Finally, the learning app kindergarten teachers have been waiting for, is available for classrooms. Hungry Caterpillar Play School is now free-of-charge for verified teachers and educators.

Most of today’s kids simply don’t know life without tablets, mobile devices and other gadgets. Generations of “digital natives” – have, by now, long considered tech as just an everyday part of their toy boxes.

Modern kids can process information in new and multiple ways. They often figure technology out much faster than many adults. And when they’re older, 21st century skills will become more important. And we’re not talking about just for career prospects, but just for navigating daily life. There’s quite literally an app for everything these days.

That is why digital tools will continue to play more significant roles in education. While there are a bewildering array of apps available it’s often tricky to know which ones are trusted and which ones leverage the best teaching practices.  Which apps are safe for children?  Which apps respect their privacy? Which ones genuinely prepare children for school and help them get that extra advantage on a lifelong journey of learning?

Hungry Caterpillar Play School ticks all of those boxes… and much more. This respected early learning app uses activities, videos, songs, books, and activities to teach kids a wide range of skills in a child centric way. This award-winning app has been in the market for several years now and is trusted by millions of parents and educators worldwide.

It’s finally available free-of-charge for educators through the StoryToys website.

Kindergarten friendly. Playful learning is loved by kids and educators alike.

Hungry Caterpillar Play School is a fun and playful app designed to help young children master key early learning goals, as defined in the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework.

It is a visually stunning app, featuring The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and other characters and artwork from world-renowned children’s author and illustrator Eric Carle.

Play is nature’s own learning state. When children play, they are optimally alert and engaged—they are primed for learning. We have designed our app to encourage children’s natural curiosity, giving them complete freedom to roam around the app and play with any activity they choose. There is no fixed progression pathway – progression is merely suggested  by the placement of items on a submenu.

As students learn at different paces and respond to different styles, knowing what each child needs for every subject is a tall order for educators. Hungry Caterpillar Playschool is here to help. The app has been designed for children to explore in total safety and with minimal adult supervision.  The menus are intuitive with very little distraction.  You can actually feel safe giving a child this app and simply allow them to explore independently.

Non-didactic and active learning are cornerstones of the Eric Carle ethos. Young children are generally the opposite of passive – they are energetic and excited individuals who want to play and explore. Even with older learners, passive experiences, while they may be entertaining, are not effective for learning and recall, so we strived to make this app an active learning experience. Wherever possible, we have created learning contexts where students learn by doing, rather than by listening to explanations.

A massive library of quality content in diverse subject areas:

Early Math Skills

To develop a solid foundation in early Math, young children need to be very comfortable with numbers and quantities up to ten. We have used a playful and exploratory approach to achieve that. Of course, early Math goes beyond numbers, so we have also included activities that cover simple measurement and comparison, sequencing, critical thinking, and problem solving.

Language and Literacy

Research shows that a child’s alphabet knowledge is the best predictor of their later reading achievement. Alphabet knowledge isn’t only about reciting the alphabet. It’s about knowing all aspects of each letter—what it looks like, what it is called, and the sound it makes.

We’ve created playful learning activities to help children learn their letters in a gentle and fun way. Many of the activities are a little different each time you play them. This encourages repetition, which is critical for effective learning.

After children complete the ABC section, they can move onto the next step of learning to read, by exploring the Learn to Read books in the Books section.

Science and Nature

Learning about nature and science helps children expand their vocabulary and develop a broader understanding of their world. Increasing awareness of environmental issues makes it even more important for children to learn about these subjects from a young age.  The activities and non-fiction books you will find in this section help kids develop their critical thinking skills and encourage them to be aware of the natural world.

Creative Arts

We place great importance on the benefits of the arts in the development of children. Be it visual, auditory or pretend play art is a language that allows us to express and develop our ideas and our emotions. Artistic activities are full of processes and discoveries that help us to grow and stimulate our creativity, even in other subject areas.

Problem Solving and Reasoning

Puzzles help develop their visual problem solving skills and working memory. Explore a library of activities and puzzles of beautifully rendered Eric Carle artwork. Learn and match shapes. The app also features some quiz books. These are interactive titles that are a little different every time you read them.

Early Coding Skills

Yes, even children as young as two years old can start learning this vital 21st-century skill.Our Grouchy Ladybug Coding activity helps young children improve their mathematics and problem solving skills. Learning to code isn’t much different from learning to read and write and is increasingly important for young people to know how to do it.

An Exclusive Library of Learn-to-read Books

Books are available for multiple reading levels starting with wordless books. some even with a read-to-me format for non-fiction titles. It’s a free way to increase the number of books in the classroom.

Absorbing Non-fiction Books

Our bright and cheery Learn About the World books cover a range of subject areas that interest young children, with lots of focus on animals and nature. The books are beautifully illustrated with Eric Carle artwork and children can tap the pictures on each page to make them come alive.

Health And Wellness

Meditating is thought to have wide-ranging effects, like calming and reducing anxiety and helping to deal with pain and trauma. Studies have shown that meditation helps grown-ups with and without ADD/ADHD to pay attention, and there’s some evidence that it can help kids focus, too. Meditation has been thought to benefit overall mental health in kids. A recent study found that kids who learned mindful awareness practices had better executive function after eight weeks of training twice a week. Check out our toddler friendly meditations in the media section.

Songs

Our learning content is supported and enhanced by SONGS and VIDEOS. These help deepen your child’s engagement, understanding, and recall.  Songs are a proven learning aid used by teachers all over the world.

Key Features

• Unlimited access to a huge library of books, videos and activities, all in one kid-friendly app. Updated regularly with new content.
• A safe, child-friendly environment. COPPA compliant and kidSAFE certified.  To learn more visit www.kidsafeseal.com
• Enjoy pre-downloaded content without WiFi or internet.
• Perfect for kids aged 2-5. Designed for Preschoolers.
• Particularly effective with neurodiverse children.
• Screen-time is learning time. Everything is designed to nourish and develop young minds.

Free access is now available to help kindergartners and their teachers start the year off right.

Hungry Caterpillar Play School – Supporting student learning and aiding educators.