The Adventures of Ash and Ollie eBook Teaches Children about Screen Time

 

 

Fingerprint Play recently partnered with yummico which is founded by the creator of the TV series, ‘Blue’s Clues,’ and launched Ash and Ollie, ScreenTime – an interactive ebook that helps families navigate (in a fun manner) the complex world of screen time balance and limits.  We had a chance to review ScreenTime: The Adventures of Ash and Ollie.  This eBook helps teach children about screen time – whether it be on the TV, iPad, game console or internet.  The story starts off with Ash and Ollie waking up their dad with the request to play a game on his iPad.  Gosh, this sounds familiar!  The timer is set to 30 minutes and the brothers have to decide which device they want to play with.  “Should I play a game or watch a show?” they ask themselves.  I like that the eBook teaches children about setting a time limit.  We have started to do this in our household because really, my daughter would spend hours on the iPad playing Minecraft or watching Minecraft YouTube videos (yes, she is obsessed with this game at the moment).  So placing a time limit is a must!

 

 

Ash and Ollie Make it Fun to Learn About Screen Time:

The illustrations are really fun and there is some interactivity with the story.  Such as when you see the boys eyes “end up looking like zombies” from staring at the screen too long.  There are rules to follow when playing with the computer, TV or smart devices.  Some of the rules their parents list include: 1) Set Time Limits 2) Do Their Chores 3) No eating during screen time 4) Screen time is for long rides only. Ash and Ollie’s rules also include only on the weekends and for 30 minutes only, and finish their homework before they start screen time as well as do all their chores.  This is a great way to talk to your kids about the importance of limiting screen time on any device and to help out around the house before they are allowed to play.

 

 

Throughout the story you look for Bonus Items that are added to the Rocket Racer and worth stars.  The game allows  you to set the timer to determine how much screen time you want as well as offers easy, medium and hard.  Ash and Ollie are in a Rocket Racer and our job is to collect as many stars as we can.  The more stars you get the higher your points!  There is also a section called The Photo Album that allows you to take pictures and save it to the album.  You can take pictures of what you like to do when it isn’t screen time.

We had a chance to speak to the nice folk over at Fingerprint about the company and their new eBook ScreenTime: The Adventures of Ash and Ollie.

Q: What is yummico? And who is behind it?

 

A: Traci Paige Johnson, creator of the beloved, groundbreaking preschool television series Blue’s Clues and co-creator of SuperWhy, and Caroline Baron, award-winning producer of acclaimed feature films, including the Oscar-nominated Capote and Monsoon Wedding, teamed up to launch the new interactive children’s media company yummico (www.yummico.com), a trusted destination for delicious media. yummico produces entertaining media for preschoolers across multiple platforms, with a focus on digital games, interactive shows, apps and ebooks, as well as traditional narrative animation, print books and other consumer products.  Featuring lovable characters, irresistible stories and a homegrown aesthetic, yummico creates content that kids adore and parents trust.

 

Q: What is the Fingerprint Play Network?

A: Fingerprint is a first-of-its-kind mobile learn-and-play network for kids, offering games, e-books and video content in a completely kid-safe environment. The network (available on iOS and Android) is focused on providing experiences that help open the world to kids, ages 3-12, so that they can discover new things and expand their imagination. Fingerprint apps promote the development of academic, social, and emotional skills with a heavy dose of just plain fun. Kids love the games and parents like that they are learning as they play.

 

 

Technology is Playing a Large Role in Kids Lives:

·         Kids are born mobile. Today, 40% of kids 8 years and younger own their own tablet – a 5-fold increase in 2 years.  (Source:  Commonsense Media)

• Seventy-two percent of children age 8 and under have used a mobile device for some type of media activity such as playing games, watching videos, or using apps, up from 38% in 2011. (Source:  Commonsense Media)
• The average child now spends more time with media platforms than they do in school – it is the leading activity for children/teenagers other than sleeping. According to a recent study, the average 8- to 10-year old spends nearly 8 hours a day using a variety of different media platforms; this increases to over 11 hours a day for teenagers. (Source: American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Technology is playing a large role in the lives of pre-school kids. A recent study by Literacy Trust in the UK points to touch screen devices helping disadvantaged 3-5 year olds get more exposure to stories, and in general are more likely to enjoy reading when they are exposed to both books and touch screen stories.
• Literacy Trust also found that parents have positive attitudes to technology. Three-quarters of parents and practioners say that using technology is important for children to get on at school. We found that parental engagement in a child’s reading, whatever the medium, has a strong impact on literacy development.

 

ScreenTime, is available for iOS and Android on Fingerprint Play –the the first kid’s mobile learning and entertainment network where families can find quality play and learn games, ebooks and video all in one place.  The app is priced at $2.99.

 

App Store and Google Play: 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adventures-ash-ollie-screentime/id723088101?ls=1&mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fingerprintplay.goog.screentime

 

 

You can find Fingerprint Play here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FingerprintPlay

Twitter: @fingerprintplay

 

Note:  Today’s post is brought to you by Fingerprint Play.

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