So Hallmark makes Story Buddies ($30-35!) that are little plush toys that interact with an app or real storybook. I haven't tried one of the toys but the storybook apps are free and really good with nice, long stories, games and even record-your-own-voice features.
And other than a screen that explains the interaction with the toy, there is no mention of the need for the Story Buddy.
So, great free storybook app!
And this offering is a prequel to the Scooby-Doo series as we learn how the gang met Scooby-Doo! (I'll give you a hint. It involves Shaggy and food.)
If you would like to download Scooby-Doo Who Are You? (FREE, iPad) please support Smart Apps for Kids by using this link button:
** Only the app's developer can control when an app is free or not. All apps that we post as Good Free Apps of the Day are verified to be free at the time of this post. We make no guarantees otherwise. **
From iTunes:
Bring storytime to life with the latest interactive storybook in the Interactive Story Buddy™ line from Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Scooby-Doo Who Are You is the story of how Shaggy and the gang first came to meet their ol’ pal Scooby-Doo at the Coolsville Pet Adoption Fair. Kids will love hearing this story as the narrator reads to them, page by animated page. The accompanying Scooby-Doo™ Story Buddy stuffed animal will respond to key phrases in the story, and you can purchase him and his entire collection of adventure books in Hallmark stores.
Scooby-Doo will also respond to your voice if you read the story aloud. You can even record your voice using this app, so that you can read to your little one with the help of Scooby-Doo, even when you can’t be there.
Hallmark’s Interactive Story Buddy is a Dr. Toy Award recipient as one of the 10 Best Children’s High Tech products for 2010.
This app also includes a kid-friendly puzzle and an interactive matching game featuring groovy objects and characters from the book.
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Every day we pick what we affectionately call the Good Free App of the Day, an app that we have downloaded, tested and certified: It can't have a ton of ads or just a little content with a ton of in-app purchases.
It also has to be good.
We then present them to you to read, download, and share and, based on which ones got the most hits, here are your Top 100 Favorite Free Apps!
We've done our best to only include apps that are permanently free, but sometimes developers do change their minds so please leave a comment if you find an app that's no longer free.
Enjoy!
(** indicates that the app contains in-app purchases or is very closely tied to a purchase)
1) Educreations Interactive Whiteboard (students/teachers can make whiteboard videos)
2) LEGO App 4+ (build a vehicle and then use it in activities)
3) ** Toddler/Preschool Flash Cards (warning! now has ads!)
5) Open Wide Snap (we rated five stars, pictured)
6) National Geographic Explorer
8) The Lorax
10) ** Storylines for Schools
11) Play 123
12) Hide Run Growl (we rated five stars)
13) Disney's Where's My Water - free (pictured)
14) Little Stars - Toddler Games (letters, numbers, shapes, colors, words)
15) Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Road Rally Appisode
16) ** Playful Minds: Math (5-8 years old)
17) ** Build a Word Express
18) Rover (flash-enabled web browser for kids)
19) Lego Star Wars - Battle Orders
21) NASA App HD (pictured)
22) Disney's Jake's Never Land Pirate School
23) Scholastic's Sushi Monster
24) Khan Academy (educations videos for adults and older children)
25) ** Draw Something (Pictionary online! Older kids/adults only)
26) I Can Write 2 (make sentences about images)
27) Super Duper's Using I and Me
28) Little Writer - Tracing Letters, Numbers, Words and Shapes (awesome app)
29) Miss Spider apps (Bedtime Story and Tea Party)
30) PBS Kids Video (all their favorites, U.S. only)
31) ** Thomas & Friends - Engine Activities
32) ** Brain Quest (from the people that make those card thingees)
33) ** Goodnight Safari (baby animals!)
34) Toca Kitchen Monsters (all kids need Toca Boca)
35) ShowMe (virtual whiteboard app, shared education videos)
36) Learning Games for Preschool to Kindergarten
37) ** Scribble Press (make an book!)
38) Rocket Speller
39) ** Toontastic (we rated five stars)
40) Color Uncovered (please don't let your dog drive)
41) ** Puzzingo
42) Little Finder
43) Lego Duplo Jams
44) ** Spy Mouse
45) Touch the Sound
47) Bluster! (McGraw-Hill)
48) ABC Mouse Zoo Sets 1, 2 and 3
49) ** Let's Color (drawings come to life)
50) ** Math Vs. Zombies
51) ** BrainPop Featured Movie (No. 1 on our Editor's Choice list)
53) ** Articulation Station (lite version, only one letter free)
55) ** MeeGenius (six ebooks for free!)
56) ** Alphabet Tracing
57) Kids Learning - Photo Touch Learning Concepts
58) ** Sock Puppets
59) ABA Flash Cards & Games - Emotions
60) ** Monkey Drum
61) 6-in-1 Children's Games (lite version)
62) ** Clockwork Brain (mind-training puzzles for older kids/adults)
64) DialSafe Pro (we gave five stars, kids learn to dial emergency numbers)
67) Sprout's Good Night Star (nighttime routine, brusha! brusha! brusha!)
68) iTunes U (go to college on your iOS device/older kids & adults)
70) Chipper's Rainy Day Adventure
71) Lego Duplo Zoo
72) Rocket Math Free
73) Feel Electric (The Electric Company is back!)
74) Screen Chomp (virtual whiteboard)
76) ** BrainPop Jr. Movie of the Week
77) Kids Learning - My First Numbers Counting Game
78) Tim and Tom
79) Google Earth
80) Super Duper's Let's Name Things
81) Stewie The Duck Learns To Swim
82) ** Booksy (one of our Top Picks)
85) Squiggles (bring scribbles to life)
88) ** Motion Math - Hungry Fish
89) Astrid & Siri (ebook, Vikings who love fashion design?)
90) The Lorax Truffula Shuffle (U.S. only for some reason)
91) How Stuff Works (parents/older kids that have had "the talk" only)
92) ** Jingle All the Way (Hallmark Christmas app)
93) Fisher-Price's Laugh & Learn Animal Sounds
94) Pocket Law Firm (learn the amendments)
95) The Land of Me - Story Time
96) ** JibJab Jr. Books (put the child's face in a book!)
97) IQ Test - Free Edition (older kids and parents only, not a real IQ test)
98) ** Domino's Pizza Hero (U.S. only)
99) Little Stars - Word Wizard
100) Little Bird's Internet Security Adventure (internet safety!)
We've done our best to only include apps that are permanently free, but sometimes developers do change their minds, so please leave a comment if you find an app that's no longer free.
(** indicates that the app contains in-app purchases or is very closely tied to a purchase)
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