Grasshopper apps are the best!

If you are, please send me an PM.
I'm thinking of having penpals for a class in my school

Wow! Pretty cool list!

Poisson rouge is nice to get the children clicking away on the computer, but there's only vocabulary, no games..

Has anyone tried Mandarama? Is it possible to sample it for a few days?

We're doing just OK. Not always up to three new books a day due to curcumstances (all our reading is done at bedtime and we often end up going to bed very late or Mum has a headache by then  )

Thank you so much for this quick reply!
I'm travelling so don't have access to my laptop but I'm using a friend's, and I'm downloading the first file 
I will put them onto a USB key to tranfer to my laptop
I need your advice on how to transfer the PDF files from the laptop to the Ipad now. 

Has anyone succesfully downloaded the Omnibus ebooks on an Ipad?
the files are zipped and they won't download. i've read their FAQ but they're no mention of reading them on an Ipad.....

[What your kindergartner needs to know.]

So our packages have arrived and this is what we are going to work through.
(I should add that our main language is French and that I've chosen material in English which is a little above my daughter's language abilities)

Reference for me
What your kindergartner needs to know.
Great suggestions especially for Art, geography and science

Pre-reading

- All about reading Pre level 1: I purchased the Deluxe set as I knew the puppet would be loved, We're on day 2 and I'll think we'll make a speedy progress if we're consistent. I would wait for it to come on sale if I had to buy another one though, as it's very expensive.
But I love how it's quick to do (little reading, a simple craft, an activity with cards and the puppet..) and all laid out.
It's great for us to learn new vocabulary through the rhyming games and the short stories but I wouldn't recommend the pre level to English speaking kiddos on this forum who can already read.

Reading/memorization
The whole Dr Seuss collection and two Bob Books set. The goal is to memorize entire sentences to help with her pronunciation and vocabulary.

Maths
Singapore Maths 1, essential A B + activity book

Definitely our 'weak' area so really want to comit to at least 1 page a day.

Handwriting
My first school book: learning how to write capital letters the 'right'way.
http://www.christianbook.com/my-first-school-book-preschool/9781934825532/pd/498356

We're still waiting on Scholastic Success With: Kindergarten Workbook
http://www.christianbook.com/scholastic-success-with-kindergarten-workbook/9780439695282/pd/695282 ,
which should cover what our current Pre K: Brain Quest does.

I've ordered two other programs which are above her level but will be use in the next 9 months I'd say:
First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind, Level 1
http://www.christianbook.com/first-language-lessons-trained-level-1/jessie-wise/9781933339443/pd/339443
Really beautifully made, well laid out for the teacher.

and Spelling (Grades 1 - 2) http://www.christianbook.com/spelling-sharon-hoover/9780307235701/pd/03570x


What I need now is a proper diary to write down what we've done each day. I use a regular book to record achievements and special memories but I need a proper, motivating Afterschooling diary 

Aiming, in the short 2 hour period I'll have with her every afternoon, at 15mn of proper seat work, 15mn of fun stuff (all about spelling, educational puzzle) and half an hour of Ipad/LR/educational dvd.

Sorry I did not read your message earlier-
For Youtube videos, are you OK with 'regular' cartoons or something more educational?
We usually watch Little einsteins and Ni Hao Kai Lan in French. There's a Nickelodeon junior channel here so all the shows shown in the US exist in French too (Diego, Umizoomi...)

For easy readers, check out the 'papa' series by Alain Le Saux. Also Petit Ours Brun.

I'll write again when I have more suggestions.

If you want to save the videos of You Tube on the Ipad, you can use an app called TubeBox.

Oh, great!
Sellers are great on this website. Don't forget to confirm the order once you receive the book so that te seller gets paid 

Great suggestions!
School hasn't started over yet (early September) so that leaves me time to plan.
I've splurged (using her birthday as an excuse ) on quite a few things, I've ordered with Christian books and Rainbow resources for the first time, can't way to get the packages. I'm very impatient on All About Reading!

Morning time is impossible for us. We already leave way too early for my liking (before 7am).

Cds are a good ideas, I'll look into those titles.

I think I will need to mix up a bit of 'sitting down' school time but mostly will need to use Ipad apps, read alouds and games. We have some fun holiday activity books and it's hard to find the perfect spot when she wants to do them, even coloring a little stops after 1 mn.
:-)

I SO wish I could play the videos on the Ipad 

Wow, great suggestions!
I'm travelling atm and don't have much access to the internet so will come back soon 

So DD is now 4 and will start her second year of preschool- in France, children go to La Maternelle for three years ( from three to six ) and then start primary school at six, six and a half.
I still need to work out if CP, the first year of primary school, would be considered Kindergarten or First grade in the US :-))

School is morning only, for 5 hours.
We get home at 1 pm. Usually, lunch time is over by 2 and by that time DD is ready for a well-deserved nap, she usually wakes at 4 or a little earlier.

I am a teacher so I will get to spend probably 3 afternoons with her during the school week.
BUT because we get up quite early, she goes to bed at 7 sharp and we read for half an hour (meaning that we start eating/bath routine at six pm)

That leaves me very little time to teach her during this 2 hour period: she also needs to play outside and I sometimes have my own work to do, if I did not have time to finish while she was sleeping)

I would like to focus on the things she doesn't do at school. they do a lot of songs and drawing, painting and play outside.
I've ordered some books in English (some workbooks, Bob books, Singapore Maths).. it will 'force' me to speak to her in English :-) I'm really keen to get her started on Maths, she doesn't grasp addition yet, so far we've focused on patterns, bigger/smaller, heavier/lighter.. Those kind of concepts.

I also odered a booklet (handwriting without tears) to improve her writing but I know she won't do those much, no more than a word or two.

We have Little reader and Little Musician which we'll play everynight (max. 10mn)

I'm restricting TV (educational dvds) to the week-end.

Any suggestions? any Mamas in a similar situation?  thanks!

Priceminister.fr sells second-hand books.