The familiar jingle for this beloved children’s TV show included the phrase, “Take a look, it’s in a book, a reading rainbow.” But technology has come a long way since celebrities started reading books on this award-winning television program in 1983. These days, entertainment for kids is all about what can be accomplished in the mobile space. Books have become e-books, and hundreds can be stored on an e-reader that’s smaller and lighter than a single paperback. And kids are no longer chained to a TV set in the home; they can now get their media anywhere thanks to portable devices like the iPhone and iPad. Just as show creators sought a way to bring books to kids nearly 30 years ago by addressing them where they were (in front of the TV), long-time host LeVar Burton hopes that he can do the same for a new generation by bringing Reading Rainbow to the iPad.

The app, launched just a few days ago, reportedly took less than two days to become the number one educational app on iTunes. And considering that many of the parents looking for educational content for their kids grew up watching the TV show, this isn’t terribly surprising. But aside from the nostalgia associated with the show, the app, created by Burton (through his company RRKIDZ), offers kids the same ambiance of wonder and exploration that the original show was known for, introducing new people, places, and things in addition to providing access to children’s literature. And of course, the new platform allows for far more interactive content than the TV show.

You may recall that the show focused on a different theme for each episode, using a number of books and segments to highlight the topic in question. The iPad app takes a similar approach to learning, but presents it in a totally new format (although fans of the show will recognize reworked but familiar segments). The core interface presents kids with a number of themed islands to choose from (floating islands in the sky are àpropos to the whimsical nature of the franchise). Once users select a theme, they gain access to books, “field trips”, and interactive activities that speak to the theme. While this isn’t one of those apps that will net your kid a masters degree in counseling online or turn him into a Rhodes Scholar, it does encourage a love of reading as a fun activity that can introduce kids to new information and new ways of looking at the world.

The app is free to download, but to get the most of it you’ll have to spring for a subscription, which will run you $9.99 a month (or $29.99 for six months). The app currently features 150 narrated (and interactive) books (with recommendations that are customized for each user), 16 video field trips led by Burton, and dozens of interactive activities. For the monthly subscription fee you will gain access to all of this, as well as regular updates with new content to keep your kids busy. And although celebrity voices will narrate the book selections, the idea behind this app is to imbue kids with a love of literature. That makes it a lot better than the majority of apps being marketed to your children.

Editor’s Note

Thanks to Evan Fischer for this guest post. He is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

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