Category: Nature »

Food Heroes is an application for iPad consisting of activities focused on teaching nutritious food choices with the nice use of colorful and fun illustrations.

A simple matching game is included where the player turns over cards looking for pairs - here with a healthy food theme.

A coloring page is also offered where children can fill in these drawings as well as food themes, with the tap of a color and the drag of a finger. An eraser is offered here. Players also have the ability to control the size of the line used when filling in these pages, and one can save his work as well - always nice options to have.

For me, the best section of this app is the included word puzzle. A list of eight words is included to the right of the screen, and the player must find these words within the grid of letters center screen. This is such a classic kids activity that I am surprised that I do not come across more of these types of word games in applications. The best feature of all is that as one finds these hidden words, very nice children’s narration offers fun facts about each food word discovered, making this nicely educational.

This app is a nice choice for early grade schoolers once they are able to manage the word puzzles. I really enjoy the fun facts used here, as the information offered here is interesting to adults and children alike, and it is great that different words are used each time this word puzzle is played - excellent for re-play value - but I have found a few glitches where words do not offer the fun sentence I have learned to expect here, something I hope that can be worked out in a future update.

Parents will also appreciate the fact that each activity includes music with its own fun and upbeat sound, be it a mild country theme, jazzy, or with a slight Hawaiian flair.

All-in-all, a nice experience, with the word puzzles and info offered, making this app a nice educational experience.

StoryBox is a very nice digital magazine for kids based on the award winning children’s magazine of the same name and based in the UK.

My son and I have enjoyed all that this app has to offer, as this digital magazine is compiled of six sections to enjoy, including a lovely story about a cow who won’t moo, two non-fiction sections, one that explore why airplanes leave trails in the sky and a section on humpback whales. There are some nice kite-themed activities, a fun comic book section and a charming story styled with separate panels but with no text - just creative illustrations to follow, complete with lovely music to listen to.

It is nice that one can either move from story to story within this app or return home to the contents page to make the next story choice.

I do have a few favorite parts that I would like to share. My son and I especially enjoy the Story Time section - How About A Moo - about a calf who wakes up one morning without making her typical moo sounds. Everyone on the farm tries to cajole this poor animal to making this sound until the gentleness shown by her mom makes everything right again. As a mother, I really enjoy the ending of this book as it has a tender message that parents will especially appreciate. There are some nice, subtle movements throughout this story with nice effect. Adorned with beautiful illustrations and few moving details as well, no interactions are offered here, nor do I think that they are needed as this story is quite charming just the way it is.

I have enjoyed the science and animal world sections as well, about airplanes and the trails they leave, as well as all about humpback whales. The airplane is interactive, giving the readers a chance to tap speech bubbles and text found that explain this phenomenon. The illustrations used within the humpback whales article are especially impressive and great information is provided about how these creatures trap and eat sardines without being overly graphic, yet full of interesting details that will engage readers of any age.

I like that one can zoom in and out to see the details of the comic area, and that one can watch a video of SamSam on You tube as well. There are kite-themed games and activities also included, mostly well translated from the traditional paper magazine that I imagine this app is based on and it is good that one can save the drawing one has colored, as a coloring book page is also included here. However, there are no instructions as to how to figure out the activity concerned which child is flying a specific kite in one of this app's sections. I was able to figure out how to maneuver this game after a few minutes, but I don’t know if kids would easily understand what to do, and a hint at gameplay would be a nice inclusion.

Polo is the last section of this app, interesting as this tale that is told in a series of panels much like a comic book and is expressed without words. Here, a dog falls asleep to then be awakened by a yellow, glowing object climbing into his window from a rope. Intrigued, this dog climbs out of his window on this rope which ultimately leads him into space.

The piano music accompanying this section is wonderful, sleepy and even a bit melancholy. I do have mixed emotions about the ending of this tale, however, as it is “to be continued” later. I understand that serial comics and other stories have a long tradition and not uncommon in magazines, and I would be less bothered by this if I had bought a full subscription to a traditional magazine as this would insure that my son would receive the next installment of this story. However, I am not a huge fan of needing to buy additional add-ons or apps to continue reading. I do enjoy this wordless narrative very much though, because combined with the music, it creates an experience very creative and even a little moving, I simply wanted more.

I really enjoy StoryBox as I appreciate the content offered. Other apps like this may be more interactive, but I think the balance between the classic and simple storytelling, both narrative as well as documentary style, along with interactive games, activities, and other areas is nicely done.

Trees are Best FACT is a lovely, educational and nicely interactive storybook app for iPad. This storybook a first-person account from the mouth of eight year old Oliver T. Baker, who is a great tree enthusiast. I think that it is super cute that this book is told from Oliver’s point-of-view and opens up to the mild rantings of this child, as he is in conflict with another student who does not share his interest in trees. The rest of this book includes the varied reasons why Oliver is so taken with trees, teaching children about the wonders of nature. The look of this app is quite nice and I love the many different colors, textures and styles used throughout these pages. The images themselves are wonderfully drawn and interesting to look at, and I enjoy that some photographs and other mediums are also included within the pages of this application.

The interactions are great as well and combine many styles, creating a multi-media experience as one page consists of picture frames hanging from a tree. I enjoy tapping these frames as they become brightly colored images of trees when tapped and one of these frames takes one to a page where the reader can draw his own tree, saving it within this frame as well. I love how another frame enlarges with a touch, revealing a video of the changing leaves in fall, a very nice moment in this multi media application. Some interesting uses of fonts are also found here, and I like the basic design of this book very much.

I really appreciate how a question mark at the top left of the page can be tapped to show hints involving the interactive hot spots, very helpful in uncovering interactions that may go unnoticed without these clues. I am always happy to see some kind of help offered during interactive experiences, and I am glad that this is offered within this app.

It is also very nice that one page is dedicated to the area of tree climbing, with lots of tidbits to read and enjoy by oneself - a fun inclusion that I used when my son asked if he could climb the trees in our yard, explaining to him why our trees are not ideal. There are also added bits of whimsy relating to the benefits of “spring shoes” in aiding one's climbing ability as well as the faint images reminiscent of architectural drawing used, which add some interesting details to these lovely illustrations. I also like the page dedicated to the “loads of cool things about trees” as this page gives some nice information about the changes that leaves go through during fall and winter as well as the different bark found on specific species of trees, explained nicely with simple interactions and included photographs.

It is darling how this book ends with Oliver acting as a tree in the school play - a really fun image that kids as well as parents will enjoy because a child playing the equivalent of a tree is certainly a universal experience.

My only note for this app is that I would like to be able to do these interactions indefinitely instead of once per page, like the blowing out of candles as the narrator explains how the age of a tree by counting its rings, without toggling back and forth between pages. Other examples exist as well, and making these interactions able to be performed more than once would add to an already fun and educational experience. Having said this, I recommend this book as it has great visual style, creative interactions with hints and fun, thoughtful content.

PBS KIDS Videos for iPad is full of fun and a highly educational collection of segments from favorite PBS Kids television shows.

These video clips are all nicely arranged with a simple interface that I am sure kids will have no problems navigating. To the right of the screen is a vertical scroll bar containing many of kids' and parents' favorite PBS kids shows. Tap to select, and one can slide out a menu as well giving the child a choice of many video clips from this TV show. The bottom left hand corner contains parents' information about the specific show and clip being watched as well as other info. The rest of the center screen is where these videos will play; tapping will fill the iPad with a larger letter-boxed version of these clips, removing the other menus.

Kids have the option of selecting many varied choices in video clips, but it also nice that they can relax and watch all the selections from a specific show as they play in order from the menu; the choice is theirs.

I am very pleased with the wonderful shows offered in this app, including our family's favorite show, Sesame Street, as well as other shows my son is familiar with such as Martha Speaks and Super Why, plus many others new to us. I appreciate that there is something for every age of grade school child, including the health- based show Fizzy’s Lunch Lab whose target age range is 6-10, geared to children older than the preschool set whom I commonly think of when PBS kid shows come to mind, primarily, no doubt, because this is my son’s age. Having watched many of these clips, I am sure that older kids will enjoy this app as well, and it can certainly be shared between different-aged children.

There will always be people who think TV is bad for children, and I am sure that the idea of handing your child a portable television per the iPad seems like an even worse idea to some. As a parent, I find that these shows from PBS are undeniably educational, smart, age-appropriate and very socially aware, so I have no issues with my son watching small amounts of his favorite show Sesame Street, unlike unspecific cartoons from a random cable channel, something I would not allow.

This is a wonderful resource for parents, especially when traveling and wanting to keep their children distracted in places like an airport or the airplane itself is of the utmost importance. For at-home use, I do prefer my son to spend his screen time working on puzzles, playing games, creating artwork or listening to a story, much of this time being spend with a parent who is equally involved with the app at hand.

This time with our son is precious family time, but when traveling, I don’t really want to have to entertain my child with “together time” the entire length of the trip, and I think this app would honestly keep him quiet and distracted, keeping my boy happy and not bothering others with the banter that comes along with many of his favorite apps.

We have not traveled a lot as a family yet, one reason being not knowing how good a traveler my sometimes wild child would be, but I think this video player may just be the trick to keep my boy as well as the other passengers sane over a long flight or delay at the airport, as long as I don’t forget to purchase a set of kid-friendly headsets.

Having an older model iPad, I do not know how these videos play on 3G. For us, the use of this app is only in areas that offer WiFi, but I am happy to report that these video clips play effortlessly, which is nice because I do have problems loading clips from other apps that take the viewer directly to youtube.

In all honesty, this is an application that I have not asked my son to test for me, because if I did, I would never hear the end of his asking for this app and I really want his iPad experience to be as varied as possible. We went through this when we first go the “Netflix” app which I had to finally bury in a file, telling my son it stopped working. I know this app would be an even huger hit, which is wonderful in some ways and problematic in others.

I really appreciate the info provided in the parents' section. Here, the name of the show and specific clip are listed, as well as a basic premise of the show, its goals, and age range. If you like a specific clip, you can email yourself a link or post it to Facebook or Twitter. Options for buying the video associated with specific shows as well as info and links to their PBS Kids Apps are included. I am not a fan of in app purchases, but nicely tucked away in a parent's info section is acceptable to me, as well as something many parents may find helpful. You can “favorite’ a show, bringing them higher on the list of shows available, but it would be nice to have a section on the app of previously watched and chosen clips as well. I would also love to see all the names of celebrity guests from Sesame Street as part of the info given about these clips, as not all of them have this information. I know most of these faces but when I can’t place one, I would really like to be able to reference the clip’s info to see who it is. I also like that one can look up local listings for favorite shows as well, very helpful to those staying in hotels away from home.

In the end, it will be the parents' decision regarding when and how much access their children will have to this app. Having said this, this free app is a simply wonderful collection of very special video clips from children’s shows. I think that this would be my son’s new favorite app, something I will keep in mind when I am looking for the ultimate distraction.

Ansel & Clair's Adventures in Africa is a highly impressive educational interactive with large variety of information about Africa provided.

I feel fortunate to have been given the chance to review many educational apps and after experiencing many interactive games aimed at teaching children, I must say that I am very impressed with the quality, subject matter and overall immersive experience created by Ansel & Clair’s Adventures in Africa.

Meet Ansel, a travel photographer from planet Virtoos, and Clair, the Virtoosian robot who accompanies Ansel on his journey to Africa. Help Ansel take photos of animals, plants, and other important places and objects in three different locales in Africa, specifically the Nile Valley, Sahara Desert and the Serengeti Plains, learning a vast amount of knowledge along
the way. While flying to these areas, their space ship, the Marley Peterson, loses parts needed to fly back to the home planet. Help Ansel and Clair find these parts that have fallen from Marley, looking for them as the player goes about taking photos and learning about Africa. After the photos are taken, be sure to help Ansel match these photos to the correct areas in his travel log. It is especially nice how actual photographs of these objects are incorporated, showing the player real images of what they are photographing, a very nice touch that I greatly enjoy.

I think using intergalactic travelers to teach about Africa is a wonderful choice, as the use of Ansel, a true outsider, allows the players to explore the varied objects found in Africa in very fun and educational ways and creates situations for interesting comparisons to be made involving information young players may already know, such as Ansel thinking that humans keep all cats as pets - even lions or how Ansel is mistaken when he assumes humans eat all plants, not just some. I really appreciate the use of Clair, being a robot with a plethora of information she doles out at each opportunity.

I also like the fact that this app does not shy away from dangers one may find in Africa, such as possibly getting lost in a pyramid or coming across a potentially dangerous or poisonous animal. This info can be cautionary in nature but is never scary or over the top. I appreciate this info as very refreshing as we have many apps that are pure warm and fuzzy when involving animals and it is time my three year old is aware that some animals are not always friendly, especially since we live in an area where there are wild and potentially dangerous animals are rarely found in city limits, as well as the possibility of venomous snakes, spiders, or scorpions we need to be aware of.

The details of all the objects in this app are wonderful, realistic, beautiful and highly detailed. The animals all move slightly as they breathe, the trees sway in the wind and the Nile’s currents move slightly as boats also sway back and forth. Each area of this app has a lot to explore, not only in the animal, plant and other objects to photograph and learn about, but one can also experience the Serengeti in both the dry and wet seasons, learning about migration as well as watching snow fall on Mt. Kilimanjaro. One can explore both day and night time in the Sahara and learning about nocturnal animals, something I especially enjoyed.

Five mini-games are spread throughout this app that involves the pyramids, the lifecycle of frogs, a maze involving the reunification of mom and baby animals, matching the fur or skin to the correct animal and also a clock puzzle. Each of these games has three levels of difficulty, a nice touch. There is also a interactive 3D globe used to help the space ship find Africa in the beginning of this game. Do take the time to explore this globe, tapping the other continents as well to hear their names narrated. Personally, I really enjoyed looking through Ansel's travel lot, arranging them where they need to by matching the photo's taken with simple drawing of these same objects.

The content this app involving geography and life science is certainly impressive. I really like how extensive the info is about Egypt, with an abundance of history information. Some objects included have additional light bulbs one can tap for “Clairvision,” learning more in depth about a certain subject, such as mummies or migration.

It is very worthwhile to check out the info section of this app as it explains in great detail how the interface works. I greatly appreciate the explanation of what each interaction in each section has to offer and how it can be found. This master key is wonderful, very helpful when looking for a specific interaction that one may have missed on his own or when looking for a specific mini-game requested by one’s child. The intro to this app is equally as helpful to a first time player, but it would be nice if one could skip this and continue on with the game if they so choose.

This is an app highly recommended for both grade school classrooms as well as home use, and I suspect older kids and adults will sneak off and to play this game themselves there is so much to offer at any age group.

I hope to see Ansel and Clair visit other continents as well. This app’s approach to learning is fantastic, creative, and very immersive. I am very excited to see such apps be developed, I wish learning tools such as this were available when I was a child.

Backyard at Twilight: A Stella and Sam Adventure is a lovely storybook app from the developers at Zinc Roe which also includes three mini-games that work perfectly to let children interact directly within this wonderful story. Based on the Stella and Sam series of books and television show, this interactive app is watched much like a video, also giving the user a chance to be engaged with these activities. A pulldown menu includes the breakdown of this story into both chapters and games, allow for quick access to a specific point in this app, a nice touch.

This is the second Stella and Sam app I have had the pleasure of reviewing, and I must say that my son has become a huge Stella and Sam fan very quickly. This application, like the others in this series of apps, focuses on the relationship of sister and brother duo, Stella and Sam and their adventures engaging in classic activities and exploring the great outdoors.

Here, Stella and Sam are camping out in their backyard. I love Stella’s take on the world around her, as she tells her little brother that “The Night Giant” is coming, this app taking place during dusk as the sun is rapidly going down and the moon is becoming more visible. Her answers to Sam’s myriad of questions is equally charming, explaining such things as how fireflies are not on fire but carry very tiny night lights. I have come to really appreciate banter between these two children - so very imaginative - not just the questions that younger Sam is always asking, but in the answers older sister Stella comes up with.

The children who lend their voices for these characters do great jobs, with the voices bringing a richness to this story that I really enjoy. I find the social aspect of how Stella takes care of Sam quite charming, loving the stylized choice of excluding adults within these stories.

The visual look of this app is as delightful as the story itself, containing wonderful, colorful illustrations and watercolor skies which I love to look at. I appreciate the choice to set this story at twilight, allowing the sky in one of the mini-games involving the tapping of fireflies to make shapes, to be a sunset with an effect both subtle and grand at the same time. It is also very nice that as one taps these fireflies, they make lovely chime sounds - very relaxing to listen to. I also like that it is mildly challenging to tap these moving fireflies, perfect for preschoolers, as are the geometric shapes they create when all creatures have been tapped.

Other mini-games include helping the kids look for bugs caught in their tent with a flashlight, a favorite activity of my son. One is also able to tap stars, which will then connect to each other creating constellations, which also includes soothing chimes as each star is tapped. It is very nice that each activity can be played over again if one chooses, with each new game different from the last. Parents can also use this app as a platform to discuss constellations further if they so choose, as well as additional info about fireflies and the other bugs found in the earlier game, adding to the educational value of this app. This being a new favorite app of my son, my boy has now become very interested in bugs, looking for these imaginary insects all over our house and asking for a flashlight to aid in his searches.

I find this app perfect before bedtime, and I love how the sky in this app gets subtly darker as the story progresses and how the story ends with Stella and Sam heading off to sleep. These stories are so engaging, bringing the viewer into this world, that when Stella tells Sam they are off to bed now, my son follows along and does not fight me when I announce that he too is going to sleep.

My son and I have enjoyed the two Stella and Sam apps, Into the Snow, and Rainy Says very much as well, and I recommend each of them for being of very high quality in every aspect. We are eagerly waiting for the fourth Stella and Sam app, my son asking me often when this is due to be released.

Rainy Days: A Stella and Sam Adventure is an iPad app, part of the Stella and Sam series of apps by the developers at zinc Roe, which is a charming and wonderful storybook app which also contains three mini-games, each working seamlessly within this delightful story. A pull-down menu is included allowing one to find specific chapters of this book or a specific mini-game if one chooses, a nice touch.

This app, which is viewed much like a video, is based on the Stella and Sam series of books by Canadian author Marie-Louise Gay. Here, sister and brother friends, Stella and Sam, spend a rainy afternoon together exploring the wonders of the outside. I love how these characters come across like real children, and I am smitten by how Stella answers Sam’s various inquisitive questions, as well as her take on rainy days in general as she speaks with authority, the way a nine year old who fancies herself older would as she takes care of her younger brother. We as adults can see that Stella really views the world the way only a child would, something I found super-cute and endearing.

The characters of Sam and Stella are utterly relatable to kids, with distinct personalities that nicely differ from each other, as Stella is happy it is raining - Sam not so much. I see a lot of my son in Sam as this app opens up with Sam lying on the floor of the living room, using paints and is unprepared for the mess their dog Fred makes as he walks through this art project. Sam, at a loss for how to deal with Fred's messy paws, asks Stella for help and she takes both Sam and Fred outside to clean Fred's paws and romp around a bit in the rain.

Their relationship is so very tender and sweet, and I appreciate how no adults take part in this story, reminding me of The Peanuts, but in many ways kinder and gentler as Stella is always nice to her younger brother, if not a wee bit bossy. It is also nice to see these kids use classic activities to entertain themselves, first with a set of paints and then by exploring things found in nature, like a pile of leaves and a pine cone floating in a puddle.

The mini-games included are based on these activities, including the ability to paint with both both dog footprints and kids' handprints in many colors across the screen as well as digging through a pile of leaves to see what treasures one may find, and helping the pine cone from the story navigate sticks and rocks as it moves across a small body of water. It is a lot of fun seeing these kids get their hands dirty, especially when it is not practical for my son to get down and dirty himself, whether it be on days where it is too cold to realistically go outside, right before bed or a few minutes before dinner time when I don’t want to deal with a large cleanup.

My boy simply loves searching the pile of leaves looking for a frog that jumps around when found. I appreciate how seamlessly these fit into the story with the same quality animation as is the rest of this app, also including cute voice-over prompts from these kids explaining what to do during these mini-games, really making my son feel as if he were taking part in what is going on. Stella and Sam are definitely kids that I would want my son to be friends with, and this app creates such an immersive experience that I am sure my son feels very much a part of this story as he watches it and plays these games.

There will always be critics of children’s use of iPads for stories, especially books that are turned into videos that one can watch like a TV show, but the quality of this app is so remarkable that it will win over the greatest skeptics. I love the voices used for the children, bringing more life to this story than I could if I were just reading this book to my son and the rainy sounds and other subtle sound effects bring a lot of life to this charming app. The illustrations are to be marveled at, with beautiful color choices and lovely details, especially the rainbow that these kids see at the end of this story. My son loves the mini-games a great deal, they engage him nicely and they are wonderful additions to this story.

These Stella and Sam apps are based not only on the series of books, but also on a cable TV show of the same name. We have not been able to see any of these shows yet, but I will keep my eyes open for them as I am happy for my son to watch small amounts of quality programming.

The Strange and Wonderful World of Ants is a marvelous app for iPad that brings a lot information about ants in a way that is beautifully crafted.

My son and I enjoy this science app very much, as it is loaded with very interesting ant information that I was very impressed with, as I have never spent much time thinking abut ants except for how to avoid any possible infestation. This app taught us about many different types of ants and how they serve the larger goals of the group, be it feeding, protection, or sleeping. I can say that although I would still not a fan of ants if I ever found them in my house, I have a new-found respect for them as a hard working group of creatures that work for the common good. I am very happy for my son to learn this information as it is both fascinating and educational. Non-fiction science apps are not commonplace in the iTunes store; this is a lovely change of pace from our usual storybook apps.

I am impressed with the inclusion of 3 reading levels that will be appropriate for a large range of age groups, as the vocabulary and number of words increase in these sections, making this appropriate for preschool and up to adulthood. The intermediate and advanced sections go into more specifics, which is something older kids and adults will enjoy, but I also admire the quality of writing in the beginner section for its simple prose and almost poetic style of writing.

Narration is included in the beginner section, which is excellent. I really enjoy the narrator's voice which has a sincere quality and is very well recorded. Music plays throughout this app, which is equally well-done, relaxing and transcends simple background music to something I truly enjoy listening to.

It is nice that one can change the reading level during the use of this app without having to start over from the beginning, an interesting touch that is fun to experiment with while reading this book. The lack of narration in the two more detailed sections encourages older children to read more difficult sections by themselves, but I think narration would be a nice option as well, especially since children may benefit from hearing the more advanced vocabulary like “bivouac” spoken.

What I appreciate the most about this app for my son is how it explains in great detail how wonderfully ants get along and work with each other, a great example in cooperation and socialization that my son, a soon-to-be preschooler can learn from.

The illustrations of this app are simply wonderful, black and white drawings that lush with tremendous detail. I really like how these pages are also filled with a lovely palette of colors like mustard yellows and earthy greens that create large graphic shapes that move and envelope these pages when the pages turn, adding to the beauty of this app.

An interactive feature is also added where one can tap an extremely realistic black ant as he crawls across each page. Here, one gets to read first-person commentary from this ant named E.O. hearing his point of view on what is being covered in each page. I like how even E.O.’s comments are specific to the reading level, I am very happy to read the speech bubbles of E.O. for my son, as I think my reading these short sentences nicely complemented the narration in the beginner section. It would be nice however, if EO’s words were also narrated, they would be understood by pre-readers when they listen to this section alone.

The one thing I don’t understand is why this book states early on that “Ants aren't very strong. Ant's are not very very smart” when they, as it is my understanding, are very strong for their size, routinely being able to pick up or move objects that are larger and heaver than their own bodies. To call ants "not very smart" may send the wrong message as this app goes into detail about how sophisticated they are in many ways. In further pages, E.O. also says that ants are smart, leading to more confusion for myself, but not my child who is unfazed by these issues.

Except for the line of the book which gives me momentary pause, I think this is a very special science app. The narration, drawings, and other elements are top-notch in terms of quality. I really appreciate the added glossary and thoughtful questions that parents or teachers can use to lead discussions about lessons learned from this application. Other resources about ants are also included, something very nice for both home and classroom settings. I would love to see more apps from this developer as I would love to hear more about science from their point-of-view.

iLearn With The Mighty Jungle: Animals! is a lovely and highly educational app for iPad that teaches about animals, their appearances, habitat and living habits.

Allow Babu, a friendly meerkat, to guide you through this app as you help Babu find a missing animal friend in each level. These games begin with a map that one uses to help track Babu’s buddy. Correct answers will fill in the map with animals that the player follows as one looks for Babu's friend.

I really like how this app teaches interesting animal facts. In the first level involving animal appearances, one question must be answered such as “which animal has fur,” to move forward on the map, but the number of questions one needs to answer in order to move forward goes up in levels two and three. I find it interesting how these questions start out general and become more specific until the correct animal is uncovered, allowing the player not just to learn facts, but to have a chance to compare and contrast the info learned about various animals.

Although it may seem simple to create a talking animal that will educate by asking questions to the players at hand, I see a great deal of sophistication in this meerkat's effortless way of explaining the rules of this game, as well as his delivery of this infomation in a way that is direct, engaging, and encouraging. It is nice that one can answer keep answering until the correct answer is found, as many times as it may take, as one may learn more from mistakes made than just knowing the correct answer. I think this app would be an excellent choice not just for those in pre-school and kindergarten, but for children who are learning English as a second language and those with special needs, as this animal's communication skills are educational in and of itself.

I especially appreciate that all of this game’s instructions are explained verbally by Babu, making this a great game for pre-readers. It is nice that one can tap a question mark to hear the question again or tap Babu himself for a hint.

The information used in this app, designed by educators, meets the National Standards for Life Science teaching in pre-K and kindergarten. I found it to be very educational and surely thought-provoking for this age group and beyond, as I learned some new things as well, and I like how this app made me think about which fish has smooth skin - a shark or a piranha - something I never thought about before.

Although this app would be wonderful for children to play by themselves, this is an app so rich with information that kids will get the most out of it by playing with an adult who can go into further details about this interesting animal information, creating some excellent open-ended conversations as well.

Another interesting aspect of this app is that the questions within each level are tailored to the needs of each player, and I did notice that the questions zeroed in on the few questions I answered wrong. This is something that kids will benefit from, also adding greatly to the replay value of this app. This app is colorful, nice looking and simply a lot of fun. Kids will learn a lot from this app, as did I, and I am looking forward to see what new learning apps come from the developers at Tribal Nova, who also created PBS Kids Play! and CBC Wonderworld online learning programs.

Aquarium Coloring ~Ocean Life~ is an iPad coloring book application that lets you color with the use of a finger and also teaches the names of aquatic life. There are many drawings and colors to choose from, as well as many options to make the coloring in of these pages user friendly. Drawing can be saved on your iPad, used as wall paper, or Facebooked.

I enjoy this application. There are 17 pages to choose from, and I really like that the names of these aquatic animals are given as page titles. The drawings here are very nicely done, simple but realistic looking and not childish or cartoony, and I like how many of these pages include some nice oceanic details like coral, plant life, or rolling waves. The color choices are bright and numerous, and I appreciate that four brush stroke sizes as well as zooming in are options in the aid of coloring in details. An undo function, as well as erase feature are also included - something I always look for in a good coloring book, especially important when you use your finger as a crayon or paintbrush.

Children will appreciate being able to save their completed work on the device which can then be used as wall paper or Facebooked to friends, but I did have a problem saving work in progress in order to continue coloring at a later time. When doing so, the application closes unexpectedly without the drawing being saved. I hope this can be worked out, as the ability to save drawings to finish later is a nice touch. I also don’t understand how to use the colors to create the effect shown in this app's icon in iTunes and title image, that of a jellyfish, with the water around it looking as if it has a hazy, marbled coloration of some sort. I tried to recreate this look with no luck, which is unfortunate because this soft coloring effect is what drew me to this app in the first place. I hope the kinks can be worked out because the drawings are quite nice for adults as well as for children.

Crazy Weather is an interactive storybook for iPad app told in rhyme about the dangers of global warming and of the crazy counter-intuitive weather that can result. Designed to read to oneself, there is an option to make a recording of this book as well. An iPhone version is also available.

The first thing I noticed about this app is how delightful it is to look at. All the pages are decorated with bright and bold objects, sounds and interactions in a multimedia and collage fashion, with objects including recycled paper with tactile grains, bits of materials like satins and silk with great shine to them, animals knitted from colorful yarns with interesting textures, as well as many pieces of natural materials such as leaves and straw as well as wires and pieces of metal. Each page has interesting interactions to find, and I give the developers great credit for telling the reader exactly what interactions they are looking for - page by page - in the help area of the settings, something I wish every developer of an interactive app did. Pleasant music accompanies one as the story is read. Recently, three holiday and ecology themes postcards have been added that one can email or Facebook as well.

The story itself is about how more and more often, the seasons seem confused, with snow in summer, leaves and plants beginning to bloom in fall, and other crazy, confusing weather anomalies. The story is told in a rhyming tone which is pleasant to read, and I agree that the weather changes one may experience now are alarming - to say the least. As an adult, I find the message of this poetic book to be very clear, but I don’t have a keen understanding of how to translate these concerns to my son, almost three years old in a way that he can comprehend past a lovely rhyming story. I would encourage these developers to write a parents' section on how to talk to their children in a way that they can understand, specifically how taking care of the planet will keep these crazy weather occurrences from happening and why something as simple as warm weather in winter or cold weather in summer can be in reality ominous signs for the future. My son does enjoy the bright colors and all the interactions, but without help explaining the story, I worry that he may be missing the bigger picture.

Do you want a pond in your pocket? First reaction would be, well nooo, however you might change your mind. The graphics for "Pocket Pond HD" are picture perfect and watching the fish swim around will relax just about anyone. The "real nature" sound effects are great and best heard in stereo with headphones. What I like most about this app is touching the water, the sound effects are very realistic and my finger is not even wet! If you tap twice on the screen, a little piece of fish food will appear and the fish will swim by and eat it. The fish can be played with, you can scare them or watch their schooling behavior. The fish pond can be customized simply by adding Lilly Pads and Dragon Flies. My middle child (10) was all worked up by her brother and I sat her down and handed her my iPhone with "Pocket Pond"; I asked her to look at this app and play with the fish while I deal with her brother. She huffed and puffed and complained. Magically, a little fish pond and the sounds of nature put her in a calm state. She was a different person in such a short time! She really enjoyed playing with the fish, feeding them and swirling the water around. The "Pocket Pond HD" app is very refreshing and is a great escape for everyone from a toddler to a parent. There is an upgrade option in the app for iFish Pond where you can catch fish, play with frogs, and hear a thunderstorm for $1.99. See ya... gone fishin'!

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” – Dr. Seuss, The Lorax (1971)

Tomorrow is Earth Day – a day to reflect upon our relationship with the environment and to think about what we can do to help our planet survive and thrive. It’s only fitting that I review “The Lorax” ebook application which was adapted from the Dr. Seuss classic. “The Lorax” is a children’s story with a very adult message: respect and conserve our natural resources or we’ll find our world an unhealthy and unhappy place to be. The application contains original illustrations and text with Seuss’ lyrical meter and rhyme, and it’s beautifully-scaled to the iPhone screen. I enjoy the movement and interactive features of this app; as you read the story (or have it read to you), you pan around the page to have a more detailed look at the illustrations, and you can tap on some of the images to see the identifying words. “The Lorax” is an engaging and entertaining storybook, but it also provides a valuable opportunity for parents and children to discuss conservation and environmental concerns in our world today.

“Star Walk” is a pocket planetarium lesson and astronomy guide for the iPhone/iTouch. This sophisticated application is chocked full of features including moon phases, bookmarks, and a time machine (which allows you to view planetary and star movement in the days to come). It is easy-to-use, nicely formatted, and offers a wealth of learning opportunities. My favorite feature is the “star spotter” option that uses the digital compass to orient your location/position and charts the constellations over head (available for the 3GS only). I also like the option to learn more about what you see through links to planetary information on Wikipedia. This application is a superb tool for parents/caregivers who want to teach their young ones about the sky above. It’s the best of its kind, and an excellent way to discover and explore the universe from wherever you stand.

Poke, tap, and slide the colorful illustrations and the world of the Itsy Bitsy Spider comes alive. This skillfully-crafted application is made by Duck Duck Moose, the award-winning production company who brought us two other preschool songs-apps, “The Wheels on the Bus,” and “Old MacDonald.” This particular rendition seems to top the others with its endless critters and even more interaction to rouse a toddler’s curiosity. It promotes exploration and can facilitate as a learning tool when caregivers and children experience and talk about it together. My favorite feature is the chatty fly Chloe who buzzes around the periphery of each scene offering helpful tidbits of information about nature and the environment. I also like that my son and I can record ourselves singing. What a find! The Itsy Bitsy Spider is epic entertainment!