Bring Storytime to Life!

The future of reading is here and I am all in!

I believe in using technology in such a way that my students are not constantly on a device or staring at a screen. If there is screen time, it is limited and purposeful.

This year I attended BookCon. In addition to meeting authors and falling in love with new books, I came across a new booth - Little Hippo. While waiting in line to spin the wheel to see what free book I would get, I was able to explore the app and I am in love! Little Hippo takes classic stories and brings them alive with augmented reality.

I added one of their newest learning books to my library as well as purchased The Three Little Pigs for two of my favorite little boys. I love this collection so much I applied to their Reaching Readers Affiliate Program! The links to purchase in this post are affiliate links.

What Is Augmented Reality?

Augmented Reality allows books to Come to Life. Through the power of technology your students/children can interact with a character throughout each of the books.

At the beginning of your story you will scan the cover of the book. A character will pop up that will explain the journey through your Little Hippo book.

Find the Hippo

Not all of the pages come to life in these books. (Which is what I like about limited screen time). Only the pages that have the Little Hippo icon will allow kids to interact with the book.

Scan the pages with the Little Hippo

How to Use in a Classroom

The educational series books would be great for use in PreK - 1 classrooms. These come to life books will read every other page to you as well as have you either practice tracing a number or finding pictures that begin with a letter.

However, I also think all of the books have the amazing capability to help hook those reluctant or struggling readers. Imagine the spark when you show a student an augmented reality book! Should they only read these books? No. Should we offer our students choice? Absolutely! That is our job as educators is to help a student make a connection. We need to provide not only different genres in our libraries but also different media outlets.

 Oh and the best part about these books, the one that gets me REALLY excited? They are only $10! That makes me so excited as a teacher who spends her own money on her classroom books! So much so that when they released the new educational series, I also bought a book for a friend and her little ones. These would be such great birthday presents!

How it Works

Now it is time to show you how EASY it is to use this app. After you purchase a book you will download the FREE Little Hippo App. (it is available for both apple and android devices). 

1. Open the app and select the green arrow to begin.

2. Scan the cover of the book.

3. Read and scan the pages with the Little Hippo Icon!

How to Interact with the Books

The pages that utilize the technology will have your child color, play and use vocabulary to select certain items in a search and find.

Help Goldilocks add some color

The education books will have you count and find items that begin with that letter. These two would be perfect for a parent to read one page and allow the augmented reality take care of the next.

Find the pictures that begin with Bb

Count to 4

Are You Ready to Bring Books to Life?!

Bring together playtime and education by using these unique Come to Life Books. Augmented reality is really reading for a new generation.

Click here to purchase your own Come to Life Book. If you have any questions, let me know!

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