Caroline’s Camera

App Info

Price: Free
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

Caroline’s Camera is a fun app for kids that uses creative rhythms and music to challenge players to take pictures on cue. With loads of challenging levels, a free play mode, and lots of rewards to win in order to upgrade your virtual camera, this app is one both parents and kids will enjoy. It’s fun, interactive and quite the challenge!

Features include:

• Easy to use
• Increasing difficulty
• Creative rhythms & music

Quality

The quality of Caroline’s Camera is incredible. With crystal clear illustrations, fun music and rhythms this app is great for kids who love musical apps. The user interface is easy to use as the developers have included practice options for new challenges and rhythms so players better understand how to play. They have also included a great way for players to receive feedback via a color system at the top of the screen that tells players if they snapped the picture at the perfect time, too fast, or too slow. Overall the developers have done an excellent job.

Education

One of the great things about this app is that it teaches children a bit about patterns and rhythm. It also helps players use not only their vision, but also their hearing to see and hear the rhythm as they play. The best part is that this app doesn’t come off as your typical education app as children are simply playing and learning along the way. While it may not teach traditional subjects, this app gives kids a bit more creative play as they learn.

Entertainment

The thing I love most about Caroline’s Camera is how entertaining it is! The basic premise is to follow the rhythm outlined and to snap a picture at the right moment based on the rhythm. Seems easy, until there are multiple different rhythms to follow and catch with multiple people included. It’s a game that is partially about reaction time, rhythm, and focus which is great for kids. The increasing difficulty levels make for even more challenging play.

There is also a reward system that allows players to earn coins that they can use to upgrade their camera and other equipment to take better pictures. The developers have also included a free play option that allows children to follow various patterns outside the structured challenges. And if that weren’t enough there are various locations including the forest, lake, and water environments for more play time. Truth be told, this app offers hours of challenging entertainment.

Value

Parents will be happy to know that this app is completely free which might be hard to believe with all that is included. The developers have really gone above and beyond the call of duty with all that this app has to offer and at no cost at all!

Child Friendliness

Not only is Caroline’s Camera a fun app for kids to play, it’s fairly easy too! The user interface is designed for little ones to get a bit of practice prior to diving into the more advanced challenges which is great. The increasing difficulty is also a fun way for children to test themselves and their skills in a fun environment.

While this app has everything you might want in a free app, it also has a few unprotected links and advertisements that are open for children. There aren’t a ton of unprotected links and advertisements and they are pretty deeply embedded and hidden in the app, they really don’t belong in a kids app, even if it’s free. For some parents that might be a deal breaker for this app, which is too bad because it really is a great app to play.

NO social media

NO in-app purchases

YES third-party ads

YES external links

GO Math! GO – Fun learning for grades K, 1st & 2nd

App Info

Price: Free
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

Go Math! Go makes a high-quality math curriculum accessible to parents and teachers. This interactive math __app covers a range of skills for grades K-2. Skills are organized by grade-level and allow parents and teachers to track a child’s progress and he or she works through the app. While most of the questions are multiple-choice or drag and drop, the __app offers relevant, quality math content to help children improve their math skills.

Features include:

• Skills-based math practice
• Multiple problem types
• Positive reinforcement and rewards
• Parent and Teacher portal

Quality

Before using the app, parents or teachers must set up an account. The process is relatively simple, but parents and teachers should be prepared to complete this step before handing the app to children. From there, they can choose which sections of the app to unlock. Each of the three grade-levels must be assigned a child’s name and the same name can not be used for multiple grade-levels, which may be annoying for parents who want children to work on content at multiple levels. Once an account is created and the content is set up, the app is easy to navigate. The main screen displays a button for Grade K, Grade 1, and Grade 2, each labeled with a different cartoonish character. Once children tap on their grade-level, they’re shown a list of skills and can tap on the skill they want to work on. Each skill is labeled with stars that are filled in to show a child’s progress. Every time a child completes a subsection, a star is filled in.

The questions in the app are well-written and function well. Kids will find plenty of opportunity to interact with the questions and will also enjoy the bright colors and animated elements.

Education

Questions in the app are organized by grade-level and skill. For example, kindergarten is broken down into skills such as Count 0 to 5, Compare 0 to 5, Count 20 and Beyond, 3-D Shapes, Measurement, and Sort and Group. Each individual section is also broken down into subsections. For example, Count 0 to 5 is broken down into Model 1 and 2, Read 1 and 2, Ways to Make 5, Order to 5, and so on. To complete a subsection, kids must answer a set of questions in the practice round and then answer a set of questions in the challenge round. Most questions are multiple choice or drag and drop. In kindergarten and first grade, questions are read aloud to help students. All questions also contain visual images, such as counting cubes and number lines.

Entertainment

The main focus of the app is to help children build their math skills. As a result, there are not a lot of fun elements. However, the content is presented in a way that is engaging to kids. Each set of problems is accompanied by a tracker at the top of the screen, so children know how many problems they must complete to get to the end of the set. After completing a set, children are also given the chance to participate in a challenge round, which encourages them to continue answering questions. Throughout the app, children will also get to interact with animated characters and will receive positive phrase and small rewards, such as watching an animated character play an instrument, for answering questions correctly. The questions themselves are also highly visual, making it easier for children to stay engaged with the content.

Value

Parents and teachers can create an account and download a sample set of problems for each grade. The sample set contains a full set of problems in one skill area. Access to the full set of problems can be obtained through an in-app purchase. Each grade must be purchased separately and the price is fairly high compared to similar apps. If parents or teachers opt to purchase all three grades, the price can add up. However, parents and teachers should consider that they are gaining access to high-quality content produced by one of the leading educational companies and also note that the content is full of visuals and other features designed to help students improve their skills.

Child Friendliness

Parents or teachers must create an account to access the content. Creating an account requires an e-mail address and other personal information. Birth date verification prevents children from creating an account on their own. However, children may find a way to purchase full access to the problems if parents/teachers don’t have their device set up to require a password when attempting to download items from the app Store.

• NO social media
• NO 3rd party ads
• NO more apps
• YES in-app purchases
• YES account required

World of Liberty: Paintings, Planes, and Pioneers

App Info

Price: $0.99
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

World of Liberty: Paintings, Planes and Pioneers is the third in a series of ebooks designed to ignite interest in learning about history, geography and connections between peoples. The main characters, eleven-year-old Liberty and her imaginary friends Truman the magical airplane, Ellie the sheepdog, and Georgie the toy eagle, use a computer to access a world where they can go anywhere and do nearly anything and research ideas, events and people that interest them.

Features include:

• Includes read to me, read to myself, and autoplay modes
• Includes four jigsaw puzzles
• Includes reading comprehension questions and activities
• Highlights words as they are read
• Uses professional narration and sound effects

Quality

World of Liberty: Paintings, Planes, and Pioneers is an outstanding __app that is well-designed for the target age group of early elementary students. The developers included an intuitive set of controls, the ability to choose pages, several modes of play, and many other features that make the app easy to use. The narration is high-quality, and the sound effects are well-conceived, complementing the story rather than overpowering it. Most pages include appropriate animations that are connected to the story.

Education

This app is very educational. It is part of a larger series focused on various social sciences/social studies skills, including geography, history, inclusiveness, and more. The main character, Liberty Lane, has adventures in the real-life world as well as in her imaginary world inside of her computer. In this episode, her school class visits the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum, prompting a closer look at Amelia Earhart. Connections are made in the story between Earhart, pioneers, Kansas, Mexico, a Mexican artist named Frida Kahlo, and more. Throughout the story, the interconnectedness of our shared history and society are emphasized. Other values stressed include the value of visiting museums, the fun of imagination, and the sheer joy of learning.

The story ends by including a number of comprehension questions for children to consider verbally or mentally, but has the option of checking the answers as needed. Developers also encourage readers to find locations from the story on maps at home, and provide four different jigsaw puzzles showing scenes from the story. All activities are well-designed and fun to use.

Entertainment

World of Liberty: Paintings, Planes, and Pioneers is quite entertaining. Each page of the rather lengthy ebook includes appropriate sound effects and animations that will keep children’s attention much more completely than simply reading the text would. The questions at the end of the book are very non-threatening in nature, simply encouraging users to access the information again mentally.

My one concern is that the opening sequence (which can be skipped if adults feel it would be better) tells the story of how Liberty’s toys Truman the airplane and Georgie the toy eagle, came to be inside the computer. It involves a lightning strike into Liberty’s bedroom, and while most children will realize the fanciful nature of the events described, some more sensitive kids or those who have not yet fully separated fantasy from reality may become unduly upset by the thought that such things might really happen. It would be important for parents or teachers to be aware of children who may have uncomfortable feelings about things like this, and who may need to be sheltered from or guided through this part of the book.

Value

This app is an excellent value at $0.99 in the app Store. There are 125 pages in the ebook, and to go through it in the “Read to Me” mode takes approximately thirty minutes. In addition, there are puzzles and questions about the story. The app is also included in a three-app bundle of other stories about Liberty that is available for $1.99 in the App Store.

Child Friendliness

This app is very child-friendly.

• Parent area (contains protected external links & social media)
• NO 3rd party ads
• NO in-app purchase
• YES “more apps” (protected, but visible)

Rose Milany at the Beach

App Info

Price: $2.99
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

Rose Milany is your typical kid and, like most kids, she enjoys going to the beach during the summer. In Rose Milany at the Beach she invites kids to join her on her trip to the beach and interact with her as she enjoys beach-related activities, such as building a sand castles and collecting sea shells. Along the way, she also introduces them to some cute beach creatures. This beach-themed story combines a likable main character with short sentences to create a fun summer read for kids.

Features include:

• Interactive illustrations
• Narrated story
• Fun games
• Available in three languages

Quality

Rose Milany is French, which means kids might have some trouble understanding her, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be friends. That’s how Rose Milany introduces herself at the beginning of this animated story. It also understands why, when kids open the __app for the first time, they may not understand any of the words they see – they’re all in French too. Kids can change the language by tapping on the languages button – the __app is available in English, French, and Spanish. Once they’ve chosen their preferred language, kids can get started with the book. The main screen features clearly-labeled icons that direct kids to the story and the related games. They’ll also find icons for the credits and a help section which highlights the different icons used to move about the app and briefly summarizes each of the games kids can play.

Education

The story features very short scenes and simple sentences, which makes it great for early readers. While the text isn’t highlighted, it is narrated clearly and displayed in small chunks on the screen, making it easy for kids to follow along. After reading the story, kids can also play games related the story. The Memoread game asks kids to identify objects used in the story, while The Stickers activity has kids place pictures in a rebus-style version of the story. Both activities help build comprehension and get kids more involved in the story.

Entertainment

Thanks to the interactive illustrations, kids will also find the story to be very entertaining. Each short scene is accompanied by a screen where kids can uncover creatures and help Rose Milany complete activities. They can pick up sea shells, find a crab, and even turn on the shower so she can wash off after a day at the beach. After reading the story, kids can continue the fun by playing three mini games and by listening to a song about Rose Milany.

Value

The app is priced comparably to other interactive eBooks for kids and offers a lot of features to help justify the price. It’s definitely a great read for kids, particularly during the summer.

Child Friendliness

Unfortunately, developers did not spend as much time on the child friendliness portion of the app. In the credits section, the app contains unprotected links to social media and to the developer’s website. All of the content in the story, however, is appropriate for children, although more conservative parents may not appreciate Rose Milany’s skimpy swim suits in some of the scenes.

• NO in-app purchase
• NO 3rd party ads
• YES social media (unprotected)
• YES external links (unprotected)

Andy Helps You Read

App Info

Price: $3.99
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

Andy Helps You Read offers focused reading help for kids with ADHD, dyslexia, and special needs. While not as flashy as many early reading programs, the __app does a solid job of helping kids learn how to read. The 20 lessons combine word recognition, letter formation, and reading practice opportunities to give kids a strong background in many of the fundamentals required to help them learn to read.

Features include:

• 20 reading lessons
• Word practice
• Flashing practice
• Reading practice
• Developed by teachers

Quality

When kids first open the app, they’re prompted to tap on “Andy’s Helpers,” to get started. This short video tutorial features kids explaining how to use the __app and offering their takeaway. It’s a solid way to introduce kids to the different components of the app. Parents are directed to the “Parent’s Place” where the creators of the app outline the overall structure of the app. This helps parents understand how the app is designed and how the design helps kids learn to read. It’s easy for kids to access the lessons. When they do, they’ll see three different activities: Word Practice, Flash Practice, and Reading Practice. The Reading Practice features narrated texts, but the narration could be improved by using an actual human voice rather than a computer. Each activity is also accompanied by calming piano music which kids can easily turn off.

Education

The creators of the app have put a lot of thought into the app and they take the time to explain their thought process to parents. With an initial purchase of the app, kids can go through the first five lessons in any order. Parents can then opt to purchase the additional lessons through a bundle. Each lesson contains three different sections: Word Practice, Flash Practice, and Reading Practice.

In the Word Practice section, kids see a common word, and then tap on it to hear it. This section largely relies on kids to motivate and practice the words themselves. The goal is simply to help kids learn to read and pronounce common sight words.

The Flash practice section shows kids different lines and letters to help add a visual component to reading. This is one of the most entertaining sections and one of the best sections for kids with special needs. Kids see an object or series of letters or numbers on the screen and must copy what they see from memory. After kids have drawn a series of images, they can compare what they drew with the actual images. Kids can then go back and try to improve upon what they just did. If they did well, they can increase the speed to challenge themselves more.

In the Reading Practice section, kids read along with a short, high-interest text, and then answer some cloze reading style questions at the end. All of the activities move at a good speed for beginning readers and are designed to help kids feel successful from the beginning. The only real downside to the app is that the narrator for the reading passages is just a computerized voice, so a lot of the inflections and emotion that could help kids understand unfamiliar words is absent from the narration. This leads to a few awkward sentences.

Entertainment

This app is designed to be more educational than entertaining. However, the app does have some entertaining components of its own. The entertainment factor starts with Andy the Airplane flying around as kids move through the different lessons and the calming piano music that sits in the background. It continues with the high-interest reading passages and the positive reinforcement kids receive when they fill in a blank correctly during the cloze reading activity. One of the most entertaining activities is the flashing word practice. Kids can choose from three different speeds and must draw the shape, numbers, or letters that they see. The faster the speed, the faster they have to process the image before it disappears.

Value

This app is priced comparably to similar apps. Contained within the app are quality reading passages and lessons that prove to be highly beneficial to kids. It also offers plenty of unique opportunities to help kids practice their writing skills and word recognition skills. An initial purchase gives kids access to the first five lessons. Parents can purchase lessons 6-20 as part of a bundle. While the price of the bundle is higher than the initial price of the app, parents get a lot of good content. They’ll also know by that point whether or not the purchase will benefit their children.

Child Friendliness

All of the content in the app is child friendly. Kids can access the Parent’s Place and hear how the app is designed to help them, but they likely won’t sit through the entire video. The app also offers a short video tutorial that features actual kids to help motivate them to use and enjoy the app.

• NO external links
• NO social media
• NO 3rd party ads
• YES in-app purchase (protected)

Math Jungle : Grade 1

App Info

Price: $1.99
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

Monkeys like bananas and in Math Jungle: Grade 1, the monkey really likes bananas. In fact, he likes bananas so much that all he does is run through the jungle to collect them. Kids can help the monkey collect bananas in this fun arcade-style math game. In the game, kids move the monkey through the forest, stopping along the way to answer random math questions. The more questions kids answer correctly, the more bananas the monkey receives.

Features include:

• Aligned with Common Core
• Fun arcade-style game
• Positive reinforcement
• High-score tracking

Quality

Math Jungle: Grade 1 features a fairly simple design. When kids first open the app, they’re introduced to a smiling monkey and they see a large play button. Tapping on the button takes kids directly into the game. To play the game, kids simply use their finger to move the monkey up and down as he runs across the screen. The goal is to collect the bananas and avoid the rocks and other obstacles in his way. At the top of the screen is a tracker which displays the amount of bananas that have been collected and also contains a bar to mark the high score kids need to beat. At various intervals throughout the game, the monkey stops and kids must answer a multiple-choice math problem in order to move on.

Education

All of the math problems contained within the __app are aligned with the Common Core standards. Multiple standards are covered with in the app. Kids are presented with basic addition and subtraction problems, as well as problems related to number sequencing, comparing numbers, and using plus, minus, and equal signs. The question in the __app are designed to be used for practice, not instruction. Kids are given multiple opportunities to answer each question (they earn more bananas for answering correctly on the first try), but if they answer a question incorrectly, there is no explanation or other guidance to help them answer the question correctly. The app also does not track kids’ performance by standard or allow kids to work on a single standard at once.

Entertainment

The simple arcade-style game is really entertaining for kids. They will enjoy guiding the monkey through the jungle and watching the tracker fill up with bananas. They’ll also be motivated to play the app multiple times to attempt to increase their high score. The monkey himself is animated and a positive character for kids to interact with.

Value

This app is full of practice math questions to help kids build their early math skills. It combines those questions with a simple, but fun game. Parents or teachers looking for new ways to get kids to build their math skills will appreciate the app.

Child Friendliness

Kids won’t find any content in the app designed to take their focus away from math practice and fun. Aside from the opening screen which simply contains a play button, the app only contains one area for play.

• NO external links
• NO social media
• NO 3rd party ads
• NO in-app purchase (protected)

Solar Family

App Info

Price: $2.99
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

Solar Family is an interactive ebook and video __app that tells a pleasant story about the planets of the solar system, our sun, and Halley’s Comet. Users can choose to watch a video or to use the narrated ebook, which includes interactions on most pages.

Features include:

• Learn facts about the planets and solar system
• Play mini-games on many pages
• Learn to spell the planet names
• Move at an individualized pace
• See and hear words of the story at the same time

Quality

Solar Family is a high-quality app, but could use clearer directions for adults guiding young children. The __app is not as intuitive as one might expect for having no information about usage and features in its parents section. On one trial, the spelling game did not load correctly for the outer planets for some reason, which was a little frustrating. It’s also not really clear when there’s a challenge on a page that prevents moving on with the story. Users need to press the page turn arrow several times to get a clue that something else is needed, and it’s not always clear what the necessary action is.

Education

This app presents a nice story about how the planets came to be in their respective orbits and how Halley’s Comet visits the solar system. Developers did a nice job of embedding interesting facts about the planets and the sun in the interactions of the story.

That being said, some may have a concern that some of the information is not particularly accurate in a few ways. The planets are shown to be various sizes, but the relationship between them is not accurate. For example, Neptune is depicted as being smaller than Mercury, which is not truly the case.

Most pages of the story have interactive hot spots that cause the planets to share one of two to four little tidbits of information. There are a few pages that have activities, as well, such as a page where users need to draw a circular orbit for a planet around the sun.

There is a video version of the story and the ebook version. Both include narration, and there seems to be no way to turn that off for older children in the ebook. The main page of the app also includes a spelling game activated by tapping each planet. Letters in bubbles appear, and users are challenged to spell the name of each planet. Though the app’s description in the app Store indicates 8 levels of spelling games, each planet had the same activity as far as I could see.

Entertainment

Solar Family is engaging for younger users, especially if they are already interested in planets and space. The referencing to Halley’s Comet may be somewhat confusing to children in this age group, since it is not currently visible and won’t be seen again for decades yet. The games included are simple, and will be enjoyable for younger children, but likely will not provide any lasting challenge for anyone past preschool.

Value

This app is fun to use, but I’m not sure it will have much replay value for kids past preschool age. It seems like once a child has completed the story and spelled the planet names, they are likely to put it aside in favor of more interactive and challenging activities. It is also a concern that some of the information in the app does not seem to be as accurate as it might be.

Child Friendliness

This app is child friendly.

• Protected parent area (contains only rating system)
• NO external links
• NO social media
• NO 3rd party ads
• NO in-app purchase

Malama Honua My Voyage

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App Info

Price: Free
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

The My Voyage __app will take users on an elaborate adventure through documentary-like videos, games, and more as the main characters explore Hawaiian and Polynesian history and culture. The main characters learn history and ancient skills like weaving and boat-making of the Polynesian people who later settled in Hawaii. In the process, they also discover solid traditional values like caring for the earth and respecting elders.

Features include:

• Over 30 minutes of live-action video
• Video encounters with Hawaiian cultural experts
• A variety of interactive activities
• Visual and auditory instruction in Hawaiian words
• Parent and teacher guides with supplemental curriculum

Quality

My Voyage is a very high quality app. It’s well designed for the target age group of young elementary-aged students, but the rich and varied content will make it appeal to older children and even adults. Developers are right when they advertise that it makes a great family activity!

Education

My Voyage is very educational. It makes social studies come alive through accessible and age-appropriate video that does not talk down to children, and interactive activities. The information conveyed is unusual, and not a topic that most people will be very familiar with, no matter what their age.

Each section begins with a high-quality video that follows the main characters on their journey to learn more about their culture and history. The children encounter a host of helpful people who make the lessons come alive. Then users are invited to play an interactive game related to the topic of the segment. The games are varied, and sometimes demand dexterity and coordination and other times tap into mental agility. There is a very nice variety!

Best of all, the app makes seamless transitions from the real-life video segments to the animated and interactive sections. Viewers get so caught up in the experience that they hardly notice moving from one to the other.

A host of positive values are stressed throughout the app, as well. Respect for diversity, care for the environment, learning lessons from history, and listening to elders are just a few of the values stressed in subtle ways by every aspect of the app.

Entertainment

This app is highly engaging and entertaining, and it’s quite likely that kids will not want to put it down until going all the way through it, then they will come back to it again and again. There are over 30 minutes of video interspersed with at least eight interactive activities. Best of all, the developers indicate that this is the first in a planned series. I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Value

This app costs 99 cents on the app Store, and that’s a great value. It will take approximately 45 minutes to go through the activities one time, and many are made to randomize on each play through, so they will be different when your child comes back to them. The app is extremely high-quality and well-made, and so is well-worth the minimal investment.

Child Friendliness

My only complaint about this app is that there is an open and unprotected link to your web browser on the front page, right where young children would be likely to find it easily. The link opens a page that tells how to access the teacher and parent guides as well as supplemental lesson plans, but it would be easy for a youngster to get out onto the open internet with no protections. This link should be behind a parent gate!

• Parent area
• NO social media
• NO 3rd party ads
• NO in-app purchase
• YES unprotected link to open internet that contains parent/teacher information

World of the Wild

App Info

Price: Free
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

World of the Wild is a simulation game that allows players to participate in various ecology-based activities, including cleaning up oil spills, planting grass, trees and bushes, and rescuing endangered animals from various sorts of calamities. Each activity is interconnected, and earns points that can be used to complete other activities. Extra points can be purchased or earned by taking quizzes about conservation and the environment.

Features include:

• Unlock new resources and animals as the game progresses
• Learn through pop quizzes
• Discover issues facing the environment
• Learn about endangered animals

Kli>Experience the interconnection between all parts of the planet

Quality

This __app is well-made, with each feature working as described. The tutorial could use a little work, however. The game is quite convoluted, with various types of points earned and spent for various aspects of the game, and it takes quite a bit of attention to keep it all straight. The tutorial is mostly made of visual demonstrations with a sentence or two of explanation, and I found it to be quite confusing and difficult to remember. It would be good to supplement it with a written explanation that is all on one screen, and perhaps a chart or two would help.

Education

World of the Wild does a great job of simulating the various things that need to be done to preserve and improve the environment. Game play includes activities such as planting grass, bushes and trees, cleaning up oil spills, scaring away poachers, and much more. Each activity costs some kind of points, though, so players will need to budget carefully and spend their points so they have the most impact on the environment. Players have an opportunity to earn additional points by answering questions on quizzes.

The reading level of this __app is high, likely middle school level or beyond. For this reason, many younger children, though they might enjoy the game play and be interested in the information, may have trouble enjoying the game.

The quizzes are very educational, but some players may find them quite frustrating. The information required to answer does not seem to be readily available within the game play of the app, but rather things that might be learned in science class or through research. It would be better if the quizzes related more to the actual content of the app, or were easier to find within the app if it is indeed in there somewhere.

Entertainment

One of my most serious concerns about this app is the pace of game play. When players choose to spend points on planting grass, for example, it starts a countdown between placement and growth that can last 30 minutes (in real time). That’s quite a delay in the game play. Players have the option of “spending acorns” to speed the timer up, but it takes quite a while to accumulate enough acorns to make a difference after the initial bank provided is depleted. Acorns (and the other types of points) can be acquired through an in-app purchase, as well, and it seems like many young players may be quite tempted by this option.

Value

This app is free in the app Store. The information provided is valuable, and the concepts reinforced are outstanding. Game play can be quite slow, though, without acquiring extra supplies of the various points offered. There are, however, in-app purchase options that are unprotected by any sort of parent gate within the app. If a child clicked on them, the only thing between them and an unauthorized purchase is the parent’s Apple ID information. That being said, the developers indicate that the app provides options to support any of the 17 charities that it is connected with. It is unclear if the in-app purchase of points helps in this regard or if donations are made separately.

Child Friendliness

While most of this app is child-friendly, it is very disconcerting that children can access the in-app purchases so readily. For this reason, I would not recommend the app for players any younger than middle school ages, and only then if parents or teachers are certain that the kids can be trusted not to make unauthorized purchases of the various kinds of points. It is also easy for children to access unprotected links to social media and email.

• NO 3rd party ads
• YES unprotected links to social media and email
• YES in-app purchase, unprotected

2016 Edition: Best Apps for Back to School-5th Grade

Here are some of the best of the best apps for fifth graders as they head back to school. This list includes reviewed and recommended apps to help practice fractions, basic math, and grammar. There are also some apps that will open doors of programming and science. Enjoy!

The Everything Machine

The Everything Machine gives players the tools to tap into the iPad/iPhone/iPod’s power and versatility by setting up an intuitive programming language. Users can experiment with turning the device’s built in sensors, hardware and features on and off on command to accomplish a wide array of tasks.

Check it out on the __app Store.

Namoo-Wonders of Plant Life

“You can find joy everywhere if you only look close enough” is the quote that opens NAMOO – Wonders of Plant Life. Developers of the __app have worked hard to make that quote a reality for kids. This beautiful app combines calming background music with detailed illustrations and informative texts to help kids learn all about plant life. Kids will explore different aspects of plant life, from the composition of plant cells to the types of roots plants have. Throughout the app, kids will discover interactive diagrams, animated illustrations, and other engaging contnet designed to help them understand the content. At the end of the day, developers have created a quality app that can enhance science instruction and help kids enjoy learning about plant life.

Check it out on the App Store.

Crazy Times Tables-Multiplication Photo Fun

Crazy Times Tables incentivizes multiplication facts practice with games and visual effects. The app provides several levels of difficulty with twelve games and users can isolate specific fact families (x 1 through x 12) or set up for mixed practice. It also isolates math facts that were incorrectly answered and allows practice just on that list.

Check it out on the App Store.

Slice Fractions

Slice Fractions offers a wordless, hands-on walk through basic fraction concepts such as the meaning of the numerator and denominator, equivalent fractions, and fraction ordering. Players have to solve physics problems by slicing objects and removing barriers to movement at the correct times and places to progress through the game.

Check it out on the App Store.

Grammaropolis

Grammaropolis (full version) is a teaching and practice tool to help students learn the parts of speech. The Nouns section is free, and the other seven parts of speech are available as separate in-app purchases of $1.99 each or $12.99 for the entire set. Each section includes explanatory videos and interactive books as well as brief multiple choice activities and two quizzes.

Check it out on the App Store.

My World of Atoms

App Info

Price: Free
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

My World of Atoms offers kids and teens a unique way to learn about the elements on the Periodic Table. This educational game __app has kids drill through a pixelated world to obtain the various elements on the Periodic Table. Then they head back to the lab and combine those elements to create different compounds. As they do, they learn about the makeup each element and how each element is used. This highly entertaining __app is a fun way to get kids interested in science.

Features include:

• Interactive Periodic Table
• Fun drilling game
• Challenges to advance through levels
• Focus on science content

Quality

This app has the backing of some major developers, including Samsung and Apps for Good, so it’s no surprise that it is a high-quality app. On the main screen, kids will see three icons: Start (or Continue), Reset Game, and About. They’ll also see how much of the app they’ve completed and their current level. When kids first start playing the game, they’re taken through a short tutorial. After collecting Hydrogen and Oxygen to make water and advance to level 2, they’re left to complete the rest of the app themselves. However, they can tap on the app’s main character in the lab if they need help.

Kids will find that the app moves fairly smoothly. Their goal is to find elements which they do by drilling through blocks of sand, water, dirt, rock, and other natural elements. A meter on the side of the screen displays how much power their drill has. If the drill runs out of power, kids must head back to the shade to refresh. Thankfully, the drill reloads quickly so kids can get back to drilling.

Education

The main goal of the app is to teach kids about the Periodic Table and the elements it contains. This is done in a few different ways. As kids find elements while drilling, they’re shown a short description of the element which includes the chemical symbol, atomic number, and a brief explanation of what it is used for. In the Laboratree, kids can view the same information by tapping on a specific element on the Periodic Table. As kids collect elements, they can also access their log book which displays different compounds they can make. The name and equation for each compound is displayed next to its components. When kids combine different elements to make a compound, they’re shown a description of the compound and its uses.

Entertainment

In addition to teaching kids about the elements on the Periodic Table, My World of Atoms is entertaining. It offers a simple game – drill through the land to collect elements, and then combine those elements to make compounds. Every time kids make a compound, they advance a level. The game adds challenges by restricting certain parts of the land to certain levels and by adding dangerous areas, such as hot coals and electric shocks. Kids must also pay attention to their drill’s power level. This can be a bit frustrating when they’re on a roll, but it keeps them from racing through the app without stopping to actually learn something along the way. Kids will also learn to be strategic about where they drill to maximize their drill’s power.

Value

The app was developed by teachers and has been designed to provide both teachers and students with a free educational resource. As far as free apps go, this one definitely stands out. It is full of high-quality content and offers a fun game for kids to play. It’s worth a download to help kids learn about the Periodic Table.

Child Friendliness

Kids won’t find much content designed to take them away from the app. On the main screen they will see an icon for the About section which provides information about how the app was created and links to the app’s terms of use.

• NO rate us
• NO more apps
• NO 3rd party ads
• NO in-app purchase
• NO external links

Inclusion Bridges

App Info

Price: Free
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

Inclusion Bridges is an awareness tool that offers a simple video game to familiarize players with social problems such as religious discrimination, racism and violence as they also become familiar with solutions such as social programs, education programs, and inclusionary artwork. The game is built around the main character building bridges over gaps to turn the “monsters” into inclusion strategies, which is highly symbolic of the work that the consortium that has created the app, Erasmus and the “Social Inclusion Out of the Box” project, an international partnership representing a number of countries.

Please note that developers of this __app recommend that children under the age of 17 not download or use it due to unrestricted web access.

Features include:

• Representation of exclusionary monsters such as racism, unemployment and poverty
• Representation of inclusion strategies such as school education programs, community artwork and so forth
• Simple video game to represent changing exclusionary monsters with inclusion strategies
• Contact information for supporting groups from the various partner countries

Quality

Inclusion Bridges is a quality app that allows players to participate in a simple video game to raise awareness of the issues causing exclusion around the world. The video game is symbolic, requiring players to build bridges over gaps by touching the screen to lengthen their bridge so it is just the right length to cover the gap. The app really needs more clear directions for users to make the game a bit more fun-I had quite a time understanding exactly what was needed to complete a level. The English translation has multiple grammar errors that make it difficult to understand the app’s purpose, as well.

Education

This app is not really intended to be educational in the academic sense, but rather a tool to raise global awareness of societal problems that force individuals and groups into marginalized positions. Each level lists three such problems, such as age discrimination, violence, and lack of education. When a player successfully builds a bridge, the “monster” turns into an inclusion strategy, such as intercultural activities and professional education. However, the inclusion strategies and the names of the problems only appear at the beginning of each level. After that, they are represented by stylized monster figures of different colors. An awareness tool should probably keep the target information in front of the user more consistently.

Entertainment

The challenge of Inclusion Bridges is to build bridges of the correct sizes to bridge the gaps but not to be too large or small. The bridges are built vertically by touching the screen, then they fall into place when the finger is lifted, and if not too long or too short, allow the main character to cross and proceed to the next area needing a bridge. It is very difficult to judge when the vertical line is the correct length for the horizontal gap. If it is too long or too short, the monster will crash the bridge, ending the level and posting a large “FAIL” sign with an option to repeat the level or go on anyway. The game play itself does not change between the 11 levels. In other words, many people would either give up in frustration or become bored with the limited nature of the play.

Value

This is a free app, but is not likely to offer much in the way of fun for kids. It also does not do a very good job of its intended purpose of raising awareness of social injustices for adults. As such, developers should include more information about HOW to address the problems listed, rather than simply offering names of types of programs that could eventually offer solutions. It would be nice, also, to see more information about how each of the participating countries are addressing these problems, especially since each level professes to be from a different country, and the app is available in eight different languages.

Child Friendliness

Developers of this app recommend that children under the age of 17 not download nor play this app due to unprotected internet links.

• NO social media
• NO 3rd party ads
• NO in-app purchase
• YES unprotected internet links

2016 Edition: Best Apps for Back to School-3rd Grade

Reviewed and recommended apps for third graders will make finding just the right one for your child a piece of cake! Here are some great ones to help with cursive writing, math skills, composition and creativity, and more.

Letter School Cursive Writing

Teaching kids to write in cursive may seem like a lost art, but it’s alive and well in LetterSchool Cursive Writing. This interactive __app is designed to teach kids to write their uppercase and lowercase letters in cursive. Through the app, kids can practice writing each letter individually until they get it right. With two levels of play and multiple activities designed to have kids write their letters (and numbers) over and over again, there’s no doubt kids will have their cursive letters down pat after they make their way through this app.

Check it out on the __app Store.

Little Big Car Factory Spelling Game

Young spellers participate in leveled practice with any of the built-in lists or groups of words entered by teacher or parent. The app automatically makes the tasks more challenging until children are spelling the word independently with no hints.

Check it out on the App Store.

Math Galaxy Whole Number Riddles

Math Galaxy Whole Number Riddles provides users with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems ranging from basic fact combinations through problems using two digit numbers. The app also includes time, money and measurement problems. The format is game-like, set up for one to three players, and correct answers are rewarded with a score in points. Correct responses reveal letters that eventually spell out spell the answer to a riddle. Correct answers in the Jumble section reveal a hidden word from the scrambled letters.

Check it out on the App Store.

Smart Spark: Ignite Your Child’s Learning Potential

Smart Spark walks parents or teachers through a survey designed to pinpoint students’ learning styles, then provides an easy-to-understand report showing the child’s learning strengths, communication style and possible challenges. It also analyzes YOUR learning strengths, communication style and possible challenges, so you can get information about interacting with the student.

Check it out on the App Store.

Write About This

Write About This offers hundreds of motivating and interesting writing prompts as well as systems to create new prompts, add other content, write and share writing, record and work collaboratively. It is a highly useful and flexible tool for home or classroom to encourage children to write.

Check it out on the App Store

2016 Edition: Best Apps for Back to School-2nd Grade

Here are some great reviewed apps for spelling, phonics skills, listening skills, and more! These apps are perfect for second grade students.

Planet Lettra

Planet Lettra is a playground for word-building. Users are magically transported to the mythical Planet Lettra where letters float in bubbles in the sky. When the bubbles bump, the letters combine, and sooner or later, make words. The beings on the planet eat letter groups of various types. Together, the activities set the stage for productive letter play for prereaders, emergent readers, and experienced readers alike.

Check it out on the __app Store.

Sound Salad

Sound Salad-Help Mr. Ear by Sorting Sounds is a sound sorting and memory game for young children. Players are challenged to match short sound effects to pictures, using discrimination, memory, and attention skills.

Check it out on the App Store.

Attributes by Math Doodles

Attributes by Math Doodles will challenge users’ ability to find patterns and commonalities, to notice and distinguish among fine details, and to sort and categorize finely detailed drawings. Students who play will be amazed to find that math includes such a wide array of skills, and also to find that it can be so much FUN!

Check it out on the App Store.

Highlights: All About

Highlights: All About allows young children to explore child-friendly topics in typical Highlights magazine style. Each section includes stories, puzzles and activity ideas that will help children take their understanding to the next level.

Check it out on the App Store

Spelling Bug Hangman

Spelling Bug Hangman provides over 900 built-in spelling words and the capability to add your own words to a hangman game. Users can play alone or with a friend. Players also earn coins to use to purchase hints and other helps to improve their play.

Check it out on the App Store.

2016 Edition: Best Apps for Back to School-6th Grade

High quality educational apps for 6th grade can be a little harder to find in the __app Store. Our list of reviewed and recommended apps include world geography, middle school vocabulary prep, a comprehensive math practice tool, a tower defense geometry game and a graphic novel that covers a variety of middle school issues like self-esteem, teasing, bullying, peer pressure, stress and insecurity.

CK-12

CK-12 presents practice activities and instructional videos for students to study that will improve their performance in math and science. The __app covers math for grades 1-5, as well as middle and high school math and science courses.

Check it out on the App Store.

Math Climber HD

Math Climber HD is a game to help math students practice basic math skills ranging from addition and subtraction facts through operations with fractions, percents and decimals. Solve problems in timed or untimed environments, earn coins that can be exchanged for various rewards and hints, and send progress records via email to teachers or mentors.

Check it out on the App Store.

GeoBee Challenge by National Geographic

GeoBee Challenge by National Geographic was in the top 15 in our Readers’ Favorite Geography apps. This iPad only World geography app is designed for kids in grades 4 through 8. They are not kidding when they warn that this app is not for beginners!

Check it out on the App Store

Middle School Vocabulary Prep

Middle School Vocabulary Prep provides hundreds of words with definitions and parts of speech to study and learn, with practice quizzes and larger, randomized tests. Students can email test results and performance details to teachers or parents.

Check it out on the App Store.

Math Galaxy Fraction and Decimal Riddles

Math Galaxy Fraction and Decimal Riddles provides users with identification and computation problems ranging from recognizing parts of a whole through operations with fractions, operations with decimals, operations with four types of measurement numbers, and calculation of angle measures using parallel lines. The format is game-like, set up for one to three players, and correct answers are rewarded with a score that represents “prize money,” similar to popular game shows. Correct responses reveal letters that eventually spell the answer to a riddle. Correct answers in the Jumble section reveal a hidden word from the scrambled letters.

Check it out on the App Store.

Zcooly Time Ranch

App Info

Price: $5.99
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

Down on the ranch, the farmer needs a helping hand. While he’s busy planting, there are still animals that need to be fed. Kids are invited to come help him out. To feed the animals, kids must set the correct time on the clock. The more clocks they set correctly, the more food and coins they earn. The end result is a fun game for kids that also helps them build their time-telling skills.

Features include:

• Digital and analog clocks
• Fun farm theme
• 10 different levels
• Ability to earn coins to buy animals

Quality

When kids first open the app, they’re taken through a tutorial that introduces them to the different components of the app. Kids can also return to the tutorial at any time by tapping on the rancher’s icon. A settings section outlines what the various icons within the __app mean and also helps kids navigate through the __app if they feel confused, but they probably won’t. The app itself is fairly easy to navigate and, once kids start, they’ll be able to work their way through all ten levels without much of a problem. The one area where the app lacks in quality is the graphics. While generally clear, they move a bit slowly and lack a bit of the same polish that you’ll find from larger developers. This won’t prevent kids from playing the game though.

Education

Zcooly Time Ranch is, not surprisingly, an app designed to help kids learn to tell time. Kids can play the game using digital clocks, analog clocks, or a combination of both. Before kids start to play, they can practice setting the clock in the Practice section. There, they’re shown a clock and guided through the process of setting it to the correct time. When kids get into the actual game, they’re shown a clock and expected to set it themselves. As kids advance through the levels, the difficulty increases. For example, during the first few days, kids simply set the clock to a given time, but they’re quickly asked to set the clock to half past a specific time or two hours ahead of a particular time. Each individual sub-level tends to focus on one or two ways to set the clock. The app also uses slightly more advanced clock-setting language. For example, instead of saying it’s 12:45, the app will ask kids to set the clock so it is at a quarter to one.

Entertainment

While this app teaches kids how to tell time, it also gives them the chance to have a little fun. Every time kids set the clock correctly, they earn coins. They also earn food to feed the animals that can lead to more coins. If kids earn enough coins, they can purchase new animals for the farm. These animals range from typical farm animals to more unusual animals, such as a dinosaur. The more animals kids have, the more quickly coins add up. Some kids may want to save up their coins to purchase a bigger animal right away, but they may do better to buy a few smaller animals first.

Value

The app is priced higher than many of its counterparts. It does offer 10 levels with 7 sub-levels within each level and the ability to earn coins to purchase animals for the farm. For teachers or parents looking for a new way to teach kids how to tell time, the price may be justified.

Child Friendliness

When kids first open the app, they’re asked whether they want to allow the app to send them notifications. On the main screen, kids will also see an icon for another app and can tap to open a general info screen. This section encourages users to rate the app, but access to the links on the screen is protected, so kids will stay within the app.

• NO in-app purchase
• NO 3rd party ads
• YES rate us (protected, but visible)
• YES more apps (protected, but visible)

Fiete Sports

App Info

Price: Free
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

Fiete Sports allows players to “compete” with two opponents in running, cycling, swimming, hurdles and shot put as they trek around the world. Players control the main character by tapping and interacting with the screen, and can win a place on the podium and a medal at the end of the race.

Features include:

• Five sports competitions with four more coming soon
• Funny animations to maintain player interest
• Art includes flags and stylized landmarks representing many countries
• Intuitive game play
• Encouraging sound effects

Quality

Fiete Sports is a high quality __app that works exactly as intended. Players interact with the screen to control the main character’s speed and performance in the various athletic events. The __app is intuitive to use, and completely nonverbal, making it ideal for younger users or those with disabilities. It would be nice, though, if developers had included a parents’ area outlining the benefits of play, ways to extend the learning, and connections that some might not consider, such as the Olympics or other major sporting events.

Education

This app is not intended to be educational, but a with a little creativity, parents could add some educational value. Connect the virtual sports with the Olympics and have children play along. Discuss the various countries represented by the flags near the various sports. Go on a virtual scavenger hunt to discover famous landmarks in each country, then use other resources to find out about them.

Entertainment

Fiete Sports currently offers five different competitions where the main character (controlled by the player) competes with two computer-generated characters at running, swimming, biking, hurdles and shot put. For each event, the player must interact with the screen in the specified way to increase speed or performance. For example, to make the character run or swim faster, the player must increase the rate of tapping on the screen.

At this point, this app seems like children would tire of it rather quickly. Even with a vivid imagination, there are only so many times you want to run the same race with a chance of winning first, second or third place.

Value

This app is free in the app Store, so there’s no reason not to give it a try if your child enjoys sports. It might engage the imagination, especially during times when sports are in the forefront of the news, such as during the Olympic games.

Child Friendliness

This app is child friendly, but does contain a link to “more apps” on the home page that is easily accessible by children. It is protected by a simple parent gate, easily circumvented by children who can add single digits.

• NO external links
• NO social media
• NO 3rd party ads
• NO in-app purchase
• YES “more apps” (protected, but visible)

Trilo Spelling

App Info

Price: $4.99
AppStore User Rating:

Overview

Trilo Spelling is a phonics __app designed to help kids improve their knowledge of letter sounds and learn how to spell common words. This is done through a series of simple activities that have kids spell words and identify pictures related to the words they hear. Along the way, they collect puzzle pieces and receive positive reinforcement from the characters in the app. With multiple levels of play and a variety of activities, Trilo Spelling is a quality __app that can help children improve their spelling skills.

Features include:

• Multiple levels
• Positive reinforcement
• Puzzle pieces to collect
• Individual letter sounds

Quality

In general, the app features quality graphics, sounds, and animations. The background, which features a series of mountains, can seem a bit busy at times, especially when kids must create words on top of it. If you accidentally turn of the sound in the info area, you may also have to restart the app to get it to turn back on. Other than that, the app responds well to kids’ actions and features the bright colors and fun sounds that kids enjoy.

Education

Included in the app are five different levels of play. Parents will find a detailed explanation of levels in the info section. The levels focus on topics such as short vowel sounds with CVC words, initial and final consonant digraphs, the floss rule, intial blends, and final blends. All of the levels build on one another and are designed to help kids build their skills gradually.

Each level has kids rotate through a series of phonics activities. Some activities have kids look at a picture and/or listen to a word that they must then spell. Other activities have kids listen to a word and then choose the picture that fits the words. Even activities that are generally the same are presented in multiple formats to help kids stay focused.

Entertainment

As kids complete the levels, the characters in the app pop out to provide them with positive reinforcement. This includes phrases such as “that’s the spirit” or “wow.” Some of the activities are also timed to make them more exciting for kids. For example, kids must spell a word before the plane drags a picture related to the word off the screen. Completing words helps kids earn fuel for their plane which they can use to explore the island. They also collect puzzle pieces.

Value

This app is priced somewhat higher than many of its counterparts. However, it comes with five different levels of practice, with multiple practice activities at each level. The app was also developed by teachers and uses tried-and-true techniques to help kids build their phonics skills.

Child Friendliness

The app is free from social media, external links, ads, and in-app purchases. There is not a protected parent area, however, parents can read through the info screen (accessible through a small icon on the bottom of the main screen) to learn more about the design of the app and the different levels it contains.

• NO social media
• NO 3rd party ads
• NO in-app purchase
• NO rate us
• NO more apps

2016 Edition: Best Apps for Back to School-High School

High school apps are designed to help students get through the tough classes and get ready for college. Here are some of the best reviewed and recommended apps for high schoolers.

Mathway

Mathway – Math Problem Solver is a tool for math students of nearly all levels. The __app allows users to enter equations at nearly any level of complexity and then solves them.

Check it out on the __app Store.

Thumbnail Theater-MacBeth

Dig in to The Scottish Play with Thumbnail Theater: Macbeth. This hilarious, well-crafted app is appropriate for Shakespeare lovers of all ages, and is a great way to introduce kids to the spookiest play in the famed writer’s repertoire.

Check it out on the App Store.

Zinkerz Prep for SAT Test

Zinkerz Prep For SAT Test is the perfect app to help students get prepped and ready for the big test. With seemingly endless tips, tricks, and exercises, this app offers hours of pre-test practice for students to ensure they have all they need to get ready for their SAT test. Perfect for practice at home or in the classroom.

Check it out on the App Store.

Quizlet-Flashcards and Study Tools

Quizlet gives users access to millions of flashcards created by other users and organized by topic and class. The app allows users to create their own sets of flashcards, as well, and share with others or keep private. Users can opt to have most flashcards read aloud, and there are matching games to help students practice the info.

Check it out on the App Store.

Duolingo-Learn Languages for Free

Duolingo offers short and sweet practice sessions with a choice of 13 languages. The app provides several styles of interaction with bite-sized lessons and offers rewards for consistent practice, as well as many other features that encourage learning.

Check it out on the App Store.