Fun Clock – Learn to Tell Time, is a universal app that teaches the concept of telling time, and is one of the best, most comprehensive app of its kind.

I greatly appreciate how this app includes not only interactive activities but also a narrative section in which the theory of telling time is very well explained – something not seen in other apps.

Here, the main character of this application, Jonathan, a learned flamingo, asks another flamingo named Bob, who is dressed hip-hop style and wearing a clock around his neck what time it is. Bob confesses that he actually does not know how to read his clock. Jonathan explains all that there is to know about telling time in a way that is most thorough while maintaining a light, conversational tone.

I like how this video does not assume any knowledge of clocks, hour or minute hands, making the character of Bob green to this new experience as well, allowing Bob to ask questions I am sure children will be thinking.

At times Bob becomes confused and asks for clarification from Jonathan, a thoughtful, empathetic teacher who understands how telling time may seem difficult at first, as this app tackles the ideas such as 60 minutes in correspondence to twelve hours, and how the hour and minute hands move together to keep proper time, making this story an excellent foundation for the skills that will be touched upon in the other sections of this app.

Having had some experience in reviewing apps about telling time, I have seen applications that are the equivalent of number recognition apps opposed to actually teaching kids how to count, where the names of the hour and minute hands are touched upon, as well as the numbers on the clock, but don’t really explain how to tell time.

There are also clock apps that allow children already experienced in telling time to practice this skill, setting interactive clocks by moving the hands to correlate with a specific time, but these apps serve more as related exercises after being taught the basics of time telling by an adult. Without this previous training, many of these other apps may be of little use.

Few apps actually tackle explaining the true concept of telling time they way this app does.

After watching the included video in Fun Clock – Learn to Tell Time, children will be will well on their way to understanding how to read a analogue clock. As a parent, I don’t think I could have explained this better myself, also wishing that this video had been around when I was a child.

The only thing that I don’t fully find desirable is how rigid the language used to tell the time is – as here, Jonathan calls 3:30 “half past 3:00,” correcting Bob and his “30 minutes past 3:00” whereas I would call this “3:30,” when reading this time off a analogue as well as digital clock. It would be nice if different ways of expressing the same time were equally looked upon as accurate, as there is a moment where Jonathan acknowledges Bob’s alternative way of saying this specific time but really poo-poos this other way of expression, unfortunate as they way I read time out loud is very different from the way taught here.

This is an issue I have throughout this app, as 4:40 is called “20 minutes to 5,” 12:07 is “7 minutes past 12,” 3:59 “is one minute to 4,” and the terms “quarter past” or “quarter to” are preferred over 5:45 and 5:15. I do wonder if this is a cultural difference I am not aware of as this app offered in both English and Chinese, is not a specifically America app. Although these semantical difference surprised me, it is possible children may find this an easier way if reading and expressing time.

It is nice that digital clocks are also briefly touched upon as well, but at the end of the included video, a military clock using the 24 hour style is introduced when discussing digital clocks. It is explained how 8:00 can also be expressed as 20:00 in the evening, but the 24 hour clock is not thoroughly introduced, leaving kids possibly confused.

Even with these issues, this video-like element for telling time is the best I have seen in terms of really teaching this subject.

Five interactive sections are also included with elements I have not seen before in other clock apps.

First, players are asked to drag the numbers and hands to the correct positions of a clock that had broken, allowing all these pieces to fall to the page and bounce about with the use of a physics engine.

When a number is put in the correct position, this number becomes a part of the clock again, complete with a satisfying sound effect and Jonathan narrating this correct number as an amount of time.

After this clock is complete, players get to move the hands about, hearing the times they have created narrated, allowing kids to decode the time-telling concepts for themselves as they listen to narration and move the hands on their own.

In the Second section, one is able to set the clock for specific times, here dealing with hours and half pasts. Here, the clock is filled in except for empty number holes that correlate to a time either on an hour or half past, and the hands point to 12:00 as a default.

On the bottom of the screen are these numbers that have fallen out of their positions, and it is especially nice that the hour hand and ball used are red where as the minute hand and ball are purple. When these balls are placed correctly, the hands move accordingly.

After fixing the clock, one must match one of three clocks with the corresponding time narrated, as these times are departure times for buses – often with animal-named destinations, such as “Gooseville” or “Los Flamingos.”

This format of clock fixing and bus departure times continues as one learns about quarter to and quarter past as well.

Five and One minutes are taught much in the same way, as one fills in the clock, but here more details are found on the clock, with the five seconds now denoted, and there are three spaces open with only two balls that will ultimately tell the hour and minute hands to turn, making this section more challenging.

It is nice that if chosen, a digital clock can also be looked at as a reference to the time needed to be set amongst these sections, and a large “go back” arrow can be easily tapped if one wants to hear Jonathan narrate instructions over again.

These games can be accessed on their own after becoming unlocked with the previous section being completed, or one after the other if one would like to work through all these lessons at once.

Star achievements can also be earned for correct answers, and after this app is complete, players have earned a personalized certificate for job well done.

Finally, after completing this app, a certificate of learning how to tell time is unlocked for the player, which can be saved as a photo to email later to friends or just to save for posterity.

This is a wonderful app for iPad that will teach children how to tell time.

From a concise and well written explanation on telling time to engaging interactive activities, this application is defiantly a go-to app for those looking to teach children this important skill.

I remember learning how to tell time being difficult to master, partially I am sure as my parents did not have a good handle on the best way of explaining this tricky subject.

Parents no longer need to feel at a loss as to how to help their children. Just let Jonathan explain what he needs to and allow children to explore the interactive sections of this application.

By Age Range, By App Feature, Preschool, Primary School, Puzzle, Reviews, Time

My First App Vehicles is a very nice puzzle app for preschoolers with a lovely visual style and a great amount of content.

My First App Vehicle Puzzle is an app that my son found himself while looking at the folders of new apps to review on my phone. I can see why this app caught his eye, as this app’s icon is bright green with a tractor – a vehicle he really enjoys. This is a nice image that represents the bright and bold color choices found within this whimsical app.

Three different styled puzzles are included, and I think it is interesting that a selection of eight vehicles is chosen for the jigsaw and matching style activities, and a different selection of vehicles is used for the tilt-style game – an activity that I have not seen a lot of in applications.

The choices of vehicles are delightful, colorful and simply a lot of fun, such as a 1960’s Hippy-style bus, royal horse-drawn cart or alien space ship, along with traditional choices like police and fire vehicles. I appreciate the subtle textures used here, as many backgrounds have a lined pattern found in expensive decorative paper – a nice touch.

I am impressed with how one can choose the number of pieces within the jigsaw puzzles section, ranging from two to nine, as well as including the rotation of pieces or not, depending on the level of difficulty one is looking for.

A nice level of “grab” is included, drawing pieces to the correct spots when a piece is brought close, but no other hints or reference images are given, making these puzzles potentially quite challenging, even for older children.

After each puzzle is complete, a colorful clown pops up onto the screen congratulating the player. This animation, although cute, can get a little redundant for adults, but fun for the children who are enjoying these puzzles.

The music included, although upbeat, can also get to be repetitive for adult ears – easy to fix as the music can be muted, making this a great quiet game, but I wish the sound effects were not automatically silenced along with the music – something to think about for a future update.

The Turning Game is this app’s take on the classic slider game where players scroll vertically, looking to match two halves of the same vehicle. When a vehicle is complete, a fun animated interaction with sound effects rewards young players.

I really like the “pinball” section of the app – a name I find a little tricky – as in most pinball games, one is trying to avoid the ball falling into the holes, but at a glance, parents will understand this “tilt” style game where one holds the iPhone in one’s hand while attempting to manipulate the device to get the ball into the holes provided.

This is good variation on the classic, low tech. game that all kids will at some point be exposed to. I am surprised that not more kids’ apps have styled games like this before. The small silver ball used with added reflective qualities and subtle shading found within the holes themselves makes this game-play incredibly life-like compared to the way this classic game is played – elements I have really enjoyed.

Eight new vehicles are offered in this section, and it is worth noting that the vehicles included within these activities are not introduced with narration, so adults may need to explain what some of these vehicles are, especially if this is a first vehicles app as the name of this app suggests.

I really like the choice of the red double-decker bus and street cleaner, as these vehicles are a little different from those found in other apps but still contain the same great colors and whimsical sensibilities found in the other puzzle sections.

This is a lovely, simple app that could keep a child entertained for a very nice length of time, making this a lovely choice to add to a collection of puzzle apps.

By Age Range, By App Feature, Just For Fun, Preschool, Puzzle, Reviews, Toddlers

Noodle Words – Active Game Set 1 is a charming educational app for iPad that is sure to put a smile on the face of users no matter the age, as well as teach the meaning of action works in ways most delightful.

Noodle Words is a very simple app to understand as a box of words is introduced as well as two adorable bugs, Stretch and Squish.

Tap the box for an action word to appear on the screen, which is also narrated.

Now tap this word for a demonstration, as the text itself acts out these verbs such as sprouting veins and ultimately pretty yellow flowers for the word “grow,” or spin around to illustrate the word “spin.”

Do tap the friendly bugs in the bottom left corner as well to further see the word in question demonstrated and do drag these words around the screen as well for fun.

As an adult, I was instantly intrigued and was eager to see how words offered like “Laugh” or “Blow” would be animated, and I have universally been quite pleased with what creative animations this app comes up with.

The animations included contain such whimsy that these words make me smile even after repeated use, such as the letters in the word “eat” eating themselves, turning into the word “ate.”

I think the use of Stretch and Squish is wonderful as well, as these bugs are also seen eating food, making this word less abstract as is the intriguing animation for this word.

Eighteen words are included within this first game set, with presumably more sets to come, something that excited me as I have really enjoyed watching these animated words come to life. The narration here is cute and very clear sounding – something important for a language app such as this.

I think this is a terrific application for language building and overall educational entertainment. This app is geared toward 4-7 year olds, and I think this age group will have a blast with this app, but I think this app would be great for those new to language as well, such as those one or two years old. Even as babies’ first app, the interactions are fun and engaging for parents as well as children.

This app would also be perfect for anyone who is learning English as a second language, or for special needs children who need some help learning about language as well. It is also nice that a thoughtfully written section for parents is included, as is a tutorial for children – a very nice touch for this already intuitive children’s app.

I am eager to see what new Game Sets have to offer, as I found this app filled with dynamic interactions, nice to look at and simply a lot of fun.

By Age Range, By App Feature, Creativity, Just For Fun, Language, Preschool, Reviews, Special Needs, Toddlers

Feel Electric! is an interesting free, universal educational app aimed at helping children learn about and express emotions in a healthy way.

This app features the cast and content of The New Electric Company, teaching children the meaning of 50 emotional words and further exploring these different feelings with a variety of fun activities.

One area of this app is called My Life and consists of three sections, Mood Dude, Mood Tales and Moodosphere.

Mood Dude allows players to change the eyes, brows, mouth, arms, and color of an avatar reminiscent of an M&M character, allowing one to express how he is feeling. It is nice that both happy and sad choices are included as well as many other emotions.

Mood Tales includes ten story makers that also demonstrate emotions, here used as the tone to these short stories that get filled in with the choice of random words – Mad-Libs style – and include images from this hit PBS T.V. show.

Moodosphere allows children to choose three emotions that best describe their current mood do tap to hear and see proper usage of these words.

I really enjoy the vast selection of eclectic emotions included within this app, such as calm, confused, bored, regretful, jealous or proud, as well as how these words are explained as a tap of a finger opens up a glossary of terms, both written, narrated, and with a photo. I think it is great that the narration also expresses the emotion word in use, really bringing home the meaning of these important words.

The My Games section includes three fun arcade-style mini-games that also focus on children learning to express their emotions through words.

Pets Vs. Monsters is a fun game taking place on a baseball field where the player moves a batter back and forth with a finger trying to hit photo images that correspond with the emotion in question. I enjoy this mini-game, but I found this game a little hard as I tried to match up expressions that did not match 100 % with the emotion at hand but were good choices until the correct, most obvious choice was offered.

Prankster Madness is a tilt game where players tilt their devices to move a skateboarder back and forth matching expressive photos to word balls dropping from the sky, missing incorrect words and other objects in the fast-paced, timed mini-game.

Hey, Catch This is another emotion centric arcade-style game, here allowing players to shoot word balls at moving targets with matching expressions.

My Stuff is a section full of photos, music, and video clips from The New Electric Company. This section allows one to decorate the photos from the My Photos with stickers that also express different emotions. It is nice that a large selection of images, music and video clips from The New Electric Company are included, and I appreciate how this media can be accessed without an internet connection.

Fans of this show will love all of this included content, but I think children not familiar with this series may feel that there is a lot of context missing to fully understand what one is looking at or listening to.

Although this may be the case for this section of this app, it is nice that the other areas of this app are accessible to children who may not watch this show on TV, even if the concepts and characters past the basic gameplay may also be over the heads of those not fans of The New Electric Company.

My personal favorite area of this app is the What’s the Word section, a glossary of emotional words used throughout this app. Here, one can study the faces that make up each expression close up, also listening to the explanation of each word expressed in a way that demonstrates each word really well. This is a great area to compare similar yet different words as it pertains to how these expressions are demonstrated on the faces of those who possess these emotions. It would be nice to be able to see these photos blow up to even larger images, and it would be nice to choose words that are similar and be able to compare these images side by side.

Feel Electric! is also part of the website, Military Families Near and Far which aids children in expressing their emotions and keeping in contact with family. This is a wonderful application for allowing children to express their feelings especially while being faced with the challenges of deployed family members.

I would also like to recommend this app to families with special needs children who will gain a lot by the images of expressive faces and verbal cues offered about a variety of emotions. Jessica Ruiz and Danny Rebus, the teen cast members who star in this app as well as The New Electric Company do an outstanding job expressing these emotions in a way that is exaggerated enough for these feelings to register clearly, while still being grounded in reality.

Parents and teachers may also appreciate how this app keeps a log of the various emotions chosen on different days, allowing adults and children to look back and discuss the feelings that were previously felt.

It is impressive that an app of this caliber is free, as it is bright, colorful and a lot of fun, also including some fun, up-beat music used throughout.

Because of this fact, I would think many families would enjoy downloading this app and seeing what it is all about, as I can imagine young children not associated with military families, or those who have special needs, can gain a great deal of new vocabulary words, making this a good app for toddlers who can peruse the emotional faces and new words found throughout the What’s the Word section, making it a great first app where kids will grow into the other sections.

By Age Range, By App Feature, Creativity, Health, Just For Fun, Language, Preschool, Primary School, Reviews, Social, Special Needs, Toddlers

Memory Train is a delightful universal app that helps sharpen children’s memory skills as they help Spacey, a charming yet forgetful elephant, remember the various details he sees outside the window of the the train he is riding to the circus.

Game play is simple to understand but difficult to master as this app opens up to a map of train tracks Spacey will follow to get to the circus. Along the way, peanuts can be found that mark different points within this game when the difficulty increases.

After tapping these peanuts in sequence, one by one, the train ride begins, with Spacey looking out the window and becoming perplexed at remembering the details he sees while on his trip to the circus. At first, simple shapes can be seen, and a moment later without fail, this lovely elephant with a poor short-term memory will ask, at first simply what was the color of the shape just seen.

Things progress, and more is asked of the player in terms of focus, as multiple elements need to be focused on, such as remembering both the shape as well as color. Sometimes quirky characters are introduced, mixing things up as one may need to remember the hat, shirt or shoe color worn, and a player never knows what he will be quizzed on, making this game require the player’s complete attention to these small details.

Ultimately, a player needs to remember a row of three colored shapes, letters, numbers or the like in their correct order..

I really appreciate how this game self-adjusts the level of difficulty, as this train gains momentum with correct answers and slows down with mistakes made, giving players more time to remember details and select answers. Because of this, this app which can become difficult, even for adults, never becomes too hard or frustrating.

It is also nice that if a mistake is made, the answers to choose from dwindle from three, to two and even to a single choice, allowing players to keep playing and not feel frustrated and stuck.

Motivation is also provided as Spacey becomes happy, grateful and energetic with correct answers while also letting players know when he is mildly disappointed, expressing emotion in a way that is language-neutral as true words are never spoken, making this app great for children who speak different languages.

Players are able to earn stars, badges and trophy peanuts for working hard as well, and there is a cute celebration within the circus when one completes this game. Spacey the elephant is simply adorable throughout this game, and it is nice to see him so happy.

Families will appreciate that the game in progress can be kept separate for up to four players, and it is fun that players get to choose from nine avatars, some being familiar from Pi’ikea St’s popular app Interactive Alphabet as well.

I do think it would be nice, however, if one could add a name to each avatar, making it easier for children to remember which avatar represents their account.

My son really enjoys this app, and I really like how much attention it commands of its players to be able to answer these questions correctly.

We have a few go-to apps that my son gravitates towards when we are out and about, but I find this an especially effective tool to keep my son calm and out of trouble when he is bored in public and on the verge of being most difficult.

I was surprised with how focused this game makes my son, and for the first time, I truly had a hard time getting my phone back, as typically my son is very gracious about returning the iPhone when I need it, or allowing me to help or simply watch him play. Here not so much, but I do not consider this a flaw or an issue with this app as much as a mark for how engaging this memory game really is. This is also the first time my boy has shown any interest in earning stars for his accomplishments, saying proudly, “I did it all myself, and I get all the stars” as he finished the first couple of rounds.

Pleasant music is included that combine both a train and circus themes while maintaining a quiet game vibe that adults will not mind being in ear shot of, but sounds can also be muted if this is necessary.

My sole issue is that I noticed that the background of these train rides to the circus maintains the same landscapes for each of the ten levels of difficulty. It may be nice to change the scenery, but this game becomes challenging enough so that most players won’t have much time to simply gaze at these backdrops, making this issue a minor one.

I am sure many parents have noticed the abundance of memory game apps within iTunes, commonly in the form of flipping over cards in the interest of making pairs. It is especially nice that focus and concentration can be explored in such a charming unique game such as this, as children will have a lot of fun helping Spacey the elephant along his trip to the circus.

By Age Range, By App Feature, Creativity, Just For Fun, Preschool, Primary School, Puzzle, Reviews, Shapes

Numberleys is the new interactive universal storybook by the developers at Moonbot Studios, creators of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, one of my son’s all-time favorite applications.

The visual style of the Numberleys is quite stunning, greatly reminiscent of Fritz Lang’s 1926 German Expressionism film, Metropolis, with a use of black and white imagery that will stay with my son for a long time. In cinematic terms that don’t quite correspond to an animated film, the look of low-key lighting is most striking, as is the masterful positioning of what would be the camera and the use of graphic, industrial cutaways in addition to the perfect use of a musical score in this thoughtful, atmospheric sci-fi storybook.

This story takes place in a bleak, colorless land of only numbers. An orderly world devoid of whimsy or joy, a group of numbers looking to better their society take it upon themselves to create letters out of already existing number shapes to bring beauty to their world.

It may have been a mistake to tell my son that this was a new app from the same developers of The Fantastic Flying Books, as I think my son was expecting highly interactive moments peppered throughout this story, which is not really the case here, as this is primarily a video to watch until one comes across the section of mini-game-like activities in which these new letters are crafted.

It did not take long, however, for my son to get used to simply watching this interesting origin of the alphabet, and I really enjoyed looking at his eyes are they grew wide in response to the use of the images of impressive architectural structures and industrial machines also found in Metropolis and touched upon here with wondrous effect. The mood within this tale may be dark, but not scary or to intense for my sensitive son.

I greatly appreciate the included narration, complete with German accent, which made me smile but surely went over the head of my 4 year old. I admire the choice to have a decidedly quirky tone to this narration as a more drab style would have made this story too heavy and completely change the tone of this tale to something else very different.

There are a few moments where one can tap red lights found in this app, mainly as part of a machine one gets to momentary interact with, exploring further the industrial elements of this application, but these moments are few and far between – only an issue if one has a preconceived notion of what to expect from this interactive app.

There are times, however, that after tapping an interactive area of this app, it is unclear when to turn the page as the interactive can be infinite – usually something that I like in an interaction, but here, which can cause confusion.

I have also noticed that when the video is intercut with narration and a title card of written text, although a lovely nod to silent films, can seem jarring, especially when it comes to the soundtrack being used.

As this story progresses, readers will reach the section of this app that will allow them to help these number characters to alter numbers into letters.

It is impressive how varied these interactions are, with a creative use of industrial machines, as well as the witty use of words that introduces the letters such as “Form would follow function, they would make the future fun.”

Letters are spun to stretch numbers into letter shapes, trampolines are used to jump onto numbers, squashing or separating them into letters, even deflecting numbers to hit fragile gears that fill form letters when broken.

Many of these interactions work well, but others are more at a level of a challenging mini-game in terms of difficulty, and it can be hard to understand what is being asked of the player or simply too difficult to accomplish – much to the frustration of my son, who wanted to interact with this this story, only to feel at some points overly challenged.

It can also be difficult to know when to turn the page here, as a few times the best way to complete the letter in question is to tap the paging turn arrow which triggers the conclusion of this interaction, as to not prolong some of these mini-games for what seems like indefinitely as players try to trouble-shoot what is going wrong.

Unfortunately, narration is not included as players must read the directions offered for these letter interactions to themselves, as the visual clues are often not enough to explain game play on their own, making this a difficult app to fully enjoy for non-readers. I would love to see narration of these directions also included as an option in the future.

After these letters are created, fully-colored elements are seen for the first time, evoking moments of Technicolor that become quite moving.

Because some of these letters can be too time-consuming to complete, my son thought this app in general was too long – something that may not surprise developers as they include an intermission that can one can sit through or bypass with a page turn.

I would love to see in the future a separate section being a simple video only, allowing one to watch these letters being born with a shortened overall time to complete each letter.

All in all, I can recommend this app based on its amazing sense of style. Metropolis is a favorite movie of mine, and this is a wonderful tribute to a perfectly realized film. I am happy to expose my son to this style of cinematic experience unlike anything else he has seen to date.

I do believe that some of the skill- or luck-based letter mini-games could be made simpler, as this story about the birth of letters will appeal to young children who will not be capable of some of these interactions – issues I hope that can be worked out in the future. Although of interest to children, even story-loving adults who are familiar with German Expressionism will find this application of interest.

I have been very impressed with the look and storytelling and other cinematic elements found within both of Moonbot Studios epic storybook applications. I look forward to seeing what else they may develop.

Art, By Age Range, By App Feature, Creativity, Just For Fun, Language, Preschool, Primary School, Reading, Reviews, Social, Stories

Operation Math is an interesting and fun math app for iPad with a fun spy theme that will keep kids engaged.

Kids will enjoy foiling Dr. Odd as he tries to eliminate even numbers from the world as here, the player is a dapper spy much akin to 007 in this dynamic iPad app. Families will appreciate how the games of three players can be kept separate, a nice touch for households or small groups of students.

I really like these missions, as players are briefed by expert narration that explains the task at hand that needs to be completed, as various famous locations are included, photo and all, adding to the richness of this experience.

Over one hundred missions are included, with increasing degrees of difficulty, but the game play remains the same and is easy to learn as math problems are shown across security doors that open with a correct answer. One has 60 seconds to complete each mission, adding to the excitement created here, with the additional elements of collecting different uniforms and gear that keeps this math app interesting and nicely goal-oriented.

Do practice on the included training levels which are also included, and note that children’s progress at this sometimes challenging app is also being recorded.

I really appreciated the 15 different locations based on real landmarks and geographical areas that are tracked on the included map. These images, details, wonderful narration and music really keep the game fun, engaging and suspenseful, making this a desirable app for grade school kids to come back to again and again.

The style of this app is simply wonderful, but I am embarrassed to admit that I was not able to get past the last addition level and have had problem passing other levels in the subtraction, multiplication and division that include double digit mathematics – not from a lack of mathematical ability – but from a lack of time.

This app is terrific to get kids to memorize their multiplication tables as this is something children are expected to learn in grade school, but I simply found 60 seconds not enough time to perform some of these series of more complex math problems.

I do not know if the intention here is to help kids memorize past the basics, as it seems there is no time for any other method of problem solving, but to quote Albert Einstein “Never memorize what you can look up in books” or more to my point, don’t spend brain power memorizing what one can figure out by simply doing the math, something I felt necessary to do as I did not have the time to stop and think, let alone do any sort of math in my head.

Honestly frustrated that I hit a wall that I could not pass, be it the last level of addition, I handed this app off to my husband, who is not only good at math but who has also finely developed gamer reflexes for some help, and he got just as stuck, even more frustrated than I.

Personally, I don’t understand the practical application of having do to math so quickly in one’s head, as there is no time to work these problems out on scrap paper, a prerequisite for me to feel comfortable in many mathematical situations or even count on one’s fingers – something looked at as was highly desirable by my favorite math teacher as something that should be encouraged and never looked down upon. Even tricks I use to add quickly in my head were not possible as there is simply no time to do so.

As I re-read this review, It concerns me that I may sound bitter, sulking over not being able to fully succeed at a children’s game, as there is some truth to this statement being that I never got to get as far as I wanted in this game for both review purposes as well as to be able to obtain the super-cool uniforms and gear I was looking forward to.

Out of frustration, it sometimes feels like this app does not reward attention and focus that will be needed in math when the problems get harder.

It is very possible that kids from this generation will have no problem with the speed of this app – that my husband and I are just getting old and not as sharp or fast as we were years ago, and that the use of technology that kids are now exposed to has pre-disposed them to do well under such timed activities in ways I still can’t comprehend.

This may be true, but in the future, I would love to see this app contain a Parents section explaining all the aspects of this app, as although the look of this app is quite appealing, I found the navigation here to be a little cumbersome and less than intuitive, as I did not find the addition and multiplication quick reference tables that may have helped my speed within this game.

I would also be overwhelmingly happy if here, parents could choose to add seconds to the base time given for each level if their children feel stuck. I think these levels should be challenging and that it is ok to have to go back and repeat if one needs to, but there may be a time when kids need extra time to be able to succeed, making them able and willing to continue.

It would also be nice to choose to have the time be less of a factor, but still penalized for wrong answers in terms of losing seconds, thus encouraging the correct answer the first time around.

It would also be great if a female spy was also included, as math is unfortunately often though of as a “boy” subject, and the inclusion of a woman who also needs to gather uniforms and gear may really speak to girls who will also enjoy this challenging math app.

I do like very much the the concept of this spy needing to open these doors quickly before time runs out very much and I am not looking to alter this gameplay, but I think that adding the right additional amount of time here could make this math app still challenging for children, just right for various abilities in terms of speed, as my husband said that even five more seconds would have made a difference in being able to complete the final math level.

From the overwhelming positive reviews on iTunes, it is obvious that I am in the minority for having had such issues of trying to beat this 60 second clock. I do love the spy theme, the wonderfully stylized visuals, effective narration and wonderful use of music.

I do recommend this app for children who are speedy at things, as I would never want to get into a typing contest with a kid born in the age of heavy texting, and I think this would be a an especially great choice for gamer children uninterested in studying math in conventional ways.

Parents of younger children should also check out the other apps the developers at Spinlight Studios, as their Alphatots™ and Tallytots™ apps are still huge hits with my son who is now four, and have been for a long time now.

By Age Range, By App Feature, Just For Fun, Math, Primary School, Reviews

The Opposites is a wonderfully educational universal app that I greatly enjoy and recommend to others.

I really enjoy this word game. Here, players tap word balloons, finding corresponding opposites as these balloons quickly fill up the page. If the board is not cleared before the page fills up with words, the game is over.

I must admit that by re-reading my own explanation of this game, this app does not sound all that interesting or unique. I do agree that other developers could have gone down a road making this app less dynamic that this application really is, but what really makes this app wonderful for me is the visual style and interesting back story that is offered here – much of which is open for interpretation.

This application is centered around two contrary children, presumably brother and sister. I love the choices made here, as the backdrop of this wordplay game is a wall behind these verbally sparring children that is filled with family photos, often including moments of their sibling rivalry. I think it is very clever how these siblings, although opposite sexes, look very much alike, not being as opposite as they may wish, and the styling of these siblings with green eyes and red hair simply makes me smile.

I am also happy to report that the ambient music found within this app is very easy and desirable to listen to over long period of time, a interesting and unique choice that I enjoy.

Other details include an overhead light that sways side to side with the movement of the device. The word bubbles are also affected by gravity and the movement of the device as well, something that players may use to their advantage, as the layering of these bubbles tightly allows more words to fit on a page before the game is over.

It is great to hear these words narrated by both these male and female characters, allowing players to hear the pronunciation of these words.

The word pairs themselves increase in difficulty from the simplest combinations, such as Stop and Go, or Left and Right, and increase in difficulty through the ten levels, ultimately including words more obscure and scholarly, such as words rooted in biology, medicine, economics or politics and even popular culture, such as a “Guys and Dolls” reference.

Players will learn to decipher the prefixes of words, including “ex” vs. “in,” “in” and “out,” as well as the inclusion of the prefixes “im”, “in,” and “un” to be the opposite of the corresponding word beginning used. I enjoy how these words may have different meanings and multiple possible opposites, with the context falling into place when the second word is revealed.

Although listed as an app for seven and up, I would not hesitate to buy this app for older children or even an adult who enjoys word games. It has been twenty years or so since I took my SATs, and to this day I still make metal notes of sources of material that may make studying for this test easier, and I think this is a great application for those studying for this most important exam.

Personally, I would start the use of the app younger, allowing these sometimes advanced words to be part of a student’s common knowledge instead of words one tries to cram in so that one can do well on a specific test.

I really appreciate how this app includes a dictionary that includes each of the words used, broken down by level and comprised of an easy-to-scan list of opposites, also allowing one to tap on a word to read more about its definition.

Players can decide if they want to study the words for each level found in the included dictionary or have a go at the game, learning what works and what does not along the way.

Although apparent for many words used, it would be nice if the part of speech, be it noun, verb or adjective, was also included, and I would love to see this dictionary be narrated as well, possibly in a future update.

It would also be nice for a link to the dictionary to be available when one is choosing a level, as this is not provided as one rises through these levels, and it takes a couple of clicks to find this important, well-written resource.

It is impressive that the list of possible words for every level is a lot longer than the amount of words covered in each level before one moves on, allowing for a new experience when replaying this game or individual levels.

I think this would be an excellent app for educators to use within the classroom, as well as for home use. I know I would have enjoyed this game as a child or teen, as well as the adult I am today, and I appreciate how this word game is focused on one’s vocabulary and reasoning skill without focusing on spelling in any form – something I have always been lousy at.

Some level of strategy is also incorporated here as a word bubble may be highlighted yellow, letting players know that pairing this word will allow for a fruit break for these siblings, pausing their delivery of words – in effect also pausing the flow of words into this page to match or lose the game. Keeping this in mind, I do like to save this special grouping for when the board is getting full and I could use a little time to think.

I have had moments with bad luck where many words without pairs fill up the screen, making the level easy to lose, but for the most part I find this game to have a nice level of difficulty in terms of the amount of time given, both in the levels as well as in the bonus rounds

Typically, I do not comment on the reviews apps have received in iTunes, but I must say that I am surprised with the low score this app has received. It is worth noting that I have not had any issues with this app crashing, and I have completed every level. I do agree that this app takes some time to load – something that I hope can be looked at in the future, but this is not a big issue for me as this app is well-worth waiting for.

My son is too young to appreciate this app now, but I look forward to when he is old enough to enjoy this word game. I have routinely been impressed with the apps the developers at Mindshapes have come up with. A prolific bunch, their apps are each unique to themselves, but with the same overall very high quality. I look forward to more of their apps in the future.

By Age Range, By App Feature, High School +, Just For Fun, Language, Matching, Middle School, Primary School, Puzzle, Reviews

Bugs and Buttons is a fun and quirky universal app composed of a large selection of games to explore, each bright, colorful and educational.

I am impressed with how much content is available within this application, as English and French speakers have a total of 18 games to choose from, with a variety of other languages available as well.

I am happy to report that although one may consider these activities “mini-games,” the quality of each is very high, with bright and bold color choices and include some very realistic looking bugs as well as some interesting, pretty buttons.

With so many games included, it is hard to touch upon each one, but topics such as letter sequencing, color sorting and pattern recognition are included, as well as traditional activities such as connect-the-dots, mazes, a matching game and a variation on three-card-monty.

Fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination are also explored within these games, including everything from archery to apple picking, as well as bouncing buttons falling form a truck or bug catching – both with a tap as well as the more difficult pinch – great for increasing children’s dexterity.

A few arcade-style games are included such as roach racing or a game where one tilts the device to steer butterflies to fly over hurdles.

The bugs included here are extremely realistic and may be off-putting for those truly afraid of creatures such as tarantulas or roaches, but I think all but the most sensitive of children will enjoy these games very much. The music included is also great and very different between games, including classical, jazzy music and even banjo playing.

I appreciate how most of these games do not include any sort of timer, and friendly narration is encouraging, also letting players know when mistakes are made so they can be corrected.

I did not like, however, the narration in the pinch-and-grab game, presumably that of the bug in question being picked up as the voice sounds like a Bevis or Butthead-kind of narrator, greatly taking me out of the relaxing mood the gentle music had put me in.

It is nice that each game has its own unique look, many times quite beautiful with natural surroundings, with a few noted exceptions that include dirty, distressed tiles found in factory or other industrial settings where one races roaches or sorts buttons – mini-games that not be favorites of some families as these unclean surroundings make the bugs found become vermin – not insects found in nature.

Stamps can be collected for a job well done, but it is also nice to be able to turn off the showing of scores and achievements if one chooses to, and I like that one can include visual instructions as well – good for young players when they enjoy these games by themselves.

I have a few favorite games of my own, especially collecting the colored fireflies, sorting by color, as the music included with this nighttime scene is relaxing with a little suspense thrown in in terms of the tone created by the included music.

Families will find Bugs and Buttons educational and engaging and simply a lot of fun, with a great amount of variety, making this app certainly worth checking out. I could imagine families appreciating if multiple players could collect stamps and high score information separately, just a thought for a future update.

Animals, By Age Range, By App Feature, Just For Fun, Matching, Preschool, Primary School, Puzzle, Reviews, Toddlers