Epic! helps kids practice and improve the following skills:

Focus: Getting started and then maintaining attention and effort to tasks.

Any reading provides the opportunity to practice focus skills. The fact that Epic! is an app makes it an even more effective tool for exercising focus. By selecting a book and paying attention to what is on the page, the user is choosing to ignore internal and external distractions. The focus required for a book depends on its length--some are short and require little focus, while longer ones may require focus to be sustained over the course of days.

With Epic!, users also get the added bonus of having audiobook and read-to-me options to help those who struggle with reading and focus. In both cases, the book is read to the user, providing an additional audio cue to help them maintain their focus. The read-to-me option also includes high-lighting the word being read. The vast selection of books also allows for the user to have a better chance of finding a book they want to focus on, thereby providing yet another boost for those who struggle with focus.

Planning: Developing a systematic approach for setting and achieving goals.

In order for students to meet their reading goals and hatch their reading companion pet, they need to plan for when they will be reading each day. The app can keep track of their time for them but users need to plan for when in the day they will choose to read. Users who struggle with planning skills may find that a reminder from a parent or a set time for “family reading” can contribute to good reading habits and enhanced planning skills.