Smart Tot Rattle Review

Smart Tot Rattle is an interesting app for the youngest members of the family, as this app consists of the high-contrast colors of red, black, white, along with the use of geometric shapes all said to be visually stimulating to babies.

Four themes are included and each contains its own highly contrasting background of circles, checkerboard, stars or stripes, presented in black and white and corresponding to the included themes of balls, kites, stars, and flowers. It is nice that these items in the foreground also contain vivid colors such as blue, green, or yellow, making these items really pop.

A physics engine is used here, making the objects included bounce around the screen with the drag of a finger or by moving the iPhone. Pleasant chime sounds are also incorporated and can be heard with the tap of a finger or when these items bump into each other on the screen, and one can feel vibrations when the device is shaken.

Parents have a few selections to choose from, specifically if they want to include the use of sound effects, and how often (if at all) the motifs will change, ranging anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds, and one can leave the app set to one desired background as well.

The look of this application is indeed engaging: I can see how a baby would be interested in looking at this app. It would make an ultimate distraction for doctors' offices when vaccinations and the like are given, and I appreciate the developer's idea from the iTunes description of using this app for tummy-time, especially for babies who are reluctant to spend time in this position - very helpful when traveling as this app packs easier than the activity pads and toys that baby may be used to.

I can also see this app being overly stimulating for some, and I wish the vibrations could be turned off within this app without having to alter the settings of the iPhone itself to do so. This added stimulus seems a bit much, as there is already a lot going on here to look at and listen to.

Personally, I would also recommend the use of “Airplane mode” as a caution when a baby at such a young age may be using one’s iPhone, as well as avoiding a very jarring experience of the phone ringing in the middle of playing with this application.

Whether this app is a good choice for one’s family is a personal decision, but this app is nicely done and worth looking into, especially for those who are intrigued by the use of high-contrast colors for their baby to look at and explore.