Sesame Street’s longtime star, Elmo, is a giggly, sweet, friendly little red monster kids know and love. But best of all—Elmo loves kids back, and he can’t wait to tell them (over and over again!).
Elmo Loves You!, from StoryToys and Sesame Workshop, is a 3-D pop-up storybook app for kids of all ages. The app, which is available for $3.99 on the App Store for iDevices, teaches kids all about love and friendship.
When kids open the app, they can simply swipe or tap to open the 15-page interactive pop up book. The illustrations are vibrant and fun but look hand-drawn, which gives the app a bit of a nostalgic feel that adults will really appreciate. Based on Sesame Street’s best-selling storybook of the same name, Elmo Loves You! is narrated by Elmo, so if kids aren’t at reading level yet, they can still follow along with all of the fun while Elmo reads to them. Each word is highlighted as Elmo reads so kids can easily follow along, or they can elect to switch to “Read it Myself” mode, and show off their literacy skills.
Each page is completely interactive. Kids can touch all of the different elements and hear unique sounds, watch characters and animals move around, and play little games with Elmo, like hide-and-seek. There is so much for kids to touch and interact with, the app provides so much more content than a traditional book. In addition to helping kids learn to read, some pages feature other educational elements, such as capital and lower case letters, counting, and an introduction to different types of instruments.
In addition to Elmo, other Sesame Street characters make an appearance, including Abby, Bert, Ernie, Count Von Count, and Cookie Monster. The story also reinforces important lifestyle themes, such as exercising and being quiet in a library.
Perfect for sharing some love with your little ones, or giving kids a great Valentine’s Day treat, Elmo Loves You! will keep kid engaged while giving them a new way to play with their favorite Sesame Street monsters. With lots of content, interactivity, and educational value parents will appreciate, this app goes well beyond a traditional book.