Reading with my kids is a priority for me. And, because I find it so important to instill a love of reading in my boys, it’s hard for me to say “no” to the “just one more story” plea, no matter how close I am to losing my voice. Tales2Go to the rescue!
Tales2Go streams audio stories directly to my iPhone (or your iTouch or iPad). One more story? No problem! With Tales2Go, it’s story time, anytime. And Tales2Go answers all the key requirements for my boys when it comes to entertainment – instant, unlimited and on-demand.
With a library soon to surpass 1,200 audio books and stories, (and new stories being continually added) we’ve found some of our “already favorites” (Curious George Rides a Bike and a collection of Clifford titles to name a few). But we’ve also had the opportunity to explore new titles that are quickly becoming part of our “new favorites” list (I Love You, Stinky Face is taking on a top spot, with What Would You Do With a Kangaroo following close behind).
Search titles by age (three through pre-teen), character (like Junie B. Jones, American Girl, Encyclopedia Brown) or popularity and make a library of all your favorites to return to over and over again. And the storytellers are engaging enough for even my three-year-old to forget that there are no pictures.
Through this application, my 6-year-old beginning reader has been able to explore chapter books this summer. We’ve found some titles that he can follow along with using his own books, expanding his vocabulary and strengthening his listening skills and comprehension at the same time.
But the true testament to its value – last week, my husband left my sons and me in the car as he made a quick run into a store. I immediately found a story for my boys to help pass the time. When my husband returned, he was amazed to find the two of them sitting in the backseat, listening intently. “Wow!” he said. “I think I may need that for my phone, too!”
Here are some of the other features that I love:
· The ability to pause and resume stories (great for those chapter books)
· Using the “Sleep iPod” function on the iPhone Clock application to silence the application at a given time (perfect for stories prior to lights out)
And some upcoming enhancements that I cannot wait to try out:
· The ability to operate two devices on a single account (great for families)
· "Caching," or the ability to temporarily store a selection of stories on your device to play outside of a WiFi connection or carrier signal area (so you can play Tales2Go on the plane)
Did I mention there is a free 30-day trial? And after the trial, you can subscribe for only $24.99 per year (less than the cost of one or two books). For more information, check it out at www.tales2go.com.
