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Parents' Guide to

Pictello

By Vicki Windman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Make storybooks sing with your own photos and text.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad Paid Education
Pictello Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • Pictello App: Screenshot #1
  • Pictello App: Screenshot #2
  • Pictello App: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 3 parent reviews

DebbCall
DebbCall Parent
June 16, 2014
age 17+

Pictello

We have been using Pictello for over a year now and I just love it. I am so IT clueless but this app is so so easy to use. It has 2 options that can guide you through every step of making a story. Photos are easily imported from your camera roll. I find it so easy to use that I often make a story whilst on the go eg; if I need to make a story about shopping I can just open Pictello take a photo and add the text. easy as 1,2,3, I Have used Pictello for making many memory books as my child is non-verbal, we have made social stories that have helped in many occasions. I give Pictello 10/10
Taximom4four
Taximom4four Parent of baby, 3, 5 and 8-year-old
February 3, 2014
age 6+

TO EXPENSIVE!

I was disappointed to see that the app did not offer more based on the price. It is pretty basic and I actually have other storybook apps that were cheaper and work better. Look at iStorymaker or i Create Social Skills Stories both were much cheaper and have more editing options. Will continue to use the others that I owned.
See all 3 parent reviews

Privacy Rating Warning

  • Unclear whether personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
  • Unclear whether personal information are shared for third-party marketing.
  • Unclear whether this product displays personalised advertising.
  • Unclear whether data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • Unclear whether this product uses a user's information to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Unclear whether this product creates and uses data profiles for personalised advertisements.
Learn more about our privacy ratings

What’s It About?

PICTELLO is an interactive storytelling app that allows kids and their parents to make virtual storybooks with their own titles, photos, and captions. It should have appeal for all kids and parents, but it also should be especially useful for kids who have difficulty understanding social cues, reading facial expressions, and interpreting body language. A simple step-by-step tutorial guides users through the process of creating stories on their own. Different options for how text and pictures are read or uploaded support different types of learners. For example, the voice quality, rate, and pronunciation can be modified; audio can be created using text-to-speech, recording one's own voice, or selecting a computerized voice; and text can be highlighted as it's read. A library of sample stories, although small, can help fuel the creative process. Note that stories within the library show kids who have learning difficulties and special needs as well as ones who don't.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (1 ):

What better way for kids to feel empowered than by relating their own stories? Sure, the interface is a bit spare and the number of examples is thin. But the tutorial is clear, there are solid audio and visual supports, and it can be a fabulously fun way for parents and kids together to address the ups and downs of communication, friendship, and the daily grind. Pictello may be pricey, but it's a high-quality product that most families will make great use of.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • If your child is non-verbal, use your voice to record stories.

  • Take pictures and videos with your kid to help create relevant social stories of such things as daily routines.

  • Make stories to help kids with transitions such as going to the doctor or starting a new school.

App Details

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