App Profile: Pihana ABCs

The Pihana ABCs interactive coloring book is a spin-off from a popular paperback publication entitled, The Pihana Nā Mamo Coloring Book: Learning My Letters, which was jointly developed by the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Curriculum Research & Development Group and the Hawai'i Department of Education, Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Student Support. The paperback rendition was widely disseminated throughout elementary schools in Hawai'i and parts of the Continental United States. Developed as a mobile app, the product is now even more accessible to families and schools and includes interactive features that will be enjoyed by all children. Both products are wonderful educational tools to help children develop early literacy skills deemed as foundational in a large body of research and are described as essential in the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy: concepts about print, phonemic awareness, alphabetic understanding, and vocabulary development.

The app offers fun and engaging activities designed to accommodate children working independently or under the guidance of an adult. Each page introduces a new letter in sequence as well as a playful alliterative phrase related to the featured letter. Touch the letter to hear its name and sound; touch any part of the alliterative phrase to hear it read aloud. Additionally, the illustration on each page is related to the featured letter and designed to reflect aspects of Hawai'i’s culture. Children will learn the alphabet while using their creativity and fine motor skills to color the illustrations. This fun and highly interactive app is a must have tool to assist children in their journey to becoming skilled readers.