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This fortnight I've been receiving a lot of correspondence about reviewing games children can play on the iPhone that aren't educational or developmentally focused. So, in two weeks we will look at a few games for under 10s that provide some distraction and entertainment. This week though, I've realized just how wide and diverse the iPhone educational developer gene pool is.
I wonder where else you can get such an equal playing field like the iTunes Store where small time programmers, large media companies, marketing and PR companies and IT organizations can all exist and compete? It is fascinating. And often you will find just because the company is attached to a media outlet, it doesn't mean their product has what your child needs. I'm really enjoying seeing apps that are rough around the edges, not slick and polished, but which have at their core an idea that the developer is clearly excited about. Anyway...on with the reviews. (As always all apps are available in iTunes App Store)
Shape Builder
Darren Murtha Design
Touchscreen jigsaw puzzles for preschoolers
3 – 5 years
$1.00
A great little jigsaw app for children aged 3 to 5 years. Older children will probably not find it challenging enough, younger children won’t grasp the context. Darren Murtha appears to be the type of developer keen to make a living from this gig. I hope he has a good shot because his website suggests he is in the right space for producing educationally relevant games for young kids.
Shape Builder is so simple that there are no options; there is no need. The title screen automatically takes you to your first puzzle and when you finish one, it takes you to the next. The puzzles pieces are to the left, with a black and white outline of a picture on the right. Children slide the pieces in (which they can even do with some guess work) and when they complete the picture it automatically takes them to the next picture.
Here is an app that could really be developed further with options for the number of pieces and a time limit the game could be extended for older children. For preschool children this would be a great “before bed” game to play before you read them a story and put them to bed.
Wired: Lots of potential, a really good app for preschoolers
Tired: Limited to a specific age
More reviews over the fold...
Animatch
Lima Sky
Yes! Another Memory Game for the iPhone.
4 years +
$1.00
This is a one-player matching game that really annoyed me when I first opened it up. Not because it was another matching game in a flooded market full of these types of apps, but because of the scoring. The game tracks your score, but for every wrong answer you get -10 points. This isn’t the best way to engage children in a game of memory. In fact, the way the game of memory works means you have to get negative scores until you at least work our where some of the pieces are.
As a memory game, it stacks up alongside the many others out there. The images of animals faces are cute (but not outstandingly well-drawn) and the whole thing flows well. Still, starting out negatively scoring children who don’t really understand the concept isn’t the best idea. It was recently featured in Apple’s “Best Kids Games” according to its iTunes site. I think Apple needs to reassess its criteria.
Wired: Lots of potential, but a good app for preschoolers
Tired: Negative scores for not getting a match? Seriously?
Knots
Josh Snyder
A one or two player game of the mind and fingers
7 – 99 years
Free (Premium $2.00)
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__This is currently my favorite free application available on the iPhone from a developer at the small end of the iTunes pool, Josh Snyder. Josh’s website isn’t even functional, but at a guess I’d say he’s one of the many programmers out there who has developed an iPhone app or two just to try it out – with Knots he has hit on a winner.
The game is simple. Put your finger on the dot, hold it there until the next dot appears, touch that dot and then take you finger off the dot that disappears.
The game starts with two dots and progressively gets harder. It can be for one or two players, and while it sounds simple – it isn’t as easy as you’d think.
Younger children won’t find this that fun, it appeals to a mind that is starting to grasp abstract ideas and so suits children probably 7-8 years and up. My older boy and I have played a few games together, it becomes meditative – a technological-type of mancala perhaps? And, with a zero price tag, why not give it a try,
Wired: Fun, free game that helps promote flow
Tired: Once the novelty wears off, probably won’t be of much use.
Henry & Hailey’s Preschool Pals
3PM Studios
Mix and match game using sliding body parts
2-4 years
$1.00
Without going into an extended essay on the classification of iPhone developers, let’s just say there are a few who are at a commercial end and know how to produce a nicely polished product. 3PM Studios who’ve developed Henry and Hailey’s Preschool Pals are in that category.
This app feels like one of those well designed, 8-10 page children’s books made of a thick card with bright pictures and a wholesome feel. It is essentially a mix and match game with different heads, bodies and legs, again the kind of mix n’ match card game you’ve seen in non-iPhone form. There is an array of body parts from dogs, robots, children and sports people. It displays a good cultural diversity, but as so often children’s games do it stereotypes girls as ballerinas and cheerleaders. Not the best examples for budding female geeklet computer programmers and rocket scientists.
The music captured the younger children I showed the game to and in essence it is a fun and simple game. It offers two options “play” where the aim is to match the correct three parts together and then pressing the green button to see if you are correct and the “pals” option which allows you to scroll through the different characters. Pressing on these characters plays an audio track
Young children will enjoy just scrolling through and making up funny looking people with dogs heads or robot feet.
A well-designed, professional application, nothing amazing about it and you might even be able to find a similar type off app for free
Wired: Bright colors, bright music, preschool focussed
Tired: Reinforcing gender stereotypes
***All apps are available in iTunes App Store***
