“Roxie’s Doors” interactive book app: Putting children in control of technology

Up until recently I have tried to discourage my two young boys from getting too engrossed in computers, believing that good old-fashioned books would be better for teaching literary skills. Just last week however, I decided to click on the ‘Magic Desktop’ icon on my laptop and it opened up a magical world of discovery for kids, transforming my laptop into some kind of digital Merlin-esque interactive abode. My boys naturally loved their new found form of entertainment and it gave me an abrupt change of heart about exposing children to computers –Surely in such a technological day and age, teaching our young how to find their way around a keyboard is almost as important teaching them how to count? Given my new found enthusiasm for children-inspired computer tools, my attention was stirred when the press release for a new interactive children’s book app, known as “Roxie’s Doors” arrived in my inbox.

Adapted by the award-winning book by Rosie Munro and tweaked by OCG Studios, “Roxie’s Doors” is appropriate for two-year-olds and upwards. Children can either read the book themselves or have it read to them by the author. Either way the many surprising elements, such as mystery doors, backstage theatres, space shuttles, doctor’s cabinets and firehouse flaps, are bound to engross even the most unimaginative of child’s imagination.

For younger children this new app could help increase their vocabulary as they search for objects that might be new to them, whilst for children who are learning to read and write, seeing words light up as they are read, is bound to have some memory-enhancing effect.

3-D visuals have a fascinating effect on adults never mind children, and therefore exploring the secret and absorbing 3-D world of “Roxie’s Doors”as they tilt the iPad so that the screen moves into every angle, corner and orifice, is guaranteed to enthral and fascinate a child.

“Roxie’s Doors” costs $2.99 from the App Store and when my two eventually get bored of the ‘Magic Desktop’ and finally give me my laptop back, they can check out “Roxie’s Doors”, the only trouble then is that they will claim control of the iPad.

ocgstudios.com/