Toddler's Galaxy
A story is one of the gentlest ways to share a screen with a small child. The stories in Toddler's Galaxy are short picture books: one big picture per page, one or two simple sentences, and a voice that reads them slowly, with a pause before the next page.
Seven picture books
| Story | What happens |
|---|---|
| The Little Star | Twinkle, a little star, is afraid of the dark, until kind Moon says that stars shine in the dark. |
| The Hungry Bunny | A bunny with one big carrot learns that sharing makes it sweeter. |
| The Brave Little Boat | A small boat on a big sea keeps going when the waves get rough. |
| The Sleepy Bear | A bear cub who doesn't want to go to bed. A calm bedtime story. |
| Finny the Shiny Fish | When the sea goes dark, Finny's shiny scales light the way home for lost friends. |
| Lion and Mouse | The old fable: a tiny mouse helps a big lion out of a net. |
| Slow Tilly Turtle | Tilly is slow, but keeps going step by step while a fast rabbit stops for a nap. |
Each story has eight pages. The words are the kind a three-year-old hears every day, with short sentences and a line that repeats, like "Swim, swim, swim!", so children can join in. One page in each story asks a question the picture answers ("Can you see the little crab?").
How the stories are read
Your device's built-in voice reads each page aloud, then waits a moment before turning to the next picture. Quiet moments are read more slowly and softly; exciting ones are a little brighter. Children can tap through at their own pace, or go back to a favourite page.
Because it uses the device's voice, the reading sounds a little different on different phones and computers. It's no substitute for your voice, but it does let a child who can't read yet enjoy a story on their own.
Nursery rhymes
The Rhymes world has eleven classic nursery rhymes. Each plays as a gentle music-box tune with the words lighting up line by line, and a grown-up can have the words read aloud too:
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- Baa Baa Black Sheep
- Old MacDonald
- Itsy Bitsy Spider
- Row Your Boat
- Wheels on the Bus
- Mary Had a Little Lamb
- Hot Cross Buns
- London Bridge
- Are You Sleeping?
- Rain, Rain, Go Away
Rhymes are full of repeated sounds and rhyming words, which makes them great for early listening. Try pausing before the last word of a line and letting your child fill it in.
Making story time interactive
Whether the story is on a screen or in a book, a few simple habits make it more than listening:
- Point and name. "Where's the bunny? What colour is the carrot?"
- Guess what's next. Before turning the page, ask what might happen.
- Do the voices. Children love a growly bear and a squeaky mouse.
- Talk about feelings. "How does the bear feel now? Why?"
- Read it again. Toddlers often want the same story many times. That's how they learn the words.