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I don’t know about your home, but in our home we have an iPad.  Okay, we have two iPads, and our kids like to play on them.  I can understand why!  I can’t imagine how amazing I would have thought an iPad was when I was a child.  The first time I used one as an adult I was blown away!  With a “toy” as cool as an iPad lying around, it’s important for us to set ground rules, one of them being time limits and the other being the types of apps that we download for the kids to play.

There is no shortage of apps available for preschool aged children… it’s incredibly overwhelming trying to figure out which are quality apps and which are the ones to avoid.  We make sure that the majority of the apps that we have on our iPad are educational, though we do have a few that are just plain entertaining.  We’ve downloaded free or “lite” apps only to grow very, very tired of the pop up ads that constantly appear.  On the other hand, I never know which apps are worth spending the $2-$5 on.

Presto Bingo Shapes is a puzzle and counting game for preschool to kindergarten kids, and it’s totally worth the $1.99 that you’ll spend on it.  Babble.com named it one of its Top 50 apps for 2012!  The app includes 16 beautiful puzzles that challenge young children to find shapes within colorful, cheerful, modern illustrations.

Joyce Hesselberth is the award-winning illustrator behind each of the 16, citrus-colored puzzles that make up the Presto Bingo Shapes app.  Each puzzle challenges the child to find as many of the shape that they are told to find.  Children see the shape that they are too find at the bottom of the page as well as seeing the word and hearing it too.  The narrator who gives the instructions has a kind voice  that is very friendly.

As your child finds and touches the shapes they are highlighted on the page, until all of the shapes have been found.  When all of the shapes have been found your child is praised for doing a great job!  Each puzzle reinforces counting up to the number 20 and there are nine different shapes altogether.  It’s perfect for the age level that it is marketed towards.  Some of the shapes are easily found, building instant confidence, while others are a bit more challenging.  I’ve even found myself scanning the picture over and over again, looking for that last triangle or square, LOL!  Levi really likes “playing” Presto Bingo Shapes and doesn’t even realize that he is learning.  The app is also available in a free “lite” version with four puzzles, but trust me when I say that it’s totally worth spending the $1.99 to get all 16 puzzles.  That’s just from one mom to another.

Today I’m giving away a free download of the Presto Bingo Shapes app as well as a gorgeous print of one of Joyce’s original illustrations, inspired by her Presto Bingo Shapes app!  Take a look at her prints here.  Oh how I wish I could enter this giveaway myself! These prints are just amazing!  (all images from the website)  You can enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter widget below.  Giveaway will be open to residents of the USA.  I’ll take entries through Friday night… good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway