OTs and speech therapists who have also influenced design concepts.
Little Wooden Toybox was chosen as a 2020 Top Homeschool Curriculum List winner
Susan writes and develops curriculum and therapy materials appropriate for special education students needing speech-language intervention or significant modifications. Most of her resources are written for students who are nonverbal or minimally verbal and who need to use AAC (Augmentative-Alternative Communication) either no/low or high technology. Susan has been a speech language pathologist for more than 40 years and has conducted and published research and been a national and international presenter. She develops her materials in alignment with EBP (evidence-based practice). Especially this year, educators and therapists needing to provide distance learning and parents looking for materials with which to engage their children at home need appropriate AAC and speech-language resources. Susan has both paper-based and digital materials available. She has also written a training guide for parents, available on Amazon. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Susan-Berkowitz
Susan Berkowitz Resources were chosen as a 2020 Top Homeschool Curriculum List winner
is a small family run company with a big mission…to help inform people that noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable with the right tools and you can be causing it in yourself and your children by not limiting the volume that you are listening to your headphones at.
Puro Sound Labs products range from their BT2200 & JuniorJam Bluetooth Headphones, PuroQuiet Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones, PuroBasic Wired Headphones to PuroGamer the only volume limited gaming headphone available. All of Puro’s products are limited to 85dB, the recommended listening level for up to 8 hours of listening & have a built-in microphone making them great for however school will look for you this year.
With a 30 day money back guarantee and a 1 year warranty Puro wants you to be satisfied with your purchase and if you are not they want to know and fix it!
Puro Sound Labs was chosen as a 2020 Top Homeschool Curriculum List winner
The Dianne Craft Learning System is a “home depot approach”, meaning that it can be done at home, inexpensively and successfully without the cost of outsourcing. Parents and teachers learn how to identify the symptoms of blocked learning gates and how to start making corrections using a successful three-pronged approach: Brain Integration Therapy, Right Brain Teaching Strategies & Targeted Nutritional Strategies.
1. Brain Integration Therapy- Dianne Craft’s Brain Integration Therapy Manual teaches parents and teachers to informally diagnose their student’s processing problems and teaches daily midline exercises along with crucial once-a-week Brain Training sessions to make permanent connections between the two sides of the brain.
2. Right Brain Teaching – Right brain teaching strategies give the child more “glue” for information to stick – using the powerful photographic memory. Using zany colors, pictures and stories to imbed left-brain information with the right brain, visual memory, allows you to teach to the brain as a “whole”. These strategies will help your student blossom in reading (decoding, phonics, dictation), writing (easily getting thoughts from head to hand), spelling (spelling words forwards and backwards in one spelling session), math (easily recall math processes), vocabulary and test-taking skills.
3. Targeted Nutritional Plan- While you are doing the academic midline therapies (Brain Integration Therapy) and Right Brain Teaching strategies, you can help your children focus easier and have better retention by following the week by week, step by step 3 month Targeted Nutritional Intervention Guide as found in Dianne Craft’s Biology of Behavior CD set. This set comes with the all-important Printed Study Booklet that gives you the steps in order, the amounts, best brands, ages, etc. Many parents report huge changes in focusing, mood, attitude, meltdowns, memory and Sensory Processing issues when they implement this easy to use home nutritional program.
The Dianne Craft Learning System was chosen as a 2020 Top Homeschool Curriculum List winner!
Schools are beginning to open up for the new school year. Students and teachers will be wearing masks and following new safety guidelines to help protect from getting and spreading COVID-19.
Although most students have been wearing masks in public over the summer, it’s a good idea now to start getting them used to wearing masks for longer periods of time.
Have conversations with your child about wearing a mask! Be frank with them and even discuss the obvious. “Do you know why we have to wear it?”.
You might practice wearing a mask during a tv program, playing games or when reading a story.
Use books and videos with pictures to start a conversation and open up feelings about what is going on.
Use appropriate vocabulary to see if they really know what it all means.
Don’t assume that a child knows how to express what they are feeling. Children with limited language skills may be experiencing big emotions that they don’t know how to deal with.https://www.bluebeepals.com/educational-resources/
Bluebee Pals are great tools to use to help your child understand reasons for and to practice wearing masks and using safety precautions. Let your child pick a mask for themselves and for their Bluebee Pal and they can practice wearing masks together! Use your Bluebee Pal to “read” Bluetooth connected stories, or read and record your own books in your own voice for your child. You can also practice social distancing with your Bluebee Pal!*Keep everything upbeat and lighthearted to make them feel safe. http://bluebeepals.com
Excellent resources about masks and safety to check out!
Smiling From Ear to Ear: Wearing Masks While Having Fun Paperback – By Kaitlyn Chu Let’s Smile From Ear to Ear! We’re all having to get used to wearing face masks in our daily lives. Let’s see how our favorite animals wear their masks and still have fun! Smiling From Ear to Ear is all about showing kids that they can wear face masks to protect themselves and those around them and still have fun. It was created to address kids’ fears and struggles by normalizing face masks in everyday activities using a playful and imaginative approach.
The Social Distance King: Introducing Queens and Kings to Social Distancing by Eric Desio The Social Distance King sensitively introduces the topic of social distancing to kids. With recent changes in the world, we all find ourselves living…differently. The Social Distance King is a great way to entertain children and also expose them to what social distancing might mean to them. And kids, most importantly, this book helps us learn in a FUN, entertaining and thoughtful way!
Lucy’s Mask – by Lisa Sirkis Thompson Are your kids confused and anxious about wearing a mask? Lucy’s world turned upside down. She’s bored. She can’t be together with her friends. But when she finds out her mom is making her a new mask her boredom turns into excitement. Lucy loves masks! She dives into her toy box full of costumes and opens a world of imagination and make-believe adventure, far beyond the walls of her room. Of course, she doesn’t realize that the mask her mom is making is not a costume at all but one that will keep her safe and make her a real-life superhero.
A Little SPOT Stays Home: A Story About Viruses And Safe Distancing – by Diane Alber What is happening right now? Why do we have to stay home ? What is safe distancing? Why can’t we see our friends? How can we stay safe? A story that is easy to understand and provides education, gratitude, and hope. It empowers young children, to take action and helps them to understand viruses and why remaining home and safe distancing is both important and necessary right now. It will help children and their family to stay safe and have a positive outlook to overcome their emotions of anxiety and sadness during this difficult time in their life.
SHARONA CORONA ; Children’s book about coping and bravery ; Great book to help explain kids about the CORONA Virus Kindle Edition by Dvir Cohen
Germs Are Not for Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick. Achoo! Cough! F-L-U-S-H! What to do? Rather than focus on what germs are, this book teaches the basics of not spreading them: Cover up a sneeze or cough. Hug or blow kisses when you’re sick. And most of all, wash your hands! Child-friendly words and full-color illustrations help little ones stay clean and healthy. Includes tips and ideas for parents and caregivers.
When Virona the Corona Came to Town –by Hailey Glynn Readers follow the main character, MaryEllen, through a story that details experiences during the Coronavirus pandemic. The goal of this story is to shed light on a time of uncertainty and fear in a child-friendly way.
Before the onset of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the use of teletherapy in speech therapy and education was limited. Most education was done in a traditional face-to-face manner in a set physical location such as a school building. With schools unexpectedly closing across our nation in the spring due to safety concerns, educators were taxed with quickly learning and establishing new and flexible ways to teach their students using a wide variety of technology and teletherapy. Teachers learned to use Google Classrooms, Zoom meetings, created Virtual Classrooms, Boom Cards, and more! Using an internet connection, web portal, and two-way live video, students and teachers learned to interact as if they were in-person sessions. The use of teletherapy is expected to continue to grow as schools develop plans and educational options for the 2020-2021 school year.
Teletherapy opportunities are vast and include hands-on activities, interactive games, and unique educational plans. For the youngest students, a parent, or other adult is on the end with the child providing cueing and any “hands-on” techniques that might be needed.
***Even with all of the exciting new ways to teach virtually, teachers continue to use their most favorite, tried-and-true classroom resources in their online sessions!
Bluebee Pals are an example of a wonderful classroom favorite that are well suited to use during virtual instruction.
Use them in your teletherapy sessions the same way you would use them in a traditional education setting! http://bluebeepals.com
What IS a Bluebee Pal? The Bluebee Pal Pro 4.0 is an interactive plush learning tool with a FREE companion (life skills /educational) app that connects to all iOS and Android Devices and pairs with all apps with a narrative. The patented technology allows Bluebee’s “mouth and head” to move while reading stories, teaching through educational games, communicating through speech/AAC apps, learning a language and singing songs. The FREE Bluebee Pals Learning App is a robust life skill and cognitive development tool for children ages 3 to 7. When connected with a Bluebee Pal, children can immerse themselves in activities in five life skills rooms and play 9 educational mini-games. In addition to their app, Bluebee Pals pair with all apps with a narrative providing endless entertainment and education for all mainstream and special needs children.
* Bluebee inspires learning with educational apps.
* Bluebee reads any storybook apps.
*Your Bluebee Pal can become the teacher with your favorite text-to-speech app.
* Bluebee teaches with language and AAC (alternative augmentative communication).
* Bluebee sings with your favorite music apps.
* Bluebee acts as an educational tool with voice recording apps.
Bluebee Pals can easily be transitioned to use in teletherapy!
***Please visit the Bluebee Pals website to learn more about these excellent teaching tools.
Hooray! It’s summertime! School is out and kids are free to play and just be kids! But wait…this is not just any summer! This is the summer in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.Why does that matter? Summer Slide is increasing and effecting early childhood development. The school year was cut short for almost all students by at least 3 months. That is 1/3 of the school year! Although the schools and teachers scrambled to offer some type of educational services virtually and/or through packets mailed to students, educational instruction and progress took a major hit and a significant number of students will show skill regression in the fall when school begins again.http://bluebeepals.com
Even in the best of times, 100% of students experience summer learning loss if they don’t engage in educational learning activities over the summer. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 25% of academic learning is lost by children over summer vacation. This number would be expected to increase following the tremendous loss of instruction this year
The “Summer Slide” is the phrase used to describe the slide backwards that many children normally make in reading and math skills over the summer months when school is not in session. Numerous studies show that kids who don’t practice educational skills during summer vacation actually lose up to 3 months by the time autumn rolls around. It takes teachers 4-6 weeks to reteach material that has been lost over the summer.
**You can combat summer slide by encouraging your child to devote a small bit of time each day to keeping up skills. Just like with playing a sport, Reading and Math are skills that must be practiced… It is important to keep your child’s mind engaged over the summer so they will not fall victim to the summer slide.https://www.bluebeepals.com/inclusive-curriculum/
According to Little Scholars here are “ 10 things you can do to help your child avoid the summer slide:
Read EVERY day! Read non-fiction, fiction, ebooks, poetry, newspapers and read out loud! For most children, twenty minutes is an appropriate amount of time to read for a child who is an independent reader. Most libraries have a wonderful summer reading program with incentives and rewards for books read over the summer.
Cook with your children. This is one of the best ways to integrate math, reading and following directions. Let your child design the menu too! Help your child put together their favorite recipes in a cookbook.
Plant a garden. Your child will gain responsibility and pride as they watch their plants grow and thrive.
Take a field trip to a museum, zoo or local park with walking trails. Keep a journal about your travels.
Learn a new word each week! Hang it on the fridge and see who can use it the most times throughout the week.
Enroll in a quality summer program that will provide your child with opportunities to build their critical thinking skills.
Play quick games with flashcards like Math War or Concentration to keep math skills sharp.
Listen to Audio Books during your road trip.
Take pictures and make a summer scrapbook.
Did I mention READ?!If your child does nothing else this summer make sure he/she is reading!
Great News! Bluebee Pals are a wonderful way to encourage summer reading and combat the Summer Slide! Kids love to be connected! By reading their favorite book apps with Bluebee Pals and online reading sites for 20 to 30 minutes a day, your child can maintain and improve reading skills over the summer! They make excellent reading buddies! www.bluebeepals.com
Suggested Summer Reading Sites:
*Storyline Online by SAG-AFTRA Foundation is an award-winning children’s literacy app that features celebrated actors reading children’s books.
*Little Stories Pro by Little Bee Speech features eighty-two 100 word stories that support reading fluency, comprehension, receptive and expressive language skills.
*Reading Comprehension Camp by Smarty Ears is specifically designed to encourage language growth and comprehension. Contains 50 stories on multiple levels and comprehension quizzes.
*Epic! – Kids’ Books and Videos by Epic! Creations Inc is a leading digital library for kids with instant, unlimited access to 35,000 high-quality ebooks, audiobooks, learning videos and quizzes for children 12 and under. There is a monthly subscription plan for home and a free plan for educators.
*HOMER Reading: Learn to Read by Homer is a personalized reading program for kids 2-8. This award-winning app has been proven to increase early reading scores by 74% with just 15 minutes a day. There is a monthly subscription plan for home, and a free plan for educators.
Teaching early dressing skills require patience and plenty of practice for little ones. To be successful, kids require a sense of body awareness, the needed motor skills – both gross motor and fine motor, and the ability to sequence steps. Kids begin to express their base knowledge of steps of routine tasks through daily engagement. This simple act of participation takes on meaning and deserves attention because it is relevant. Relevancy facilitates retention.
Any other presentation of material can simply be PLAY. Using PLAY (experiential learning) as a medium is one of the most powerful learning tools because it turns-on the motor system in conjunction with the body’s other systems and THAT promotes active critical thinking, problem-solving, and memory.
Bluebee Pal for Teaching Dressing Skills:
Kids love to play dress up, and what a perfect way to practice fine-motor skills than to dress up Bluebee! We love dressing Bluebee for holidays and seasons. Not only can you demonstrate what clothing is appropriate for the season but also introduce practice on a wide variety of those tricky fasteners (snaps, buttons, and even belt buckles). I buy clothing at our local church’s thrift shop and have found bargains for all kinds of clothing. Six to nine-month clothing usually fits Bluebee perfectly – although I have bought shirts sized up to 2 years for “dresses”. http://bluebeepals.com
Onesies are good for left/right, front/back awareness which directly relates to one’s position in space, and the fine-motor abilities to pinch with force in the handling snaps. Socks or booties help kids sustain the ability to stretch and place the sock or bootie, and are one of the harder tasks for kids to perform. As kids gain competency with dressing Bluebee, try altering Bluebee’s position from looking directly at Bluebee to having Bluebee in your lap. In the lap position, it resembles how a child may dress themselves.https://www.bluebeepals.com/therapists/
My Favorite Preschool Apps for Dressing:
The Bluebee Pal App..With an app, or as a stand-alone activity, Bluebee is there to help teach your child through fun and play. Enjoyable activities lend themselves to skill retention and the ability to transfer skills real time – meaning that skills are not produced in exact circumstances.
Sago Mini Babies Dress Up – while this does not have a narrative for Bluebee to play with the Bluetooth speaker, it is a great introduction for what to wear. The added bonus is that Sago Mini updates this app for seasonal variations.
Pepi House or Pepi Bath introduce self-care and has always been a clinic favorite. This is also an app that doesn’t use language. Learning at this level helps kids process and practice the sequence of events rather than have too much auditory input com overloading a kid’s system.
Dr. Panda apps always provide clothing to dress-up your character. They are great games to provide kids choices of what to wear. Their new annual subscription, “Dr. Panda Learn and Play” looks very promising.
This is what we all wish for not only our children but also all children. It is the gift to problem-solve and think through multiple strategies.
Some children just love reading; however, others may find it difficult or even boring. They may be missing foundational skills or have difficulty sitting for long periods of time.Reluctant readers can learn to enjoy it! With schools currently closed, parents have an increased need to help make reading fun at home! By making reading fun (instead of frustrating), as well as improving reading skills, your child can develop a lifetime love of reading……Be sure to keep reading over the summer! http://bluebeepals.com
Bluebee Pals and the Bluebee Pal Program are excellent instructional tools for early reading skills! Due to their endearing appeal, Bluebee Pals and The Bluebee Pal Program, Bluebee app, Techie Rangers E-book and free Activity Guide are uniquely suited for use with reading support. The Bluebee Pal Pro 4.0 interactive plush learning tool connects via Bluetooth to all iOS and Android devices and pairs with all apps with a narrative, which provides endless educational opportunities. Each Bluebee’s “mouth and head” realistically moves while teaching curriculum through educational games, activities, and apps.
Bluebee Pal Free Sources for Readers
* The Bluebee Pal Program is a free curriculum focused on PreK and Elementary Common Core State Standards, including reading skills. You will find the curriculum here: https://www.bluebeepals.com/general-education/
* The Bluebee Pals Techie Rangers E-book with Activity Guide takes readers on an adventure with Andy and his Bluebee Pal Techie Ranger friends. Andy, a student with complex communication needs, uses an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device or “talker” to speak to the Techie Rangers as they help him return to the Rainbow School. The accompanying free Activity Guide provides fun extension activities focused on literacy and math. Don’t forget to check out the Bluebee Pals Curriculum for a lesson plan made especially for the Bluebee Pals Techie Rangers E-Book and Activity Guide. You can find the E-book and activity guide here: https://www.bluebeepals.com/bluebee-pals-techie-rangers-book/#
*The Bluebee Pals Curriculum, Bluebee Pals Techie Rangers E-Book and Activity Guide, app recommendations, numerous video tutorials, and extensive professional development resources are all available at www.bluebeepals.com
Empowering Struggling Readers: Fun While Reading at Home:
Use technology! Use Bluebee Pals along with any available technology to increase engagement with reading. Kids love tablets, computers, and phones! Use colorful book apps with Bluetooth devices to encourage reading. A set of personal earplugs or headphones would improve attending skills and give great auditory feedback.
Pick the right books– Select books your child will enjoy according to interests. Let your child help choose books. This will make reading less of a chore and more of a fun activity.
Read aloud– Take turns reading aloud to add excitement to the story using fun, different voices.
Encourage all forms of reading– In addition to books, magazines, graphic novels, road signs, recipes, and newspapers are also great reading materials.
Create a reading space– Make a fun reading area or fort where your child can read on his or her own. This is especially fun with a Bluebee Pal!
Make connections between books and life experiences– Read adventure books before you take a camping trip or dinosaur books before a trip to a museum.
Offer developmentally appropriate reading through audio books– They are a great way to make reading more enjoyable while helping to improve comprehension skills. Providing human-read audiobooks allows struggling readers to focus, visualize, and become engaged in the story. Audiobooks help build vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills. Students can gain access to grade-level content so they can participate in class and work along with their peers. This builds more confident and engaged learners. Taking away the mechanics of reading and allowing students to work at their ability lowers stress, allowing them to succeed.
Read a series– High interest book series help keep your child engaged. Also read multiple non-series books by favorite authors.
Have a daily “reading hour”– Have a scheduled reading time every day. During this time, ask your child what is happening in the book, what his or her favorite part was, and what he or she thinks might happen next.
Take trips to the library– Let your child get a library card and select books that catch his or her attention. Participate in age-appropriate story hours at the library, as well as any summer reading programs offered.
Teach reading strategies– Lots of kids don’t like reading because they don’t have the necessary skills. Talk to your child’s teacher about strategies to help improve reading motivation.
If your child’s teacher has assigned an online reading program via your school system, be sure to complete assignments as scheduled! This extra reading help will be tailored to your child’s needs and is scientifically-based instruction.
These excellent reading sites for pre-K and elementary children are backed by a tremendous amount of research into how kids learn to read and how they become fluent readers.
Are you looking for some fun and user-friendly speech apps to try at home with your Bluebee Pal?As an app reviewer, I have reviewed many apps that are easy to use for parents at home to help facilitate speech and language. To see all of my app reviews, https://www.bluebeepals.com/beccas-app-reviews/. I have reviewed many speech and language apps as well as AAC apps.
What are Bluebee Pals? Bluebee Pal Pro is an interactive plush learning tool with FREE companion (life skills /educational app) that connects to all iOS and Android Devices and pairs with all apps with a narrative. Our technology allows Bluebee’s “mouth and head” to move while reading stories, teaching through educational games, learning a language and singing songs.http://bluebeepals.com
These apps can span many years and target various speech and language goals. For example, Actions in Video can help build longer sentences with a verbal individual and help an AAC user learn to combine symbols and create more grammatically correct sentences on their talker. Below are some excellent early learning and speech apps to try with your Bluebee Pal at home…..https://www.bluebeepals.com/beccas-app-reviews/
Speech and Language Goals with Bluebee Pals
The Eli Explorer App was created by early childhood experts designed to encourage kids to explore while learning. This app helps facilitate language and learning in a fun educational and interactive way. When you open the app, press play and then see Eli sleeping! How do you wake her up? Press on Eli, and she is ready for an adventure. Take your finger and help guide Eli through a fun and stimulating journey through different scenes. To read the full review with tips for parents, click here.https://www.bluebeepals.com/beccas-app-reviews/Create a social story with Pictello and make Bluebee Pal the reader of the story! Pictello is a versatile app that can be used to create stories with using photos, short video clips, and text. This app can use both synthesized and digitized speech. The app also gives you the ability to share easily with others is user-friendly to set up. Pictello also has the option to use many different languages and accents, which can be an excellent feature for manyhttps://www.bluebeepals.com/beccas-app-reviews/ individuals. To read the full review and how to implement this app with Bluebee Pal, click here. https://www.bluebeepals.com/beccas-app-reviews/
SymbolSupport App is an editing program that allows you to add symbols to your text, while SymbolReader is a free app that displays these symbolized documents. Both apps read the documents with a high-quality text-to-speech voice and word-by-word highlighting. The apps are compatible with the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. To read the full review and learn how to implement this app with the Bluebee Pal, click here. https://www.bluebeepals.com/beccas-app-reviews/
Actions in Video is a functional app that was created by Geraldine Moran, speech-language pathologist to help individuals with complex communication needs build sentences for communication. This app can be used successfully with both individuals with speech and language disabilities as well as younger children learning how to combine words into sentences. Actions in Video is an app “that teaches a person to understand and use action words through the use of videos.” To learn more about how to implement this app with Bluebee Pal, click, here.https://www.bluebeepals.com/beccas-app-reviews/.
Wh Questions: Why?Speech and Education Cards is an app that was created by speech-language pathologists and contains professional illustrations and scenes with educational content. The app includes 30 scenes which give you at least 30 different opportunities for answering 30 “why” questions. The app is free but only includes a select amount of pictures. To buy the additional set, an in-app purchase is available. Bluebee Pals motivate kids for the Why questions. This app is appropriate for both children who are typical ages 3 and up and can also benefit those individuals with speech and language disorders and delays. Since the questions are read to the reader (as an option in the setting), no reading is required to use the app functionally. The goals that the authors target with this app are the following: Cause and Effect Relationship, Receptive and Expressive Language Skills, Naming Actions and Describing Situations, Answering Wh Questions, Making Logical Conclusions and Reasoning by Using Hints and Creative Thinking. To learn how to implement this app with Bluebee Pal, click here. https://www.bluebeepals.com/beccas-app-reviews/
Are you looking for more apps? Check out the Bluebee Pal App and learn how to facilitate language and learning with this fun, free and versatile app! ……. https://www.bluebeepals.com/bluebee-pals-app/
The COVID-19 global pandemic has changed our lives for the foreseeable future Families are trying to manage staying at home while working remotely AND educating their children who are unable to go to school. A household full of people “Zooming” (the popular video conferencing tool being use for everything from staff meetings to education), trying to work, trying to learn, trying to cook and clean is enough to overwhelm any of us. Bluebee Pals recommends the below resources to assist parents in navigating the new world around us. These resources can bring a sense of less chaos and more organization at home with your children.
Our children are affected too. They can tell that things are not quite right and that the adults in their lives are stressed. They hear us talking about the virus, or “big germ,” as some moms have nicknamed it, and may not understand why they must #stayathome and #keepadistance! More time at home with this heightened stress level can inevitably lead to increased anxiety for our children. You may be noticing more whining, tantrums, and sibling rivalries, no matter how attentive you are trying to be. We are social beings that thrive on interactions and variety. We hope these resources bring your family together!
Thankfully, organizations are providing FREE access to some amazing educational and fun resources. Bluebee Pals work exceptionally well with these activities via Bluetooth connectivity. Check out the list below and connect your Bluebee Pals today! https://www.bluebeepals.com/tutorials/
YouTube COVID-19 Videos for Kids:
Children’s National Hospital Kid’s Video Guide to Coronavirus
Easing Children’s Coronavirus Anxiety: A Social Story
Explaining Social Distancing to Children Meet the Helpers
UM-NSU CARD’s Let’s Talk About the Coronavirus Whiteboard Social Narrative Video
Wash Your Hands Dance with Baby Shark
Educational Sites:
Epic: Kids subscription-based reading and learning platform
BrainPop: Educational websites with over 1,000 short animated movies for students in grades K-12
Sirius XM: Offering Free music streaming promotions
Audible: Offering free streaming audiobooks for kids of all ages
TeacherswithApps: Educational resources -educators and parents.
Bluebeepals.com: Free App, Lessons Plans, Book, Activity Guide, and Tutorials
Khan Academy for Kids: Learning and discovery with free, fun educational program for children ages two to eight.
Education.com: Browse 30,000+ worksheets, online games, lesson plans and more.
Learning Heroes: Support learning at home with simple actions to help your child reach their goals.
PBS Kids Video Mobile Downloads: Access to thousands of free videos from top PBS KIDS series
National Geographic Kids: Games and videos about animals, other countries, science, and related topics
Zearn (Math): Best-in-class math lessons are used by millions of kids around the country.
Not only can you connect your Bluebee Pal to read and sing along with any of these resources, but our plush friend is there for hugs and cuddles too! Hug your Bluebee Pal today for a break from the world of COVID-19. Bluebee Pals and Kayle Concepts are thinking of you during this time. http://bluebeepals.com
With children out of traditional school due to the current virus pandemic- homeschooling, online schooling, and social distancing are the current new normal. Children are missing their teachers, classmates, friends and social activities. Parents are trying to supplement educational assignments to prevent loss of prior learning.This has all been such a big adjustment to our daily lives! Parents need to remember that a favorite stuffed animal can be a comforting companion. We recommend Bluebee Pals plush educational tools as a great resource for engaging communication and learning. .http://bluebeepals.com
Bluebee Pals make perfect friends and educational tech companions.
Family Pack Bluebee Pals
Bluebee Pals make great social distancingfriends! Even if you can’t have human friends over to play right now, you have an instant friend with your Bluebee Pal! They are soft and snuggly, and instantly loveable. They make a perfect friend! Here are some suggestions to help you and your child enjoy playing with a Bluebee Pal friend:
Have a tea party. Have one every day! Invite your Bluebee Pal, mom, dad, sisters and brothers. Set the table, enjoy some snacks, and talk about your day. This is a nice way to schedule some family time and reconnect.
Your Bluebee Pal can receive telephone callsthrough it’s Bluetooth connection! Show your child how to answer the call by pressing on Bluebee’s ear. Then, go to another room and call your child through their Bluebee Pal. Have a conversation, sing some songs, ask and answer questions! Now, change places and let your child call you on your Bluebee Pal! This is wonderful for practicing conversational and social interactions.
Be sure to include Bluebee Pal in daily activities!Let him sit next to you while watching cartoons or movies, and let him sleep with you at night. He will help keep your child from feeling lonely and isolated.
Play games! You can play your favorite board games together and/or with other family members! Pick a game, set it up and get started. Help your Bluebee Pal take turns playing with you! Bluebee Pals love playing games!
Play-pretend! Help your child learn to engage in pretend play with Bluebee Pal! Play pirates, princess, dress-up, take a trip to the moon or act out your favorite books! Imaginative play fosters creativity!
Help your child make Face-time callswith your child’s friends with your Bluebee Pal! Let your Bluebee “read” your favorite book apps with your child’s friends over the phone! This is an awesome way to keep friends connected.
Practicing responsible social distancing is imperative for all us….and, with Bluebee Pal friends, can be fun!
Bluebell Pals are NOT just your average toy! Oh no! They go way beyond that! They are excellent educational tech companions! Bluebee Pals can easily be utilized to address educational needs with young children and make learning fun!
Their patented technology allows Bluebee’s mouth and head to move while reading stories, teaching through educational games, learning a language and singing songs.Bluebee Pals come with a FREE educational app, free resources, lesson plans tied to the Common Core Curriculum, video tutorials and ideas for educational uses, a fun activity guide and a downloadable book! Children love this nurturing tech companion who provides motivation and companionship.
Click the links to learn about Bluebee Pals and Free Resources
Life skills have been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. Skills that function for well-being and aid individuals to develop into active and productive members of their communities are considered as life skills. Educators are increasingly supporting the development of life skills, in addition to academics, in order to enable students to function effectively in society. Teachers sometimes describe these skills as “learning to learn skills” which can be developed through intentional daily activities
Life skills go hand in hand with development and can help your child succeed later in life.
In the book, “Mind in the Making,” Ellen Galinsky, a leading authority on child development issues, organized the essential life skills that children need to be well-rounded, ready for school, and life.
What Are the Most Important Life Skills for Kids to Learn?
Focus And Self Control: Children need this skill in order to achieve their goals. It involves paying attention, remembering the rules, thinking flexibly and exercising self control. Children thrive onschedules, habits, and routines, which not only create a feeling of security, but also help children learn self-control and focus.
Perspective Taking: Perspective taking goes far beyond empathy in that it involves figuring out what others think and feel, and forms the basis of children understanding their parents’, teachers’, and friends’ intentions. Children who can take others’ perspectives are also much less likely to get involved in conflicts. Thinking about another’s point of view doesn’t come naturally to most children, but it can be developed by making observations with children about how others are feeling.
Communication: Communicating is much more than understanding language, speaking, reading and writing – it is the skill of determining what one wants to communicate and realizing how our communications will be understood by others. Children need to build healthy social-emotional skills, including the ability to understand and communicate with others. Children need to learn how to “read” social cues and listen carefully. They must consider what they want to communicate and the most effective way to share it.
Making Connections: Making connections is at the heart of learning—figuring out what’s the same, what’s different and sorting these things into categories. Making unusual connections is at the core of creativity. True learning occurs when we can see connections and patterns between seemingly disparate things. The more connections we make, the more sense and meaning we make of the world. Young children begin to see connections and patterns as they sort basic household items like toys and socks. Simple acts, such as choosing clothingappropriate for the weather, helps them build connections.
Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is the ongoing search for valid and reliable knowledge to guide beliefs, decisions, and actions. We live in a complex world in which adults are required to analyze information and make decisions about myriad things every day. One of the best ways to build critical thinking is through rich, open-ended play. Make sure your child has time each day to play alone or with friends. Through play, children formulate hypotheses, take risks, try out their ideas, make mistakes, and find solutions—all essential elements in building critical thinking.
Taking On Challenges: Life is full of stresses and challenges. Children who are willing to take on challenges instead of avoiding them or simply coping with them do better in school and in life. One of the most important traits we can develop in life is that of resilience—being able to take on challenges, bounce back from failure, and keep trying. Children learn to take on challenges when we create an environment with the right amount of structure—not so much as to be limiting, but enough to make them feel safe. Encourage your child to try new things and allow reasonable risk, such as climbing a tree or riding a bike. Offer a new challenge when she seems ready.
Self-Directed, Engaged Learning: It is through learning that we can realize our potential. As the world changes, so can we, for as long as we live—as long as we learn. A child who loves learning becomes an adult who is rarely bored in life. To encourage a love of learning, try to limit television and encourage plenty of reading, play, and open-ended exploration.
Bluebee Pals are excellent educational tools that can easily be incorporated in the classroom or at home to help model and build age-appropriate essential life skills. Use one-on-one or invite a Bluebee Pal into life skills learning or peer groups to practice skills. Paired with story books and educational apps, Bluebee Pals offer children a special learning friend who makes life skills practice fun…and therefore, more meaningful. By “speaking” the audio in connected apps, a Bluebee Pal adds just the right touch of warmth and humanity to motivate children. Just connect your Bluebee Pal and get started!http://bluebeepals.com
A few examples of apps that can be used to help develop essential life skills:
First Then Visual Schedule HD by Good Karma Applications, Incallows you to create first-then boards, visual schedules, task analyses, social stories, choice boards, and video models, and even has a timer for task completion.
Peppy Pals Family Play Bundle by Peppy Pals AB is a set of three apps featuring engaging animal friends that enables children to learn and explore emotions in an relaxing, interactive environment while developing emotional intelligence.
Peppy Pals Sammy Helps Out by Peppy Pals AB is an interactive storybook about collaboration, emotions, and friendship.
Peppy Pals Social Skills by Peppy Pals AB features gender-neutral animals in story scenarios as they take care of each other and solve problems. Helps build social emotional skills such as self-esteem, resilience, empathy, problem-solving, managing emotions, managing stress, and creating healthy relationships.
10 Ways – a Social Skills Game by Everyday Speech LLC teaches through a familiar game format with categories of questions that include conversation skills, perspective taking, asking and answering questions, friendship skills, and more.
Categories Learning Center by Smarty Ears fosters categorization skills by sorting similar and dissimilar items, placing objects in the correct category, naming members of given categories and identifying which category name a group of objects belongs in.
Thinkrolls by AVOKIDDOis an addictive, award-winning logic, brain power, and problem solving app for kids that uses mazes to master the art of thinking. Provides for penalty-free and stress-free trial and error problem solving.
Thinkrolls Space by AVOKIDDOcontinues in the fashion of Thinkrolls but with an outer space theme and more puzzles.
My PlayHome by PlayHome Software Ltd is an interactive doll house for boys and girls that offers free, open-ended exploration and play.
“I am a special needs teacher and work with a population of middle school age children with moderate to severe special needs. In this video, Sally is an eighth-grade student with Autism who is in our Critical Life Skills Program. Critical Life Skills include adapted academics, toileting, feeding, mobility, communication, dressing, self-help, and social/emotional achievement and functioning. As a special needs teacher, I am always searching for new ways to reach my students and keep their attention. The Bluebee Pal is an amazing educational tool to encourage reading and literacy. Whether the Bluebee is narrating a story or identifying a word for the student to locate on an Ipad/touch screen.” …**Cheryl Stark-Special Needs Teacher….http://bluebeepals.com
Assistive Technology Tools for Special Needs Children
Sally is listening to the Raz A-Z Reading Program read to her from Bluebee Pal Parker the Monkey. She then taps on the self-read function after he reads to her and states, now she is reading to her Bluebee Monkey. Bluebee Pals are powerful assistive technology tools for many special needs children as they engage in learning and communication by connecting to any app with a narrative including the Bluebee Pal App. In addition, they provide companionship as a learning buddy who is soft, cuddly and non-judgmental. It’s an opportunity for children to interact with a humanoid companion outside the daily routine of staring into the screen on a iPad or laptop.
Raz-Kids is an online reading program that helps students hone comprehension skills in class, at home, or on the go. Students can read and listen to eBooks at 29 different reading levels, use eTools for active reading, and take quizzes while teachers and parents monitor student reading activity and quiz reports. The Kids A-Z mobile app delivers interactive learning content for Raz-Plus, Raz-Kids, Headsprout, and Science A-Z anytime, anywhere. Kids can choose from a library of eBooks, eQuizzes, and other eResources. With the Kids A-Z app, personalized learning goes wherever the student does! https://www.bluebeepals.com/tutorials/
Special Needs Children Utilizing Voice Recording & Text-To-Speech Apps
Bluebee Pals are extremely versatile and effective educational assistive technology tools that can be utilized to support individualized instruction in virtually any subject area! They make great teacher’s assistants and promote active and engaged learning. They can be used one-on- one or in a small group setting. In addition to being used with any apps containing a narrative, they can also be used with voice recording and text-to-speech apps and tailored to meet specific student or classroom educational needs. http://bluebeepals.com
Voice Recording
Students can’t get enough of hearing their own (and their teacher’s) recorded voices and this is an instant attention getter! These apps allow you to record, save, and immediately playback your own recordings in your own (or a student’s) voice. Bluebee can playback adult voice recordings of a favorite book, story, or song in a child’s own regional dialect, or recordings produced by a child. Bluebee can “speak” in a student’s voice to give the student auditory feedback on how he/she sounds.https://www.bluebeepals.com/tutorials/
Voice Memos by Apple. Quickly and easily record vocabulary words for Bluebee to say and for students to practice repeating. Let your students record their words, sentences, or stories, too! Matching game: Record nouns for Bluebee and give students picture or word flashcards to choose the correct match for the word that was said. Use the recorder app to have Bluebee give instructions or ask questions. Use the recorder to have students sequence events, answer questions, or retell a story.
My Story School eBook Maker by MY STORY, LLC. Create and share ebooks and movies using your own voice, drawings, stickers, and photos!
Book Creator for iPad by Red Jumper Limited. Easily create your own books! Add music, narration, video, text! Share with family and friends.
Little Bird Tales Storytelling by Mike Klem. Create your own unique stories, podcasts, presentations and journals. Students can download lessons from their teacher and send them back when completed. There is an art pad for illustrations, and it records in your own voice and adds text to each page. Great for custom lessons, Common Core aligned lessons, writing assignments, book reports, poetry, journals, and more.
Articulation Station Pro by Little Bee Speech is an example of an app for articulation (sound production) remediation that records student responses for auditory feedback and practice.
***In addition to these, many storybook, articulation, language development and educational apps contain a recording feature. Be on the lookout for it!
Text-to-Speech
These apps let your students interact in real time with your Bluebee Pal as you type in text for your Bluebee to speak! They offer so much versatility and control of your lessons as Bluebee Pals “speak” to your students as you are working with them. You can program your Bluebee Pal to say anything you want him to say as you type in the text. Ask and answer questions or carry-on a real life conversation!
Make up your own stories or type in the text of books for your Bluebee Pal to read. Book discussions: Have Bluebee read a book out loud. Then, type in questions for Bluebee to ask the students. Have Bluebee help practice vocabulary and comprehension skills by typing in words or definitions, questions, or even tests for him to say aloud. With Bluebee Pals and Text-to-Speech apps, students can quickly and easily work on syntax, semantics, pragmatics, social skills, math, language, social studies, science, and other curriculum skills….anything you want!
Talk For Me: Text to Speechby Darrin Altman Not being able to speak on your own is difficult. Talk For Me – Text to Speech, designed and engineered by a person who lost the ability to speak, seeks to make your life easier. Type in the main text area or tap one of the six main custom buttons and your iOS device will talk for you. Want to set up more custom phrases? Swipe up for more pages with custom editable buttons.
Text to Speech (TTS): Converts text to speech with the best sounding voices anywhere. Simply enter any text and press ‘play’ and the app will instantly read the words. Also you can transform your text in an audio file and share it via social media. iMessage, Mail, WhatsApp, FB Messenger, etc.
Text to Speech! : Bring your text to life with Text to Speech! Text to speech produces natural sounding synthesised text from the words that you have entered in. With 82 different voices to choose from and the ability to adjust the rate and pitch, there are countless ways in which the synthesised voice can be adjusted.
iSpeech Text to Speech: Type in text and listen with the iSpeech Text to Speech Pro app. iSpeech converts text to speech with the best sounding voices anywhere in over 26 languages. Listen to your emails, favorite news articles, documents and more. Also listen to your text read out loud in iSpeech Obama and iSpeech Bush voices.
Speak4Me-Text to Speech: Let your iPhone speak for you! Train your phone to say whatever you want. You can convert your phrases to an audio file and share it with your friends via iMessage, Mail, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.
Many parents and teachers are constantly looking for new ways to get children excited about reading. And for good reason. Reading is a large part of receiving a strong foundation during the early years of a child’s education. In fact, studies have often shown when a young child is read to, it improves language skills, assists in literacy development, and has a great impact on the parts of a child’s brain that are fundamental early literacy development. Trying new technology tools such a Bluebee Pal can engage a child in learning.
Bluebee Pal : Best Tool for Earlychildhood
Parents and teachers today have many tools that help spark an early love and desire in children to read and learn. The Bluebee Pal is one of them, and it may remind some of a classic talking and plush toy that made its debut in the 1980s.http://bluebeepals.com
Our Bluebee Pal, better known to my preschoolers as Leo the Lion, is providing loads of educational fun, so much so that I doubt the kiddos realize they are learning as they are playing. Leo, and all Bluebee Pals, is a plush toy that syncs with Bluetooth® enabled devices.
With its built-in speaker the Bluebee Pal reads to, sings with and engages children as they learn with their favorite apps, songs and videos. The pals also have moving mouths as they talk and sing. Typically toys like this can be a bit bulky or not as plush as they appear because of the battery pack and speaker inside the toy. The Bluebee Pal is extremely soft, lightweight and huggable, making it a great toy for kiddos of any age. These are just a few reasons why reading time is bit more exciting these days.https://www.bluebeepals.com/apps-bluebee-pals/
Bluebee Pal : Play and Learn at Home
Whether it is to learn or to catch up on their favorite shows, my preschoolers enjoy having time on the computer and tablet. As a parent I am often concerned that the girls have spent too much time looking at screens, potentially causing damage to their vision. The Bluebee Pal has helped us to eliminate long periods of looking at a screen because the focus has turned to watching its mouth move and paying closer attention to the actual story or song. This guarantees a successful and quiet learning time.
Activity Suggestion: Storytime While traveling
Take a Bluebee Pal on your next family trip. It can easily fit in a carryon or in a child’s backpack in the car. During road time or other quiet moments, your children can stay caught up on their daily reading in a way that doesn’t seem to take away from the fun being had on the trip. Bluebee Pal will occupy you child for hours reading, singing, or even playing an educational game. Let’s not forget the cuddle factor that will help during nap time with their favorite stuffed animal
6 Top Reading Apps for Home or School
1. HOOPLA Book Riot has recommended this for downloading audiobooks straight from local libraries. It also has an extensive children’s audiobook section, which will make for good bedtime reading or car listening.
2. EPIC! Epic provides a plethora of children’s books for all ages. The app asks for parents or teachers to create an account, and allows for them to create four profiles for children readers. You do need to register an email and a password. The visuals and music contribute to a fun learning experience.
3. SIGHT WORDS App Store reviews from parents have expressed satisfaction with this app game that encourages reading and makes it fun for kids. It’s for ages 4 and up, with detailed animation, background music, and great visuals. There are six games at the moment, tailored by grade. Kids can create their own profile, as either people or monsters.
4. ENDLESS READER This is meant for younger readers, ages 4 and up, to teach them words by sight. It’s designed to grab attention, with fluid animation and epic music. Digital flash cards occupy the screen, with fitting animation. Kids have to assemble the words, or match them, while the game provides appropriate sound effects.
5. READING COMPREHENSION The paid version of the Peakaboo apps, there are versions for various reading levels, grades 2–8. The various bundles range from $7.99–9.99 and individual apps cost $1.99. These promise to educate children, while provoking thought with their questions about the material.
6. TEACHME This reading app comes for multiple grade levels, including Preschool, Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, and Third Grade. All five apps cost $7.99 as a bundle, and the individual ones are $1.99 if a parenHomeschoolers:
HomeSchoolers Incorporate Apps into Lessons
Homeschoolers are no strangers to incorporating technology into lessons. Some days they are strategically fit into learning time. Other days technology allows us to quickly create a last minute lesson plan. Reading time, however, is rarely ever left out of the lesson plans. Having our Bluebee Pal, in addition to the variety of educational and reading apps, makes reading time both educational and entertaining.
For example, The Epic App allows parents and children to choose from more than 35,000 books, and they can read them online or offline, on the Web, or on mobile devices. Many selections are by well-known authors or from major publishers, and the collection includes Spanish/English, Chinese/English, and French/English bilingual books. Kids are able to see colorful scenes of the story on your device, as well as hear the story while it is “read” by the Bluebee Pal. Most stories in the app are not free, but the app offers a few free ones to begin.introducing phonics to beginner readers.
Introducing Phonics to Beginner Readers
The Bluebee Pal is also a great tool to use while introducing phonics to beginner readers. Words on a page may be intimidating for some, so incorporating videos from your favorite educational channels like these can assist in boosting a child’s confidence as well as introduce the necessary skills to begin reading. Kids can enjoy story time without a parent’s help, which is great for the little ones who can’t quite read and great for parents who need to buy a few moments to prepare for the next activity
Encourage Activeness by Listening to Music and Dancing
Encourage activeness by listening to music and dancing with the Bluebee Pal.Kids (and parents alike) need a time during the day to step away from the learning. Turning on music and encouraging dancing and movement is exactly what is needed to get re-energized, or in some cases, burn some energy to continue the time of productive learning. The Bluebee Pal has a quality speaker, and its volume is easily controlled by the device
Use in The Classroom
Using videos to dig a little deeper into topics is typical for homeschoolers, and it is no different for the classroom. I am visual learner, so I tend to teach my children with many visual examples. Once a week I teach a co-op class, and this past session I taught basic science concepts to 29 four and five-year-olds. During our weather week, I introduced the concept of seasons with a video and a song with the help of our Bluebee Pal.
Teachers of children of that age group know how challenging it can be to keep the kiddos quiet for long periods of time. However, the second I introduced Leo to both classes all were quiet, and their eyes were fixated on him. The class assistants could not believe their eyes. Every student was captivated, including those who are normally rambunctious.
Activity Suggestion for Teachers:
Give students a chance to earn a reward of holding the Bluebee Pal. Students will quickly become attached to the new classroom pal, so offer the privilege of holding the Bluebee Pal during reading time as a reward for good behavior throughout the day.
Learning with Leo has been both enjoyable and beneficial for my children and students. Check out more about the Bluebee Pal here and see which pal your child would most love!http://bluebeepals.com
Schools are closed indefinitely across the USA and parents are now charged with helping their children continue educational activities at home. Some school systems were able to send assignments home before the closures, while others had no time to prepare for the sudden shut-down. Homeschooling is new venture for many parents and they require resources to structure learning and playtime in a home setting. We know this can be a overwhelming time and hope the below recommendations will assit in the transition from the academic institution to learning at home.
Students must continue to learn and grow, and the current situation provides lots of opportunities for fun, impactful home educational activities. This is also a PERFECT time to make memories with your children and learn things beyond “normal” math and reading. Family bonding is necessary, and mapping out time together to enjoy joint activities can be very rewarding for children and parents. Gather your Bluebee Pals and child and create a home-classroom for continued learning during this period of school closure.http://bluebeepals.com
Best Homeschooling Outcomes
Create a designated learning space. …
Follow a daily schedule. …
Map out the school year ahead of time. …
Set learning goals together. …
Take learning beyond the classroom. …
Make learning a family activity. …
Collaborate with other homeschoolers. …
Ease into school.
Ideas and Links : Assist Home Schooling
bluebeepals.com: Bluebee Pals FREE Lesson Plans, Activity Guide and App Resources( You don’t need an actual Bluebee Pal just connect any IOS or Apple Laptop, Tablet or Mobile Phone https://www.bluebeepals.com/inclusive-curriculum/
Scholastic Learn at Home: Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing
Zearn.org: As a parent, you can create a free account, pick your child’s grade, and they’ll be taught the exact way that matches the standard
sightreadingfactory.com: Sight reading and sight singing practice exercises
The Bluebee Pals Pilot collaboration between New York City Schools boroughs is demonstrating to be a great success! Testimonials from early childhood teachers and speech therapists acknowledge the integration of Bluebee Pal as a valuable educational tool to motivate students in learning. Bluebee Pals assistive technology tools are incorporated into classrooms to support teachers in engaging literacy and communication through lesson plans, social/emotional, and life skills. The Bluebee Pal Program highlights a robotic stuffed animal that connects to IOS and Android devices and speaks through all apps with a narrative, including the Bluebee Pal App. In 2020, Kayle Concepts brand owner introduced Bluebee Pal Lesson Plans, Children’s Book and Activity Guide for early childhood educators.https://www.bluebeepals.com
P17X@385 BLUEBEE PALS PROMOTE LEARNING
Amanda Acosta, K-2 TeacheR, Bronx
Bluebee Pal is a fun way to encourage my students to participate during ElA. My class students voted on changing Parker the Monkey’s name to Momo. During read aloud, they are engaged with Momo and fascinated a stuffed animal is reading directly to them. When it comes to questioning, they will answer the question and give Momo a high five for participating.
Overall, they have enjoyed Fundations( a multisensory and systematic phonics, spelling, and handwriting program)with Bluebee Pals assistive technology devices; it has promoted their encouragement to engage and sit and attain what is being said by the device. In addition, there is an independent center where students have an opportunity to work with Momo with their letters, which they love to do. They have incorporated Momo into their routines; once they unpack, they ask where momo is in the classroom. https://www.bluebeepals.com/tutorials/
Rachel Callahan, K-2 Teacher, Bronx
My students love using the Bluebee Pal! They were intrigued by the lion and would repeat letter sounds that Bluebee Pal said while connected to a voice recording app. They also enjoyed all stories and games. Students who do not demonstrate strong, functional, speech are more likely to participate from using the Bluebee Pal.
P77K@178 INTRODUCING BLUEBEE PALS INTO SPEECH THERAPY
Vaishalie Ramsumair, M.A. CF-SLP, TSSLD, Brooklyn
I have now begun to integrate Bluebee Pal “Lily the Lamb” and the Bluebee Pal app into my therapy sessions. My non-verbal and minimally verbal students’ eyes immediately light up. My students have been highly motivated by the “daily activity” feature, where they are given the autonomy to select an activity based on the rooms in the Bluebee Pal App House.
The Bluebee Pal has helped one of my students in particular to generalize her ability to request via static display speech-generating device (GoTalk9+). While lunchtime has historically been the sole motivating activity for this student, she demonstrated the ability today to request Lily the Lamb within a structured play context using her GoTalk 9+. I will definitely continue to use Bluebee Pal Lily and Bluebee Pal App in future therapy sessions.
In August of 2019, the University of Central Flori at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando, Florida began their journey as a Bluebee Pals Project site. The PedsAcademy provides hospital-based school programming to children who are fighting for their health. This educational program brings educators into the hospital setting allowing the patients to focus on being students again. They participate in research-backed educational opportunities through the use of technology including the Bluebee Pals. Out tech companions provide dual purposes: creating a nurturing environment and engaging children in early childhood literacy.https://www.bluebeepals.com
Rebeca Grysko, Associate Director of Teacher Education and Post-Doctoral Scholar at UCF’s PedsAcademy, shared that the Bluebee Pals were a “great success” during read aloud activities with patients and families. The families appreciated our furry assistive technology tools encourage reading and communication in an hospital setting.https://www.bluebeepals.com/therapists/
Bluebee Pals Engage in Vocabulary and Reading
Student teaching interns have been using the Bluebee Pal to teach vocabulary and increase reading skills. In addition, our pals have helped to engage, comfort, incentivize and entertain the students during lessons. These plush educational tech tools act as reading buddies for PedsAcademy students that need extra support such as those with learning disabilities or second-language learners.
Bluebee Pals have “made so many of the lessons 10x better!” shared a teaching intern. One very special participant was a 23-month-old patient who engaged with Bluebee Pal Parker the Monkey while reading stories, singing nursery rhymes and following simple directions. Our educators utilize these “motivational” assistive technology tools in all reading programs.
What a joy it is to see the positive impact of Bluebee Pals at the PedsAcademy! We are honored to be part of their amazing program that helps ensure academic access to their patients! https://ccie.ucf.edu/teachered/peds-academy/
Punam Desormes, M.A., CCC-SLP, ATP
Faculty Clinical Instructor
School of Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Central Florida
PS K771 is a safe and orderly school in Brooklyn, New York where teachers agree the principal is a trustworthy and effective leader, surveys report. The school, which serves over 400 1st- 12th graders, is located in nine sites throughout Brooklyn. The student body mainly consists of learners with autism, emotional disturbances, multiple handicaps or intellectual disabilities. P177K was thrilled to participate in the pilot program supported by the Bluebee Pals Project.
The school is a part of a special pilot program where Bluebee Pals are donated to specific schools in exchange for provider feedback. Laura Jiencke, founder of Bluebee pals created the program to include free professional development for teachers and therapists to kick start the program. Many principals expediated the Bluebee Pal Pilot Progam and provided photos, videos, and testimonials within weeks of implementing the program. The positive testimonials and principal support resulted in a successful collaboration between the New York City Schools and Kayle Concepts owner of the Bluebee Pal brand.https://www.bluebeepals.com
“As promised with our Bluebee Pal Pilot Program, I wanted to share our feedback from our ENL Teacher and Speech Therapist. We are also buying more Bluebee Pals.” Vinnette Ferrandino, Principal, I.A.P771K
Bluebee Pals Motivating Communication in Speech Therapy
The training was great. The videos provided a demonstration of the actual usage of Bluebee Pals and how other teachers incorporate them into their lesson plans.
I use Bluebee during push in sessions and reading time. I tend to prefer functional communication so to me it’s a great engagement tool that catches the student’s attention and is fun. They attend to it.
I think every 12:1:4 classroom and 6:1:1 classroom can benefit from using Bluebee Pals
Bluebee Pals Engaging Learning- ENL Teacher
The training provided valuable overview of the Bluebee Pal, the capabilities, and possible classroom use. The opportunity to view the videos of classes with Bluebee Pals and feedback from the teachers was very helpful and inspiring. In addition, the summary of the resources available on the website can be very useful to supplement the classroom activities.
I use the Bluebee Pal in my small groups sessions. It has proven to be a valuable tool for increasing students engagement, creating more entry points for curriculum and increasing the comfort level of the multilingual students. I have noticed that given an opportunity for a student to hear texts or stories in native language decreases the stress level and promotes a positive attitude towards the school setting.
Bluebee pal provides an incredibly powerful engagement option for younger students and early learners. In addition, I can see the possibilities to increase student’s independence/choice making by giving them an option to use the Pal during DEAR time but that would require multiple pals for the class.
We will be looking to purchase additional Bluebee Pals shortly.
Kayle Concepts implemented a Bluebee Pal Pilot Program in five Bronx and five Brooklyn Schools. The program was designed to promote Bluebee Pals as an or early childhood educators and therapists in mainstream and special needs schools. New York City Schools consists of five boroughs – Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, The Bronx, and Staten Island and considered one of the largest educational institutions in the United States. In the New York City School system, technology is recognized as an important component of education. While we anticipated a supportive response, the teachers and therapists have exceeded our expectations in recognizing Bluebee Pals as a vital assistive technology tool in engaging learning and communication. https://www.bluebeepals.com/tutorials/
P. 53K at P384 Brooklyn, New York: Barbara Barone-Speech Therapist
1. How often are Bluebee Pals used daily/weekly? We use Bluebeee daily during speech therapy, classroom lessons, and student enrichment clusters (SEM).
2. What activities are Bluebee Pals used with? We focus on literacy, music and vocabulary connected to AAC devices for communication. In addition to social/emotional interaction skills.
3. Who is using the Bluebee Pals? The speech therapists and teachers at our site are using the Bluebee Pals as well as the students we each service.
4. What goals/objectives are you targeting when using Bluebee Pals? As a speech therapist, my main objective is to use Bluebee Pals to improve social interaction skills. In particular, we have been working on the students greeting the Bluebee, maintaining conversations by asking and answering questions, and engaging in eye contact.We have also been targeting vocabulary and speech production by using the Bluebee as a model for language.
5. How does Bluebee Pal effect the activity and student progress/engagement? The students absolutely love the Blueebee Pals. They are fun, interactive and motivating for all! Many of my students exhibit social delays that make it difficult for them to engage with their peers. They have been so excited to interact with Bluebee by asking him questions and modeling his language. I hope this will teach them the social skills they need to communicate with their peers.
6. What are your favorite apps to use with Bluebee Pals? AAC Apps – Proloquo, Touch Chat, LAMP, Myon, Reading App, Spotify – Sammy is a great addition to our dance parties social Story and Pictello – I have been creating stories and social scripts with the students and Bluebee does a great job of bringing them to life. Voice Recorder – to record social scripts for the students to use when practicing asking and answering questions with the Bluebee.https://apps.apple.com/us/app/voice-recorder-audio-editor/id685310398
7. What is your feedback on the Bluebee Pal App, Book and Activity Book? The app is great! My students really enjoy completing the puzzles and putting cars on the race track. I like using the alphabet board to word on letter recognition and the home for activities of daily living skills (ADL).
Early childhood teachers, speech and occupational therapists are integrating Bluebee into their programs. Their passion is reflected in the variety and creative usages Bluebee Pals are utilized on a daily basis as an assistive technology tool. “I have only been using the Bluebee Pals for a month but the students and I already love it! I look forward to discovering new and exciting ways to incorporate it into my speech practice.” -Barbra Barone Barbara Barone Speech Department, P. 53K at P384 Brooklyn, New York
The Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing creative programs and partnerships to facilitate opportunities for people with Down syndrome and their families. They offer innovative services including iCan! The Learning Program focused on providing parents with the tools to strengthen the educational potential of their child. Developed by Dana Halle, founder of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Orange County, the program consists of monthly workshops for parents and their children with Down syndrome. The caregivers learn how to teach reading, introduce math and create effective learning session. https://www.bluebeepals.com/about-us/
While the parents are hard at work, so are the kids! Alaine Miller, a partnering speech-language pathologist, runs the children’s sessions during this 9-month program. Alaine found another partner to join the mix as well. You guessed it – Bluebee Pals! The Down Syndrome Foundation is a Bluebee Pals Project donation recipient and the kids have been having a blast with their new cuddly friends!
Alaine uses Blubee Pals to Model Social Skills, Speech-Language Skills, and Positive Behavior.
Using voice recordings, text-to-speech apps and educational songs, the children interact with Bluebee and their friends each month. Greetings, turn-taking, appropriate sitting, encouragement and listening comprehension are just some of the things Bluebee assists the students in learning. Alaine stated that the educational tech tool has “maximally increased engagement and progress” amongst her students
“The children were eager to interact with Bluebee and thought it was great to answer a question Bluebee asked. They also loved hugging Bluebee and giving him high fives when they were working hard!”
The children of the iCan! Learning Program also helped Bluebee by fix any silly mistakes he made – “allowing the children the opportunity to correct him, which they thought was silly and fun”!
iCan! The Learning Program is filling in much needed gaps in the education of children with Down syndrome and providing essential parental support. Check it out along with the numerous other services provided by the Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida here: https://dsfflorida.org
Play is much more than fun and games, it’s an important tool for children to develop essential skills. Every child should be able to experience the extraordinary benefits of play every day – especially on the International Day of Play, taking place June 11.
International Day of Play”. This is an exciting opportunity for companies of all sizes to participate in an international campaign. It’s vital for all children around the world to have access to toys that promote play and education for future development. 
If you are worried about the apps your child is using, both free and paid, then why not explore our library of age-appropriate curriculum relevant apps? Their apps are teacher reviewed, ad-free and covers key subject areas such as English, Maths, Science and more. Suitable for iOS and Android devices.
Weekly Learning Plans
We are thrilled to announce the 5 star rating for the Bluebee Pals App by the highly esteemed Educational App Store. 
While a physical Bluebee Pal is not part of this review, it is useful to understand how they fit into the full experience.
My name is Julie, and I’m a Speech-Language Pathologist. I was super excited to hear about Bluebee Pals and
I have also found Bluebee to be an effective tool for 
When I first pulled the Bluebee out I modeled “hi” on my students AAC device. The student smiled and watched. He was very intrigued! He pressed one button and watched Bluebee and let out a little giggle. He started pressing several buttons and watching then started big belly laughing! It was so much fun to watch him see his words through a stuffed animal. Every time I pull it out it is a hit! I can’t wait to use it more throughout our circle time and in more activities! ~Rachel Danley ECSE Teacher
After Spring Break:
It is helping him to self-regulate by practicing waiting and listening as well. My son loved the app and used it a lot once it was educational. 
Hope Haven
“Thank you for your generous donation of Bluebee Pals to Hope Haven. The feedback on
“I currently utilize Bluebee Pal as a source of encouragement for my 2-year-old during potty training. I use the Speak App to have Parker the Monkey encourage son to go to the potty and praise him when he does. 
Allison Cusumano, MS Ed., CCC-SLP
What is assistive technology?
disabilities.”
Use Bluebee Pal for storytelling!
First Words Halloween
Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown by Loud Crow Interactive Inc.: 
For a little simple Halloween game fun, try Halloween Hunt and catch the spooky creatures: 
https://www.amazon.com/Room-Broom-Julia-Donaldson/dp/0142501123/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1507780874&sr=8-1&keywords=room+on+the+broom
Alternatively, go to: You Tube Kids 
Room on the Broom: Games by Magic Light Pictures Ltd.: 
Room on the Broom: Flying by Magic Light Pictures Ltd.: 
One of the most endearing traits of early childhood is that magical line between reality and make-believe. It is the space where anything can happen, and THAT is how beloved stuffed pets or dollies come to life. Attachment to stuffed animals can begin as early as before a child’s first year and can in fact with some people, last a lifetime. To a child, stuffed animals or dolls represent living beings that have real personalities, thoughts, and feelings. Observing a child’s interaction with their pets can give you key insights into a child’s world. It is much easier to express worries or concerns with a stuffie, as they are nonjudgmental and will always listen.
They allow for facilitating the use of new vocabulary, practicing social skills, and rehearsing routines. In addition, they are also a source of learning to self-calm and regulate by providing deep pressure and warmth when hugged or used as a transitional object. Transitional objects are part of a parent’s toolbox in helping children build confidence to try new things or to go from one place to another. Don’t be alarmed if your child clutches tightly to their loved stuffies. The tight grasp is actually a way to provide body input called proprioception that helps ground or seats an individual. Try it yourself by clenching your fists – feel the stability? https://www.bluebeepals.com/apps-bluebee-pals/
The wonderful thing about Bluebee Pals is that they are a ready and able playmate, confidante, and teacher hidden inside a stuffed animal. They can be paired with any device that is Bluetooth enabled or used as a beloved toy unplugged. Try using your Bluebee to:
What Are Bluebee Pals? 
*Let’s Be Social-Social Skills Development: Includes 20 social skills lessons with the ability to also create and personalize your own lessons . The topics include personal interactions, navigating the community, school behavior, handling change, and social relationships. 
*Autism and PDD Picture Stories and Language Activities: There are 5 different themed apps: Friends, School, Community, Home, Family. They contain functional stories depicting children behaving in various situations. At the end of the story select WH questions, yes/no questions, or text match language activities. Answers are automatically scored and the student receives immediate feedback!
What Are Bluebee Pals? 
The Every School Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) is a federal law that calls for a well-rounded (whole child) education and a shifting away from the narrow focus on academics. Under ESSA, teachers go beyond academics to cultivate positive student attitudes, values, and habits. Inter- and intra-personal (or, “social and emotional”) competencies include attitudes and behaviors that affect how students reflect on and apply their learning capacities and skills relative to managing relationships with others. These skills are sometimes referred to as 21st century skills, deeper learning, non-academic, non-cognitive, or soft skills.
social skills. Use one-on-one or invite a Bluebee Pal into social learning or peer groups to practice skills such as understanding and using appropriate emotions, sharing, turn-taking, asking and answering questions, making appropriate conversations, showing empathy, and more. Paired with educational apps, Bluebee Pals are perfectly suited to offer children a special learning friend who makes social skills practice fun…and therefore, more meaningful. By “speaking” the audio in connected apps, a Bluebee Pal adds just the right touch of warmth and humanity to motivate children. Just connect your Bluebee Pal and get started! 
Social /Emotional Recommended Apps :
Model Me Going Places 2 by Model Me Kids, LLC
Let’s be Social PRO: Social Skills Development by Everyday Speech LLC.
Practice social and pragmatic skills in real-life situations and identify emotions.
I am an occupational therapist in New Jersey who, through my colleagues and research, discovered the Bluebee Pals Project. I currently work for 
As a therapist, my responsibilities include treating my students both in-person and via 
teletherapy. I have been struggling to create new and engaging sessions for my students. After researching Bluebee Pals as an assistive technology tool to utilize in my sessions, I focused my efforts on an opportunity to 
We recommended the below videos and apps to connect your Bluebee Pals. Our soft, huggable tech companions provide your child with a learning companion that encourages communication and learning, all in the comfort of your home. Bluebee Pals connect to any app with a narrative, including the Bluebee Pal Educational App, allowing our users an infinite number of educational tools through Apple and Android Apps and Youtube Videos…Please visit our website to review all our Bluebee Pal Programs and resources for mainstream and special needs children. ..
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving 
Bluebee Pals are a great tool to use when teaching and reinforcing math skills. Use one-on-one or invite a Bluebee Pal into peer groups to
A great way to “mathematize” children is to use math in the routines of daily life, either as games or as entertaining ways to solve problems. “Make math fun! “Young children work very hard when they’re playing. Play is the perfect learning environment.”
Remote schooling using the virtual model is hard! My son is a first-grader and lost part of the last school year when schools closed due to COVID-19. He struggles with telling time, staying on task.
It’s essential to be flexible in the special education field, but this school year, the pandemic brought on unprecedented challenges in teaching our students. I am teaching students in the classroom and others through virtual instruction. During these difficult and unknown times, many students can become uncomfortable with all the unfamiliarity and sudden changes. Bluebee Pals educational tools maintain a sense of comfort and familiarity with my students. Bluebee performs as a teaching assistant and allows our students to interact with a plush animal who can read, sing, ask questions, and even answer phone calls.” 
succeeded in its job by engaging and comforting the students this year. Every educator must discover new and inventive educational resources that entertain and motivate them during virtual learning. When working on the other side of the computer screen, it becomes difficult to engage your students with the educational resources you would ordinarily use in a face to face classroom setting. This year, my school team has found many beneficial resources for virtual learning and compatible with Bluebee Pal.” 
Boom Cards are interactive, self-checking, and digital tools that can be used in the classroom or for the whole group and individual learning. When working with boom cards, they display only one question at a time, with multiple ways to answer. The student or teacher can select an answer choice, type, or drag the answers depending on the activity. Also, many of the cards will read the questions aloud to the students. Boom cards is an interactive digital tool that can be paired with Bluebee Pals by asking the questions aloud to the students.
Many of us are teaching or doing therapy virtually, in-school, or as a hybrid mix of in-school and virtual visits. Although we need to limit the use of a stuffed animal for onsite sessions due to infection protocols, we can still use Bluebee Pals during virtual visits. Here are some ways we are using Bluebee Pals during the pandemic.
When my occupational therapy visits were in person and I needed to demonstrate a handling or facilitation technique, we were able do it right then and there – in person. I could monitor and correct the technique the parent was using. Now, things are different and it takes some planning and thought to communicate to parents or caretakers what to do.
We’ve also been reviewing ideas of using Bluebee as a home ambassador to kids in need. We are exploring sending a Bluebee Pal out to children that may need that extra social boost or extra practice for language or reading skills. Kids learning English as a second language will be able to hear and rehearse vocabulary and social greetings with Bluebee at their side. In addition, with the bonus of being able to use Bluebee with the phone, it gives therapists a chance to reinforce all skills learned during visits on preprogrammed phone lines..
Last but not least is having Bluebee teach essential life skills like wearing a mask, social distancing, and rehearsing what to do if someone makes you feel uncomfortable. Bluebee can also be a teaching aid in how to get dressed. Baby sizes 6-9 months and even 12 months fit Bluebee perfectly. Not only is the child looking at the weather and what is appropriate to be dressed in, they are also learning to have an inquisitive mind and look to science for what needs to be done
What is Lesson Pix? 
White Plains Elementary School(Anniston, AL) is honored to receive the Bluebee Pals Project donation of Bluebee Pals educational tools. As a participant, we provide feedback and testimonials on the impact of technology in our speech therapy programs. This donation is an exciting opportunity to introduce Bluebee Pals, a creative form of assistive technology, into our classrooms and home settings. Katrina Ginn: SLP, White Plains Elementary School, Anniston, AL –
For the past 25 years, I have been a school-based speech-language pathologist in public schools. My journey has been rewarding working in school-based services that provide therapy to various student populations. I work with children as soon as they turn three years old, and students can stay in school with speech services until they are 21 years old. I currently have students from 3 years old to 19 years old in my programs. In addition to the students who attend my school, I work with preschool children before they come to school, as well as students in our preschool classrooms at my elementary school.
Some of my students are learning about fluency control techniques to make their speech more smooth. The variety of age and disability varies when providing services as a school-based speech pathologist. So many of my younger students are motivated to practice new skills with the Bluebee Pals assistive technology tools. Young children learn faster when learning is fun and play-oriented. Play is the natural state for preschool and young children, so the Bluebee Pals fit right in with this therapy setting.
Thank you again for this wonderful donation to our school and students! 
We hope that you will spend some time getting to know the companies on this 2020 homeschool curriculum list. They are all small businesses and your support of them is not only greatly appreciated, it gives you the chance to try something new and innovative with your kids. The products in the 2020 Ultimate Homeschool Curriculum List are sure to get your kids excited about learning this year. Have any suggestions for next year’s Homeschool Curriculum List? Email Info@HowToHomeschool.net to submit nominations for the next Top Homeschool Curriculum List! We’d love to hear from you.
Lucy’s Mask – by Lisa Sirkis Thompson Are your kids confused and anxious about wearing a mask? Lucy’s world turned upside down. She’s bored. She can’t be together with her friends. But when she finds out her mom is making her a new mask her boredom turns into excitement. Lucy loves masks! She dives into her toy box full of costumes and opens a world of imagination and make-believe adventure, far beyond the walls of her room. Of course, she doesn’t realize that the mask her mom is making is not a costume at all but one that will keep her safe and make her a real-life superhero.
When Virona the Corona Came to Town –by Hailey Glynn Readers follow the main character, MaryEllen, through a story that details experiences during the Coronavirus pandemic. The goal of this story is to shed light on a time of uncertainty and fear in a child-friendly way.
Teletherapy opportunities are vast and include hands-on activities, interactive games, and unique educational plans. For the youngest students, a parent, or other adult is on the end with the child providing cueing and any “hands-on” techniques that might be needed.
What IS a Bluebee Pal? The Bluebee Pal Pro 4.0 is an interactive plush learning tool with a FREE companion (life skills /educational) app that connects to all iOS and Android Devices and pairs with all apps with a narrative. The patented technology allows Bluebee’s “mouth and head” to move while reading stories, teaching through educational games, communicating through speech/AAC apps, learning a language and singing songs. The FREE Bluebee Pals Learning App is a robust life skill and cognitive development tool for children ages 3 to 7. When connected with a Bluebee Pal, children can immerse themselves in activities in five life skills rooms and play 9 educational mini-games. In addition to their app, Bluebee Pals pair with all apps with a narrative providing endless entertainment and education for all mainstream and special needs children.
Hooray! It’s summertime! School is out and kids are free to play and just be kids! But wait…this is not just any summer! This is the summer in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Why does that matter? Summer Slide is increasing and effecting early childhood development. The school year was cut short for almost all students by at least 3 months. That is 1/3 of the school year! Although the schools and teachers scrambled to offer some type of educational services virtually and/or through packets mailed to students, educational instruction and progress took a major hit and a significant number of students will show skill regression in the fall when school begins again.
The “Summer Slide” is the phrase used to describe the slide backwards that many children normally make in reading and math skills over the summer months when school is not in session. Numerous studies show that kids who don’t practice educational skills during summer vacation actually lose up to 3 months by the time autumn rolls around. It takes teachers 4-6 weeks to reteach material that has been lost over the summer.
Teaching early dressing skills require patience and plenty of practice for little ones. To be successful, kids require a sense of body awareness, the needed motor skills – both gross motor and fine motor, and the ability to sequence steps. Kids begin to express their base knowledge of steps of routine tasks through daily engagement. This simple act of participation takes on meaning and deserves attention because it is relevant. Relevancy facilitates retention.
Onesies are good for left/right, front/back awareness which directly relates to one’s position in space, and the fine-motor abilities to pinch with force in the handling snaps. Socks or booties help kids sustain the ability to stretch and place the sock or bootie, and are one of the harder tasks for kids to perform. As kids gain competency with dressing Bluebee, try altering Bluebee’s position from looking directly at Bluebee to having Bluebee in your lap. In the lap position, it resembles how a child may dress themselves.
Pepi House or Pepi Bath introduce self-care and has always been a clinic favorite. This is also an app that doesn’t use language. Learning at this level helps kids process and practice the sequence of events rather than have too much auditory input com overloading a kid’s system.
Dr. Panda apps always provide clothing to dress-up your character. They are great games to provide kids choices of what to wear. Their new annual subscription, “Dr. Panda Learn and Play” looks very promising.
Bluebee Pals and the Bluebee Pal Program are excellent instructional tools for early reading skills! Due to their endearing appeal, Bluebee Pals and The Bluebee Pal Program, Bluebee app, Techie Rangers E-book and free Activity Guide are uniquely suited for use with reading support. The Bluebee Pal Pro 4.0 interactive plush learning tool connects via Bluetooth to all iOS and Android devices and pairs with all apps with a narrative, which provides endless educational opportunities. Each Bluebee’s “mouth and head” realistically moves while teaching curriculum through educational games, activities, and apps.
The Eli Explorer App was created by early childhood experts designed to encourage kids to explore while learning. This app helps facilitate language and learning in a fun educational and interactive way. When you open the app, press play and then see Eli sleeping! How do you wake her up? Press on Eli, and she is ready for an adventure. Take your finger and help guide Eli through a fun and stimulating journey through different scenes. To read the full review with tips for parents, click here.
Create a social story with Pictello and make Bluebee Pal the reader of the story! Pictello is a versatile app that can be used to create stories with using photos, short video clips, and text. This app can use both synthesized and digitized speech. The app also gives you the ability to share easily with others is user-friendly to set up. Pictello also has the option to use many different languages and accents, which can be an excellent feature for manyhttps://www.bluebeepals.com/beccas-app-reviews/ individuals. To read the full review and how to implement this app with Bluebee Pal, click here. 
Actions in Video is a functional app that was created by Geraldine Moran, speech-language pathologist to help individuals with complex communication needs build sentences for communication. This app can be used successfully with both individuals with speech and language disabilities as well as younger children learning how to combine words into sentences. Actions in Video is an app “that teaches a person to understand and use action words through the use of videos.” To learn more about how to implement this app with Bluebee Pal, click, here.
Be sure to include
“I am a special needs teacher and work with a population of middle school age children with moderate to severe special needs. In 
Sally is listening to the Raz A-Z Reading Program read to her from Bluebee Pal Parker the Monkey. She then taps on the self-read function after he reads to her and states, now she is reading to her Bluebee Monkey. Bluebee Pals are powerful assistive technology tools for many special needs children as they engage in learning and communication by connecting to any app with a narrative including the Bluebee Pal App. In addition, they provide companionship as a learning buddy who is soft, cuddly and non-judgmental. It’s an opportunity for children to interact with a humanoid companion outside the daily routine of staring into the screen on a iPad or laptop.
Students can’t get enough of hearing their own (and their teacher’s) recorded voices and this is an instant attention getter! These apps allow you to record, save, and immediately playback your own recordings in your own (or a student’s) voice. Bluebee can playback adult voice recordings of a favorite book, story, or song in a child’s own regional dialect, or recordings produced by a child. Bluebee can “speak” in a student’s voice to give the student auditory feedback on how he/she sounds.
These apps let your students interact in real time with your Bluebee Pal as you type in text for your Bluebee to speak! They offer so much versatility and control of your lessons as Bluebee Pals “speak” to your students as you are working with them. You can program your Bluebee Pal to say anything you want him to say as you type in the text. Ask and answer questions or carry-on a real life conversation!
Talk For Me: Text to Speech by Darrin Altman Not being able to speak on your own is difficult. Talk For Me – Text to Speech, designed and engineered by a person who lost the ability to speak, seeks to make your life easier. Type in the main text area or tap one of the six main custom buttons and your iOS device will talk for you. Want to set up more custom phrases? Swipe up for more pages with custom editable buttons.
Many parents and teachers are constantly looking for new ways to get children excited about reading. And for good reason. Reading is a large part of receiving a strong foundation during the early years of a child’s education. In fact, studies have often shown when a young child is read to, it improves language skills, assists in literacy development, and has a great impact on the parts of a child’s brain that are fundamental early literacy development. Trying new technology tools such a Bluebee Pal can engage a child in learning.
Parents and teachers today have many tools that help spark an early love and desire in children to read and learn. The Bluebee Pal is one of them, and it may remind some of a classic talking and plush toy that made its debut in the 1980s.
Our Bluebee Pal, better known to my preschoolers as Leo the Lion, is providing loads of educational fun, so much so that I doubt the kiddos realize they are learning as they are playing. Leo, and all Bluebee Pals, is a plush toy that syncs with Bluetooth® enabled devices.
Homeschoolers are no strangers to incorporating technology into lessons. Some days they are strategically fit into learning time. Other days technology allows us to quickly create a last minute lesson plan. Reading time, however, is rarely ever left out of the lesson plans. Having our Bluebee Pal, in addition to the variety of educational and reading apps, makes reading time both educational and entertaining.
The Bluebee Pal is also a great tool to use while introducing phonics to beginner readers. Words on a page may be intimidating for some, so incorporating videos from your favorite educational channels like these can assist in boosting a child’s confidence as well as introduce the necessary skills to begin reading. Kids can enjoy story time without a parent’s help, which is great for the little ones who can’t quite read and great for parents who need to buy a few moments to prepare for the next activity
Using videos to dig a little deeper into topics is typical for homeschoolers, and it is no different for the classroom. I am visual learner, so I tend to teach my children with many visual examples. Once a week I teach a co-op class, and this past session I taught basic science concepts to 29 four and five-year-olds. During our weather week, I introduced the concept of seasons with a video and a song with the help of our Bluebee Pal.
Schools are closed indefinitely across the USA and parents are now charged with helping their children continue educational activities at home. Some school systems were able to send assignments home before the closures, while others had no time to prepare for the sudden shut-down. Homeschooling is new venture for many parents and they require resources to structure learning and playtime in a home setting. We know this can be a overwhelming time and hope the below recommendations will assit in the transition from the academic institution to learning at home.
In August of 2019, the University of Central Flori at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando, Florida began their journey as a Bluebee Pals Project site. The PedsAcademy provides hospital-based school programming to children who are fighting for their health. This educational program brings educators into the hospital setting allowing the patients to focus on being students again. They participate in research-backed educational opportunities through the use of technology including the Bluebee Pals. Out tech companions provide dual purposes: creating a nurturing environment and engaging children in early childhood literacy.
Rebeca Grysko, Associate Director of Teacher Education and Post-Doctoral Scholar at UCF’s PedsAcademy, shared that the Bluebee Pals were a “great success” during read aloud activities with patients and families. The families appreciated our furry assistive technology tools encourage reading and communication in an hospital setting.
Bluebee Pals Motivating Communication in Speech Therapy
Bluebee Pals Engaging Learning- ENL Teacher
P. 53K at P384 Brooklyn, New York: Barbara Barone-Speech Therapist 
4. What goals/objectives are you targeting when using Bluebee Pals? As a speech therapist, my main objective is to use Bluebee Pals to improve social interaction skills. In particular, we have been working on the students greeting the Bluebee, maintaining conversations by asking and answering questions, and engaging in eye contact.
5. How does Bluebee Pal effect the activity and student progress/engagement? The students absolutely love the Blueebee Pals. They are fun, interactive and motivating for all! Many of my students exhibit social delays that make it difficult for them to engage with their peers. They have been so excited to interact with Bluebee by asking him questions and modeling his language. I hope this will teach them the social skills they need to communicate with their peers.
The Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing creative 
programs and partnerships to facilitate opportunities for people with Down syndrome and their families. They offer innovative services including iCan! The Learning Program focused on providing parents with the tools to strengthen the educational potential of their child. Developed by Dana Halle, founder of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Orange County, the program consists of monthly workshops for parents and their children with Down syndrome. The caregivers learn how to teach reading, introduce math and create effective learning session. 
“The children were eager to interact with Bluebee and thought it was great to answer a question Bluebee asked. They also loved hugging Bluebee and giving him high fives when they were working hard!”