For anyone who's ever wished their drawings could sing, the answer has arrived! Simply draw while speaking, singing, or even playing an instrument. With a simple yet engaging premise, this app offers a wide range of possibilities, from young learners needing to practice letter sound correspondence to older children desiring a creative outlet.
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App Overview
Just right for younger learners, the app screen is uncluttered and has icons instead of words for action buttons. When Singing Fingers first opens, a blank screen appears. To engage in the fun:
- Draw with your finger as you say, sing, or in some other way make sound. Note that the app will not draw anything if no sound is being made
- Once the creation is complete, either erase and start over by pressing the picture of a blank page, or save the work by clicking the icon of a disk
- To see examples of other creations, click on the folder icon; eight sample drawings come with the app and all items saved appear here as well
A simple help section is available by pressing the question mark in the top-left corner. It gives a visual and a of couple words to describe what to do, and also features a YouTube video to provide more creative inspiration.
Instructional Ideas
- Learning color names? Have students identify as many colors as they can on their Singing Finger creation.
- For practicing letter formation, place students at an independent work station where they say the letter of each name over and over as they write the letter
- Prep a tracing practice ahead of time by singing the alphabet as you write; students can then trace the letters and sing along
Classroom Considerations
- Have a set of headphones on hand to plug in for playback of sounds
- Since youngsters will have to speak out loud to make the app work, make sure whoever is using the app is in a place where they won't disturb others or have background noise
Pros
- Learners of any age can participate with little support needed
- Unique concept pairs motor skills with auditory skills
Cons
- The app does not allow a drawing to be edited once it is created
- There is no way to control the colors used or to assign certain sounds to a specific color
- It is not possible to share the creations outside of the app