
Unlike a traditional storybook, Speech with Milo is specifically designed by a speech therapist to help develop language skills in young children. The story itself is very simple, including text that can be hidden to encourage a child to use expressive language & storytelling skills. The book is also interactive, although this feature can be turned off. This is a very flexible app that can be tailored to the learning goals you have for your child or students.
This app allows children to tell the story to you with all the text removed, providing clear action oriented illustrations in a crisp graphic style that will appeal to kids. You can read the text or listen to it narrated (although it does not highlight as read). You can also choose to record your own voice-over, with or without text. This allows a child (or adult) to tell the story free-form without any words and then listen to their own personal narration.
Interactive elements are lightly animated along with ambient nature sounds in the background. Most of the birds, butterflies and animals in the pictures change color, make noise or move slightly when tapped. While the story itself is not a gripping narrative, it is very nicely set up to teach very specific language skills and comes with detailed instructions and ideas for ways to use this unique educational app.
The book is solidly made with easy swipe-style page turning and a very clear font. The recording feature is intutive and simple to set up, one of many settings that make this app much more than a digital storybook. Overall this is a great title for speech therapists, teachers and parents to use with specific learning goals in mind. This is one of a series of apps in the "Speech with Milo" series that come highly recommended.
All reviews are of the app, not the platform/device. Based originally on iPad versions. Minor technical details may vary.
Author/Illustrator:
Poorani Doonan
Developer:
Doonan Speech Therapy
Length (time):
6 - 8 Minutes
Based on non-digital book: No
Allows Own Narration:
Yes
Uses Motion: No
Age: 2 - 8
Languages:
English •
Length (pages):
33 Pages
Milo is a mouse who wakes up one morning and decides to go to the park. He plays on the swings and slide but is sad to find no one to join him on the see-saw. He decides to play with his ball until it disappears into the bushes. He finds a friend named Melvin (the Raccoon) and begins to play ball. When it rolls down the hill into a pond, Melvin goes in to get it, getting all wet.
After that, the two head back to the park to play and have a snack. Some bees disrupt the snack time, though, causing Melvin to run away and bump into Maggie (the Bunny). Melvin & Milo help Maggie pick up all the flowers that spill out of her basket. Then the three take turns playing on the see-saw. When the day is done, they wave goodbye to each other and go home.
Orientation: Landscape
Format: Universal
Options:
Narration/Text/Interactions/Sound: On/Off, Instructions, Home, Links to Email, Web, AppStore
App Release Date:
2011-07-06
Size: 21.5 MB
Version: 1.1.1
Lite Version Available: No