Category: Science »

Kodee’s Canoe - Echo is a delightful interactive story about two friends who venture out to where they believe a strange voice is originating from. Also included is an animated introduction of a very high quality that children and adults will really enjoy.

I have often been critical of the look of computer-generated imagery used within children’s applications, so it is nice to showcase an application using CGI technology that does a wonderful job of making an utterly appealing app that children of all ages and their adults will love, with included lovely narration - all of which remind me of elements of a family favorite show, Pocoyo.

This is the story of two animal friends, Kodee and Raccoon, who are curious to see where a mysterious voice from the island near their lake is coming from, as these voices only answer the questions such as “Who are you?” with the same question, peaking the interest of these curious animals who take a canoe to the island seeking out these voices.

The resolution seen here is very fine, creating an environment where hard edges are not necessary and where shadowing techniques are used to create depth and a world where a perfect sphere can be found - not simply the polygonal shapes found in lesser resolution applications.

The use of color is great fun to look at, as are all the natural details presented - the trees, animals and reflections that one can see in the water from the lake. Ambient nature sounds can be heard which are peaceful and relaxing, as are the included interactive hotspots one can find, tapping the auxiliary animals, which make them move or make sounds.

These types of interactions are pretty typical for an interactive storybook and are often included as an afterthought to be able to claim some type of interactivity by adding visual and audio that often adds clutter to a storybook.

I do love, however, the use of tappable animals found in Kodee’s Canoe. The animal sounds used are relaxing and very realistic, such as the ability to tap a bird to see her fly around the page as she makes her bird calls, as this is a sound I know well as I see and hear these birds from time to time, creating a very realistic world in which these characters live.

Although animated applications are nothing new to me, I simply can’t stop tapping to watch these characters move because for me, when the resolution is at it's finest texture like here, the images take on a life of their very own.

There are some very interesting moments where I really enjoy the placement of what would be the camera, such as the view looking down onto the island Kodee and Raccoon take their trip to, as they walk around the perimeter looking for the voice to meet up with on the other side, or the watery view of the fish who live in the lake that Kodee and Raccoon paddle through on their canoe on the way back home.

Adults will probably know that Kodee and Raccoon are hearing their own echo before children will, but this is a very enjoyable story for all with a nice sense of mystery and suspense without any elements that could remotely be perceived as worrisome to children, nicely including some science in a way that can be accessible to children, always a nice touch.

This app also includes an echo generator where one can record a sound that plays back with an echoing sound.

This feature did not work very well for me as my recording does tend to cut out while in playback, possibly because of our iPad case, a piece of hardware we struggled to put on and therefore did not want to remove.

Even with this extra not working as well as one might hope, the terrific look of this story, fun adventure, charming details and nice depiction of friendship and science topic make this app a worthy choice for a download.

I am also very happy to see a menu of pages easily within reach of readers, as well as numbered pages - a detail that I feel is important but often overlooked in storybook applications.

An explanation of how an echo works is also included, but I was disappointed to see that this section does not include narration, nor does one have a chance to record one's own voice reading this interesting, educational text - not the case with this storybook itself, as one can record, save and play back up to three personal narrations within.

It nice, however, that one can follow along with the text as it is highlighted when listening to excellent included narration, also having the option of tapping individual words to hear them spoken, a great help for young readers.

I do wish that this explanation was narrated as well, as my son and other pre-readers can enjoy this app on their own, but without reading ability, the science behind this app will not be fully explored.

Better yet, I would love to see the information of where the echo comes from was explained within the body of this application as part of the ending of the story, as readers, having followed this fun and engaging story, would have absorbed this information as well.

Even with this note, Kodee’s Canoe is an app that I strongly recommend for its sense of style, charming storyline, and overall high production value. I do hope to see more stories about Kodee and Raccoon as their world is beautiful as it is engaging.

This is my body - Anatomy for kids is a delightful interactive educational app full of terrific content as well as a charming sense of style.

I have really enjoyed perusing this application, consisting of many sections that cover such topics as how fast one grows, the skin, one's senses, as well as the different systems of the body, such as digestive, respiratory, muscular, nervous and skeletal, going into a very nice amount of depth for children to appreciate.

As this app opens up, children are given a choice of characters to follow, nicely including boy and girl choices some of which are children of color and an Asian character - lovely inclusions still not seen often enough in the US iTunes store.

From here, do note the blue arrow one pulls down at the top right of the page, allowing children enjoy themselves while peeling back the layers of their character, including down to their underpants while learning about their skin and later their body’s senses as well. The digestive system allows one to see inside these figures as food and water as they are swallowed, traveling to the stomach. The lungs and throat can be seen while investigating the respiratory system, and I appreciate the use of standard red and blue colors to detail the circulatory system, which is explained in further details.

The muscular system is also interesting to look at, complete with the red striated muscles, as are the detailed images of the nervous system and later the body’s skeleton.

I really enjoy how each of these sections goes into great detail which can be found as one triggers arrows right of the screen going into these sections in more depth, as the level of scope this material provides is wonderful for children preschool-aged as well as younger and older alike.

I greatly appreciate how this app includes narration allowing non-readers to enjoy this app while also including the “smarty pants” section for older children - not narrated and which can be accessed by pulling down many of these included pages to go into even more depth regarding what is being introduced.

Children of all ages will appreciate the interactive elements found throughout, such as x-raying a broken arm and applying a cast or putting back the bones of a skeleton which includes a nice level of challenge that will engage children as well as teaching them basic anatomy.

Star achievements are also included. Do look for them among these pages and perform the cute, specific interactions to gain these stars and to be rewarded at the end. I did, however, have moments of difficulty figuring out what actions were being asked of me to gain these stars. Because of this, I would love some sort of hints also included so that children can make the most of this wonderfully educational application.

There is just so much to love about this application, packed full of information that children and adults of all ages will learn from. While this may not be the most interactive application available, I think the developers have done a wonderful balancing act of adding just enough interactive elements to enrich without distraction.

I do not feel, however, that the navigation going from the peeling back the layers of these characters into the more in-depth sections is fully intuitive the first time one explores this application. This is not a huge flaw, but parents may want to familiarize themselves with this app in order to demonstrate its inner workings of scrolling side to side as well as up and down, as it would be a shame for children to miss any of the elements offered in this terrific app.

I also admire how this app includes a default setting keeping these child characters in undergarments from the waist down, but it also includes a setting to allow these characters to be seen fully undressed and including anatomical details that I personally feel quite comfortable with my son seeing. Having said this, I could also see some families being more comfortable with the girl characters keeping their chest area covered at all times - not an option at this time.

I would love to see this app also include the reproductive system as well, as I have yet to see an app tackle this subject - an app that I can see some parents really appreciating as their children begin to ask questions about where babies come from as my son has.

I am sure, however, that not all families would welcome this segment. An area that could be excluded in the default yet made available as an option would be wonderful.

All in all, This is My Body - Anatomy for Kids is a most impressive educational application that a wide range of ages - both child and adult - can learn from and enjoy. This is certainly an application worth checking out in both the home as well as school setting at a very reasonable price.

Rounds: Franklin Frog is a charming universal app bringing wonderful non-fiction content focused on teaching the life cycle of frogs in a way that will be especially appealing to children of all ages and their adults. Both Read and Play, allowing one to listen to narration while reading along with highlighted text, as well as explore interactions is included, as is a Read to Myself option.

I simply adore Rounds: Franklin Frog, illustrated in a bold style consisting of circles as a whole as well as pieces thereof, as the look of this app is unique and sophisticated yet utterly appealing to children of all ages, as are the soft greens and blues found within, a personal favorite palette of mine.

Rounds: Franklin Frog does a wonderful job of balancing the cute anthropomorphic details and witty narrated lines of dialogue heard when tapping on the frog characters found throughout with some thoughtful facts about these interesting creatures both included as spoken lines of text triggers with a tap, as well as within the narrative itself.

This is the story of Franklin, a young frog who, along with the readers, explores his surroundings as well as hibernates for the winter, finding a mate and beyond - wonderfully narrated, engaging, and relaxing.

The interactions are simply delightful within this app, helping Franklin jump and swim, feeding him bugs with his sticky tongue and later helping Franklin find a mate by tapping and allowing other frogs to hear their mating call - all wonderful details that readers of all ages will appreciate a great deal.

I was taken a back at how moving this children’s story is, as the use of pitch-perfect music and stylized details demonstrates the change of seasons with use of moons floating past the sky, the plants dying away, and the use of snow falling as Franklin is safety tucked away.

Equally poignant was watching Franklin’s mate lay her eggs, watching them develop from frogspawn into tadpoles and later after sprouting legs and arms, developing into a frog after quite a metamorphosis.

Readers should take note that although the text within the pages of this story may have concluded, this app is intensely filled with important animations and interactions, wonderfully polished and beautiful to look at, yet charmingly sleepy in their nature and never over-stimulating.

Do wait for the arrow found at the bottom to become bold and bounce as this signifies that the major animations and interactions have been played out, although one can still enjoy oneself by tapping frogs to hear their added dialogue spoken as well as move them around the page.

I confess that the first time reading this book, I turned the page prematurely, missing out on some important transitions and interactions such as protecting frog eggs from hungry fish, or the full transformation from tadpole to young frog. The pacing of this app can be on the leisurely side - not a flaw at all, as this app does expect a level of concentration waiting out some animations much like one would in nature. Parents may want to familiarize themselves with all that this app has to offer to insure that their children do not turn the pages prematurely.

I also appreciate a great deal how this story plays itself out over three generations of frogs, teaching readers about life cycles as well as being quite interesting in terms of storytelling, but with no concrete ending, parents may find it hard to break their children away from this experience. Possibly an option could be included in the future that lets the three unique generations play out before this app comes to an end, just a thought for a future update.

I have been a huge fan of Nosy Crows and other storybook apps based on classic tales, but I think I enjoy Rounds: Franklin Frog even more. The experience is educational as well simply wonderful in terms of the narration, animated illustrations, interactions and a perfect use of music.

Rounds: Franklin Frog is an app that I highly recommend to both parents as well as teachers. Children will learn a lot about frogs from this application, I know I did. They will also be exposed to a beautiful story that I found at moments quite touching. Parents will be delighted to spend time with their children reading Rounds: Franklin Frog as well as for their children to spend time with this app alone.

I sincerely hope that Nosy Crow develops more non-fiction titles in this style. I could not be more fond of Rounds: Franklin Frog.

ABC ZooBorns is the delightful new app from Peapod Labs, part of a series of apps dedicated to teaching children about the alphabet as well as themes such as food, vehicles, sports, music, household objects, or wild animals.

I really appreciate how for ABC ZooBorns, developers at PeaPod Labs have partnered with ZooBorns.com, a site dedicated to documenting births at zoos around the world to bring photos and video clips of these charming creatures.

My son loves animals, and to him the only thing better than animals are baby animals. Together we have spend time looking at baby animal videos on YouTube, so it is nice to have all this information within an application, making searching for this information a lot less time-consuming and simple to use for my boy.

My son, a fan of these other apps, was excited to hear about ABC ZooBorns, asking me about a list of his favorite animals, all of which are included - much to my son’s excitement. I too enjoy the list of animals included - be it more traditional zoo animals, such as tigers or zebras, but also including some unique choices such as Ural owl, wombat or quokka. We do love to look at these animals as babies, especially those are simply precious to look at such as baby Gorillas or Elephants.

It is wonderful that this app contains a great deal of content even without being online, as each animal included has a series of images as well as very nice narrated animal facts that sometimes correlate with the photo in question, also including more information involving such details as species, as well as a fun interaction for each animal.

ABC ZooBorns as well as the other apps in this series includes a menu page of available baby animals to explore - alphabetically arranged. Tap to select a baby animal to explore further. Do note that each animal type is spelled out at the bottom of the page, allowing one to tap any of these letters to see a series of animals starting with this letter as well, introducing some letter awareness. Make no mistake, though; these apps can be enjoyed by curious children well past the age of learning their ABC’s.

As more and more animal images are explored, the menu page will become filled in from blank areas to small icons created of each animal image showing what users have and have not looked at and saving this information for later - a nice touch.

When taken to a page dedicated to one’s animal choice, note the “Little Explorer” holding a window left of the screen. A tap here will deliver players to the interactive screen where children will drag their finger around the screen to uncover new related photo elements, allowing children to brush a monkey, bathe a hippo, weigh an otter, or help hatch a penguin.

I have enjoyed these as well as other interactive moments, but I find that too often one is asked simply to find the animal not seen until the wiping of the fingers, leaving more room for additional variation. It would also be lovely to hear animal noises during wiping of the screen or after to include another animal elements to this application.

To hear fun animal facts, tap the icon of the “Little Explorer” wearing a safari outfit right of the screen - a terrific inclusion for children, especially those who may be pre-readers, and I really enjoy how each photo of each animal contains its own narrated fact.

To watch an animal video, swipe the page to progress to the next image where one will find a link to a video clip for each sequential photo as well.

We have been a fan of these apps universally, and it is exciting to say that these apps keep getting better and better, now updated to be interactive, as well as include video clips and universally well-shot photographs.

I also find it impressive how much this series of apps has changed, making these apps more interactive and user-friendly for children who need help with reading. I admire PeaPod Labs' commitment to further developing their apps with free updates of added content and not just bug fixes. I would love to see more varied interactions in the future as well animal sounds.

My son and I also enjoy their other all new ABC House - everyday objects that I will also be reviewing in the future. If interested, please look for it in iTunes.

My boy has come to know these apps a great deal and gets excited when another of this series appears on our devices, utterly recognizable as these apps share the same stylized icon including a “Little Explorer” character dressed in a way which demonstrates each of these app’s themes. I do wonder what could be next for this series. Only time will tell.

Murky Reef 1st - 2nd Grade Reading, Science and Math is an excellent learning app for critical thinking as well as specific topics such as science, math and reading comprehension.

Parents will appreciate how this app incorporates the Common Core standards for Grades 1 and 2 while keeping children engaged and entertained, especially as children prepare for school to start again soon and need to begin to get back to the business of focusing on school work.

Murky Reef is a collection of 22 interactive games which teach a great deal about the animals of the coral reef as well as include math, logic and language exercises.

The look of this app is appealing with simple, animated sea creature characters, sometimes with included interactions as well. Narration leads players through these game activities that have a nice level of variety, both in subject matter as well as interactivity. One can follow through this app, continuing from one activity to the next as well as choosing favorite sections from a menu. It is also nice for adults to see a report of children’s progress through this app.

Murky Reef includes the re-occurring characters of Puff, a puffer fish and narrator of this app, as well as a hungry shark named Ogge, on which these games are focused, as Ogge is always looking to attack the other fish in the sea. Correct answers will allow Puff to shoot lava at Ogge to keep from attacking, creating a fun level of suspense and a fun way to time these mini-games.

This app also includes a nice reward for collecting fish related to the areas achieved in this app, allowing one to learn more about these sea creatures as one adds to his collection.

I think this app is a very nice choice for first and second grade students, but I think younger children, with the aid of an adult could also enjoy this app as well as slightly older children or those with delays who may need educational apps for a specific age. This app may be geared towards 6-9 year olds, but it will not condescend to older children who need extra help in any of these subjects.

I do wish, however, that the answer could be displayed if time runs out and Ogee attacks. Personally, I have really enjoyed these mini-games, especially those involving reading and listening comprehension, as well as the included videos from YouTube available if one is online. However, I had trouble deciphering the directions from the “Hidden Addition” and “Hidden Subtraction” as these areas worked in ways that were counter-intuitive to my thinking, although the math being taught here is quite useful. Because of this, although "help" sections do exist for these mini-games, I wish there was a feature which demonstrates the basic game play of these areas.

Even with this note, this app is great for families, especially those who home school as well as those in typical school settings. Teachers will especially appreciate the ability to set up accounts for up to ten children, keeping their progress separate as well individually selecting the speed at which Ogee attacks, thus personalizing the level of difficulty.

For these reasons, it is easy to recommend Murky Reef 1st - 2nd Grade Reading, Science and Math as a great interactive learning app, especially for those who would like to incorporate Common Core standards into their children’s daily lives.

Oh Say Can You Say Di-no-saur? All About Dinosaurs is a very nice adaptation of the title of the same name from the Cat and the Hat’s Learning Library.

I have uniformly enjoyed all of the book apps Oceanhouse Media has developed, bringing published children’s titles to life with the inclusion of options such as narration with highlighted text, the labeling of objects found onscreen with text as well as additional narration, as well as sometimes including other light animated hot spots and oftentimes sound effects. One can tap on words or even paragraphs to hear the text read whether or not while listening to the narration - wonderful for new readers who may need extra help in some places.

I am especially enjoying the chance to hear this book, Oh Say Can You Say Di-no-saur? with professional narration as I have always had trouble pronouncing and remembering different dinosaur names - serious business when you are the mother of a four year old.

The information in the dinosaur book is great for beginner paleontologists as it is general in nature, focusing on names and a little bit about each of these creatures, also includes fun dino sound effects along the way. It also does a nice job of discussing fossils and their preservation and excavation - an important part of the story often left out of other dinosaur books and applications.

As with other Cat and the Hat’s Learning Library, familiar characters such as the Cat in the hat, Sally, Dick as well as Thing 1 and Thing 2 are back young these pages keeping this story fun and engaging.

As with the other Dr Seuss apps of Oceanhouse Media, the original illustrations found within the book are included, as is the technique of panning and zooming to draw readers' attention in a way that is subtle yet dynamic in spots as the zooming out may reveal other dinosaurs or other details on the page.

I am happy to see all the elements within this book used in this app, as there are additional white cards with fun facts throughout this tale, here to be tapped to reveal the text and included narration. This keeps the spirit of this book intact and adds another layer of interactivity, past the ability to move certain details around the screen. Explore this app to find these hotspots.

What I find most impressive, however, is the stellar narration by John Bell, my personal favorite narrator of applications and a regular voice to be heard within Dr. Seuss apps.

I have often compared Bell to a Shakespearean actor who can speak difficult lines of text in a way that audiences will comprehend much better than if spoken by another actor with less mastery of his craft.

The same is true within Dr. Suess books, where the nonsensical rhymes can make for challenging reading both out loud as well as to oneself - especially for children.

I love to hear Bell speak the names of these dinosaurs, feeling as if the names and pronunciations are only now beginning to seep into my memory, which is not the case for other times I have hear these names spoken. This is good news as I want to speak with authority as my son and I play dinosaurs who have invaded our train table in record numbers.

The only missed opportunity within this app, however, is the lack of a glossary found within the printed version of this book and not found within this application - an element I would love to see included in a future update.

Tick Bait’s Universe is a wonderful children’s science app for iPad that truly puts the universe into perspective in a way that children can understand, appreciate and enjoy.

Starting out, this app introduces readers a chance to view an ordinary dog, Tick Bait one meter, roughly three feet overhead, as he lays on his back in a backyard typical of many homes. From here, one has a chance to explore the unseen in either direction, zooming in or out closer or further to Tick Bait by the power of ten.

In choosing to investigate Tick Bait closer, the view becomes 1/10 of a meter (about four inches) close to Tick Bait and from here one has a view of the ticks this dog is carrying. Getting still closer makes children aware of the even smaller dog mites that are commonplace - a version of this mite also living on human hosts as well.

Zooming in further reveals the dog mites' cells, and later bacteria and the even smaller viruses as well as even DNA. The app discusses such topics as DNA sequencing and zooms down small enough to atoms, their protons, neutrons, electrons and even the smaller ````quarks which ends this section, as matter can’t be broken down into smaller pieces.

Viewing Tick Bait from higher and higher vantage points is equally impressive, detailing such principles as different levels found within the atmosphere as well as an interesting view of Tick Bait’s house, neighborhood and state in which he lives, pulling out to see the Earth as a whole, later in orbit with the other planets until Earth is seen as simply part of the Milky Way and beyond. It ultimately shows a representation of the entire observable universe, ending this section of this highly engaging and educational app.

Do note that one may want to be view this app in landscape mode to make the most of this application as here, both the images as well as text are available, whereas the image is only seen within portrait mode.

There is so much information to be read about within this thoughtfully conceived application. I admire the structure of this app because of the way that it delivers all the included information. It is as easy to follow as it is engaging - with an abundance of interesting facts as well as fun true or false questions that add related information about topics at hand.

I also admire how one can move back and forth between tenfold distances with the pinch or spreading of fingers, the tap of a button or the scrolling between sections, and I appreciate all the additional information found within this app along the way as well including much about scientific notations and the concept of the power of ten. Because of this, metric measurements are used here but are roughly translated to imperial measurements as well.

Although this app does not contain narration, wonderful sound effects really bring these different vantage points to life, with each sound element well chosen and effective in making this app really come alive, even when simply moving from one tenfold to another, as well as when readers know they have zoomed in and out as far as possible.

This is a perfect science application for older grade school children and beyond, and is an app that adults will genuinely enjoy as well.

Without narration, readers rely on themselves or an adult to read the included text, making this an app possibly not fully suitable for younger children, but with the aid of an adult, I think that bright, curious children as young as late preschool could enjoy this app if it is read to them by an encouraging adult.

I have greatly enjoyed Tick Bait’s Universe, This app is one of a kind and is a wonderful app for home as well as school settings. I am eager to see what other apps the developers at You University Apps may come up with next as this application is top-notch in every way.

Monster Physics is a wonderfully creative and educational universal app which teaches about physics and building concepts to young engineers ages ten and up. This app, part of a library of applications from developer Dan Russell-Pinson, is a terrific choice for parents and teachers alike as this app requires focus and concentration as well as being a lot of fun.

There are many components to this app that children must understand in order to be successful with their builds, so I encourage adults to familiarize themselves with this application before showing it to their children. It is great how multiple players can save their game, making this app ideal for classroom settings as well as for families, and it is also cute and fun to have the ability to personalize the monster associated with a player’s individual account.

I would like to encourage users to start off by visiting the Learn section, which covers basic principles of physics such as gravity, friction, speed and velocity with the use of a simple, well-written explanation and animated scenes demonstrating what is being taught using the different pieces that one can later use in their creations.

After players study this section, there are two basic areas one can build machines in. A Build section allows children to create their own devices in an open-ended fashion, and it is wonderful that one can save and modify these machines for later, Yet I think players may have a hard time starting off in this section without a lot of building experience. Instead, I recommend the Missions area that will take players through sections of mini-games where they must build a contraption with various parts to unite monsters with the fruit they are trying to eat. The use of physics, as the title may imply, is top notch, making this a must-have application for young engineers, with the upper difficulty levels such as Challenge and Advanced great mental workouts for adults.

I admire all the work that must have gone into the developing of Monster Physics as the amount of content, assuming that one has the aptitude to complete this application, is impressive. I would like, however, to be able to see more tips given such as those found within the Training section throughout, possibly including even more specific hints as well for those who need it, with the use of helpful text and even a template that one can complete to give players a basic framework to follow while still needing to trouble-shoot the exact details. Even without adding more hints, I do find it a flaw within this app that the answer is not included for those who can’t continue within a missions from a section and need help. I don’t think one should underestimate the educational value of having challenges such as these explained - much more so than being stuck and walking away after hitting an impasse. Luckily, all the included mini-games are unlocked, and one can skip over a problem if need be. Do take as long or try as many times as needed to get things correct. There are no timers or points of any sorts, making this a great app for those who like to take their time and focus on the task at hand.

Even with this note, there is a lot to really appreciate about this application. I enjoy the look of these monsters, and I am impressed with different parts, connectors and special pieces one can use to create working machines both simple and complex making this a stellar application for teaching problem solving skills and critical thinking.

This is also a relatively quiet game that uses ambient nature sounds to a nice effect as all of these building exercises take place within an outdoor landscape. The other sound effects used to bring the different elements alive also bring a lot to this experience, but be aware that one can turn off these effects as well as the music used individually - always a nice touch.

It is easy to recommend the apps developed by Dan Russell-Pinson. They are go-to apps for anyone looking for an engaging education for older children and are-must have applications for teachers who use apps within their classrooms.

Smash Your Food HD is a highly entertaining app for iPad dedicated to the better understanding of the amounts of sugar, salt and oil found within foods that are commonly eaten.

With five levels included, players are asked to determine the amounts of these substances by reviewing the nutritional facts of each food in question and then watching as these foods get pulverized - much to the delight of children.

I really like that although a nutrition app, this app shows children how math can have a very practical application in their lives as the grams of sugar and oil, along with the milligrams of salt, must be converted to the units of measure found within the app, specifically sugar cubes (4 grams per cube) 1/8 teaspoon pours of salt equaling 288 mg each as well as teaspoons of oil (4 grams per spoonful) After these calculations are made and the answers are entered, one gets to smash the food, and boy does the food get smashed!

Do keep a calculator handy to make these calculations easier, especially the 288 that one must divide into the sodium mg of foods to come up with the number of 1/8 teaspoons of salt that one is looking for in an answer. It is also good to know that 1/2 measurements are not possible so players must round up or down to a whole number - another math element taught with a real world application.

Impressive HG videos are shown of each food being pulverized by a vice that closes down, smushing and smashing these foods in the messiest ways possible, complete with fun, squishy sound effects. My son at four does not fully get the heath aspect of this app but loves to smash the foods within this app. Few apps have brought the smiles and squeals that this app delivers, creating a truly addicting experience for both him and for me.

Complete meals are included by the 5th level, as are “crazy” levels that include a “super-sized” load of food - just for fun really - as the splat here is, as one can imagine, all the more epic.

I enjoy the visual of not only the food being flattened but the look of the food elements being filled into beakers below the smashing machine, as sugar cubes, salt shakes and teaspoons can be seen doing measurements, sometimes overfilling these beakers with sugar cubes being heard dropping off screen as the beaker has been filled and the sugar presumably backs up into the machine, as well as the oil that may spill out over the beaker when too much continues to be poured.

It would be nice to be able to enter in one’s best guesses on sugar, salt and oil after seeing the food mashed, as the level of oil that get squeezed out of some foods is quite telling, allowing people to use their understanding of these ingredient amounts based on info previously learned from this app instead of doing the math, especially since one can gain stars for answers not only spot-on, but for showing an understanding that a food stuff is higher or lower than the amount allowed per meal players are allowed. Be aware that stars are not given for previously correct answers, confusing for us in the beginning of playing this game.

It is a nice touch that the info of six players can be stored within this app, and that each player has a different limit of sugar, salt, and oil that is the maximum allowed per meal. I do find it unfortunate, however, that this app features only the most junky and the most obviously bad-to-consume foods, with no choices that are fully actually allowed under the guidelines that one learns about in the beginning of this app based on the player's age and level of activity, even making certain junk foods look like a lesser-evil food because healthy food options are not offered.

I also find that the nutrition elements are overly simplified as here, all fats are bad fats, which in the real world is not the case - yet among these foods, it is very much so. Topics such as fiber, protein and glycemic index are also not covered, being beyond the scope of this delightfully disgusting app.

In a future update, I would love to smash a bowl of guacamole, yogurt, watermelon or a pomegranate, as well as choices such as rotisserie chicken, sushi, grilled salmon or a simple plate of beans and rice to show food choices that one can eat without regret. I would also love to see foods that are worse for people than one may imagine, such as muffins, which are notorious for high levels of sugar and oil as well as more Chinese food choices, a cuisine that if cooked without concern can be full of crazy amounts of oil - something that even many adults don’t realize or choose to ignore, or a salad loaded with creamy dressing - another common downfall.

Even with the notes given, this is a highly entertaining, addictive application that will certainly entertain children. I a happy to announce that Smash Your Food HD has won the Michelle Obama's Apps For Healthy Kids contest, and it is nice that emails including tips and advice are available to be received each time one completes a level.

I hope that more levels and foods can be added in the future, ideally with healthy food substitutions to encourage good nutritional choices, helping players choose foods other than those included within this application.

Cool to be Clever: Edson Hendricks is a wonderful biography for iPad that tells the life story of Edson C. Hendricks, the brilliant mind behind the design of the Internet.

This is a very nicely written application, narrated effortlessly by Hendricks himself, who has a wonderful speaking voice which reminding me of a less flamboyant Spaulding Gray making him a great talent in re-telling his own story.

Although written by another author, Leanne Jones, the words presented on the page and spoken in the first person ring utterly true as they guide readers through Hendricks’s early life as a child, being bullied for his intellect as well as for his red hair color, through his groundbreaking work with computers at MIT and beyond as he worked to design a method of connecting the world's computers, sometimes misunderstood by those in authority at this workplace.

I do really enjoy this story of how the technology for the Internet was born, as I do Hendricks's personal story, growing up and feeling an outcast until he found his place in college - a relatable experience for many.

Hendricks's method of delivery is modest and humble, always remaining very much of an everyman including his lovely delivery of his life story to his interviews, which are also included within this application.

I find it interesting that Hendricks is widely regarded as a genius yet never uses this word himself, and I wonder if children will fully understand how unique an experience it is to be a self-taught reader or how difficult admissions to MIT is - topics that parents or teachers may feel the need to touch upon.

I also appreciate how this application also includes moments of drama and suspense during a chapter that goes into detail about Hendricks and a friend sailing through a hurricane on their way to Bermuda, Hendricks being depressed at the time over an invention that was not well-received and how having to fight for their life helped put things into perspective.

Another interesting section of this app includes an anecdote about a peculiar cat that I also was impressed by regarding how this story is tied to the rest of the app in a most thoughtful way.

Please do not expect many interactions as this app is primarily a recorded book and a terrific learning tool that not only teaches about the history of the Internet but may also whet the appetite of children for other biographies or interesting people.

I really enjoy how this app combines the written story narrated by Hendricks as well as other sections that include much other information about the Hendrickses' family life, the Internet and other scientific topics, also including moments of Hendricks giving wonderful advice to programmers as well as to children who feel different.

This app also includes a lengthy section about bullying in schools and what can be done about this very serious topic. The music used throughout this app is also touched upon in a separate section - a nice touch.

It is easy recommend this application for children who have the attention span to listen to this lengthy, interesting audio-book of an iPad app keeping in mind that Hendricks notes a particularly dark time for him that may be not appropriate for some younger children.

Illustrations are included which are equally well done, but at times when Hendricks is describing the computer room in college where he worked, it seems like a missed opportunity that the illustrations do not represent what is being described as this could have helped children visualize these most outdated computers and other hardware being discussed. Also, an image of Woodstock is incorporated into the text - an event that Hendricks experienced firsthand, yet it is only 1965 in the timeline of this story, with a jog into the future while discussing other scientific achievements to come. This may be a little confusing for readers, especially those who think of 1969 when thinking about Woodstock - possibly less of an issue for children not familiar with these dates.

The production value of the audio recording of Hendricks’s story is a little rough - something that I found mildly distracting yet not something most children will pick up on, I am sure.

This app is not only great for children, teens and interested adults, but for teachers as well, as this app has a very nice section about dealing with bullies in school and how this could have helped Hendricks possibly fit in better in school.

This application is thoughtfully written and includes a lot of information children can feel inspired by, from the design that led to the Internet to Hendricks's personal story of overcoming bullies as well as touching on the difficult yet very real topic of depression that Hendricks also includes as part of his life story.

Equally interesting are the interviews with the author of this app, Leanne Jones, who discusses her experiences as a teacher, how she discovered Hendricks’s story, and what she learned from writing this biography - all interesting notes that add to this app’s overall experience.

Cool to be Clever: Edson Hendricks reminds of me the It Gets Better Project for Gay and LGTB Youth, yet here this app articulates that life can get better for those bullied during their childhood years, making this a story worth telling in homes and schools, especially within gifted classrooms.

Dynastid Beetle is a fun and educational interactive app for children. To those living in the United States, an application dedicated to learning about a beetle may seem like an odd choice, so it is worth noting that dynastid Beetles are commonly kept as pets within Asian households. Versions of this app are available for both iPad as well as iPhone.

This interactive app contains five sections - each dedicated to teaching a specific aspect about the lives of dynastic beetles.

The Body does a nice job of introducing the unique look of this beetle to readers, giving children a chance to rotate a beetle 360 degrees, tapping specific areas to get a close-up image with included narration and text for a nice effect. I also like how two different vantage points are included - both looking down at the beetle to see the top and belly of this creature or from the side, giving a better view of the legs and profile of this insect.

The Habitat section of this app includes an interactive globe that one can tap on to learn about where these beetles can be found, including detailed close-up photos that nicely show the differences and similarities of these beetles.

How They Move contains some nice interactive moments as well, allowing children to move this beetle with the tap of a finger, as well as to create tree sap for these beetles to eat by drawing a circle and helping the beetle to fly with the drag of a finger. The included illustrations are especially effective in this section, showing beetles and the trees they feed from in great, realistic detail. It also includes a lush, green background that is very pleasing to look at.

My personal favorite section of this app is How They Grow, as it includes many other thoughtful interactions which help these beetles mature into adulthood from their egg stage, including a manual temperature control and the feeding of leaf mold to larva.

My son and I have enjoyed helping a beetle fly, or having completed the larva stage, shed his skin to become an adult as well as exploring the entire life cycle of this insect with the use of a scroll bar. This allows for these changes to occur in slow motion, showing a lot of intriguing, educational detains that I really appreciate.

Another interesting area is the Battle section, showing how Dynastic beetles uses their horn to fight against stag beetles that have pinchers instead, reminding me vaguely of the Rock'Em Sock-Em toy, as one taps a button showing off both these beetles' defensive or offensive skills in a way that is sporty but not violent, showcasing the horn of the dynastid beetle vs. the pinchers of another insect.

A quiz on what one has learned is also included, as are video clips that include a scene focusing on a larva eating tree sap, a day in the life activities such as walking or climbing, and the meeting of boy and girl beetles, nicely showing the differences in size as well as other details.

I have really enjoyed all the information offered within The Dynastid Beetle. I am fond of science-related apps in general, and I think this app is a great choice for young children to learn about an insect that they may know little about. The interactions are varied and really go far in terms of teaching about the life cycle of this beetle.

I am impressed by how smitten I have become with the cute larva I have been introduced to within this app - a creature I never thought a lot about before, let alone had feeling for.

The only element I was not fond of was the voice of the narrator who spoke for this beetle as well as the other beetle voices introduced within this app for being overly saccharine and adding an unneeded amount of anthropomorphism for my personal taste, but children may enjoy this cute narration nonetheless, and it is possible that some children may need this cartoony voice to relate to this creature.

I am glad to have shared this app with my son, especially after he inexplicably mentioned that “beetles are bad” out of the blue one day when talking about animals before exploring this application - something he no longer believes after spending time getting to know these dynastid beetles.

ZOOMiN Game is a beautiful universal app consisting of wonderful HD photos as well as corresponding close-up images showing off the brilliant details of each subject.

Intuitive to use, this app opens up to a grid of photos zoomed in to show detail, yet so close that only a small section of the entire image is showing. A tap will transform this smaller, detailed picture to the complete photograph, allowing children to recognize each subject - some familiar, some exotic.

Lovely, ambient sound effects are included, and a microphone can also be tapped to hear the name of the subject of this photograph, be it an alpaca, cabbage or butterfly.

A page of this app is dedicated to mammals, sea life, insects and plants as well as fruits and vegetables. This app is nicely intuitive, allowing children to explore each area of this app fully or jump around to other areas with the tap of an icon found at the bottom of the screen.

The photographs used here are wondrous in terms both of color, details and textures found throughout. Even as an adult, I found these photos fascinating, and I really have fun guessing what object I am looking at.

Babies will enjoy gazing at these terrific images while preschoolers will enjoy trying to guess the larger photo, and it is nice that even when the animal in question is obvious from the zoomed-in shot, such as leopard, zebra or giraffe, one can look closely at the markings of these animals that make them so unique as well as hear the noises they make.

The overall quality of this app is very high, and I appreciate that the recording used of the animal sound effects as well as the other ambient nature sounds are well-recorded, as is the included narration. It is also a plus that this app includes German as a language choice as well.

These images, combined with the atmospheric sounds, are as relaxing as they are marvelous to look at, but I really wish the sound effects were looped so children could get lost in these images fully as long as they desire.

If interested, another related app from these developers is available - HowDo Game - which also incorporates wonderful photography and interesting ambient sounds. Please check iTunes for more information and here at GiggleApps for my review of this other app as it is also worth looking into.

There’s No Place Like Space is the first title from The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library developed by Oceanhouse Media. Like their other Dr. Seuss apps, There’s No Place like Space faithfully adapts the printed version of this book as well as adding some new interactive elements.

For those who may not know, The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library is a non-fiction series for children that teaches different subjects of interest to kids, such as dinosaurs or sea life, always staring the Cat in the Hat and human counterparts - siblings Sally and Dick, as well as Thing One and Thing Two. My son loves these new adventures with the gang from the classic Cat in the Hat books, as do I.

Here, There’s No Place Like Space tackles the topic of outer space, introducing the planets in the solar system, with vivid descriptions of each one, a fun mnemonic to help kids remember each of their names and correct order, as well as fun facts about the sun, moon, constellations and other related information.

Like other Oceanhouse Media apps, this universal app includes narration, also allowing one can read this book to oneself. This app, like many others from this developer, does a great job of incorporating the traditional illustrations found in the classic books, with the use of “The Ken Burns Effect’ as these drawings are panned and zoomed across to create effect.

Some of these single pages have been expanded to create a screen full-screen spread, but the text is the same as found in the printed book, delivered paragraph by paragraph, aiding in threading of these rhymes.

Interesting interactions can also be explored here - a new element found among Oceanhouse Media apps and a nice inclusion to their new The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library series of applications.

Move individual images such as the gang's spaceship and the planets floating among these pages around the screen, which then fall back into their alignment and can also be moved around the screen as a whole - a nice touch to emphasize their order in the solar system. The ability to create constellations with a tap is also included as well, a personal favorite interaction.

Simple animated movements can also be found such as the planets revolving around the sun - an image, together combined with the relaxing, vaguely science fictionish music found throughout, create a moment that is surprisingly moving.

I like use of Thing One and Thing Two who are somewhat hidden among these pages, encouraging kids to find them and tap, as doing so makes these creatures hold up a sign containing a fun fact or science-related question - an element also found in the published book, made nicely interactive within this application.

I also appreciate how the published book contains a glossary of words touched upon in this story. Here, these words are highlighted and can be tapped to hear and see these glossary words explained. Like the other Oceanhouse Media apps, individual words or full paragraphs can also be tapped to be narrated, as well as any of the objects within the page, as these items will be labeled and spoken when tapped without competing with the narrator reading the text, always a nice touch.

It is worth noting that this application is based on the updated version of There’s No Place Like Space omitting Pluto, which was demoted from planet to dwarf planet in 2006. Because of this, the page pertaining to Pluto and the mnemonic have been removed and changed from my older copy of There’s No Place Like Space to correspond with the re-classification.

I am thrilled that my favorite voice talent, John Bell, is back to narrate this application.

There’s No Place Like Space, although a creative, fun and educational book, is not written by Seuss himself, although it is written in a Seuss-like style. I enjoy this book, as does my son, but my husband and I did comment to ourselves that the text is not as well-written as the classic books by Seuss.

I think the narration by John Bell brings so very much to this application. Having narrated other of Oceanhouse Media's Dr. Seuss apps before, Bell understands the cadence, rhyme and whimsy found in Dr. Seuss prose, as is able to infuse his narration with a Seussian flair that does not exist as much in the words found on the page as it does within Bell’s brilliant delivery. I hope to continue to hear more of his great talent in other applications.

My son and I and I have really enjoyed this application. Although recommended for ages five to eight, I can’t see why younger children four or possibly younger would not enjoy this app as well. I am very happy to hear that this is only the first app in The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library as I enjoy sharing non-fiction books with my son as well.

I eagerly await to see which book in this series will be adapted next, having enjoyed the extra features not comply found within a Oceanhouse Media app. Having said this, I think the price tag of $5.99 is high compared to other apps at this price point, and a lower price would be more in line with what parents are typically looking to spend per application.

Every week can be Shark Week when exploring Discovery Kids Sharks. This very content-rich app for iPad packs in a plethora of information about these aquatic creatures.

Six nicely interactive sections are included that teach kids about where sharks live, the types of sharks that exist, shark features, feeding and family life, as well as a sticker section that one can explore, adding sticker packs that one collects as the discovery challenges are successfully completed.

The question of where sharks live is nicely answered with a world map that is marked with shark hotspots. A tap in the correct space delivers a shark trading card of sorts that can be flipped over to read such details as the habitat in which these sharks live, the food they eat, info about the speed in which they swim, and the size they grow to. They also include a Top Fact about every fish, making each unique. These cards can also be shared by email if one chooses.

Once these sharks are found across the globe, one can partake in a discovery challenge to win a sticker pack. This challenge tests the info absorbed during this section, with element of fun as well.

Here, one must match the shark in question to its corresponding cutout, also answering the question about each specific shark. I appreciate the included puzzle aspect being incorporated, as this allows one to match the outline of each shark, making it possible for children to succeed here even if they do not remember all the answers correctly.

The types of sharks are explored as one goes on an underwater photo expedition, lining up sharks in the sight of one’s underwater camera. These photos are transformed into info cards full of interesting shark facts, the completion of this task leading to a discover challenge where one must match the color, markings and other details that make up shark features and match these skin swatches to a corresponding shark outline.

Shark feeding is accomplished with a fun game: after scrolling though possible choices, choose a shark with a tap and and check out what it likes to eat as well as other facts found within its included info card, tilt the iPad to move the shark around looking for prey, tapping a side button to eat the smaller creature.

The family life of sharks is introduced with a fun peek-a-boo game of sorts as one scrolls through the bottom of the ocean looking for movement or air bubbles coming from behind an obstruction which hides baby sharks. Here one is challenged by matching the shark to the facts offered and to the corresponding head of each shark, allowing kids to use the outline as a further clue. Questions including whether the pup sharks are born alive or if an egg is released are also included.

After each discovery challenge is complete, children will receive five new stickers per stocker pack to add to their underwater scene that one can decorate.

I like how here, one can scroll side to side, creating a lot of space one can decorate and adults will enjoy how these stickers are offered to the players in a small Mylar bag, reminiscent of how trading cards from my childhood were packaged.

There is really a lot of information offered within this app, making it a great educational tool. We enjoy shark week as well, but I worry that sometimes content may be intense for my sensitive son.

This is not a concern here, making it a great choice for shark lovers of all ages, but be aware that this app does not contain narration, making this a good choice for later grade school or younger children provided an adult or older child is willing to read the text out loud.

The look of the sharks and various other illustrations is terrific - very realistic and with the bold colors one would expect from marine life.

Each of these sections has an included video that plays as an intro to the subject matter. These videos look wonderful as well, sometimes including interesting electronic music that really adds to the experience. Other times, the music has a decidedly different tone more reminiscent of that from a horror film or akin to the theme from Jaws.

This choice may be appropriate for the feeding section, although no graphic footage is shown, creating a theme for this section that may be appropriate from the view of the creatures these sharks eat, as to them - these sharks are indeed very scary.

I don’t, however, understand the scary music choices for the videos chosen for the shark features or family life sections, as here the dark tone created by this kind of music does not add to the topic at hand and to me seems like a judgment call of some sort, negative to sharks in general.

The tone created with this negative, slasher-movie-appropriate music, although a very short sample and video, is in great contrast especially in the family video, as here a lovely scene of pups swimming in unison under their momma's belly are introduced with the use of aggressive music that does not at all illustrate the footage of family love.

The interesting electronic music used in the first two sections makes these video clips wondrous and even a little surreal - fantastic choices to go along with the videos in this app. The other, horror-like music, actually may make these videos less child-friendly to the most sensitive of children, which is the only flaw I found within this application.

I do enjoy everything else this app has to offer. The use of the trading cards that one can refer to later is a great way of organizing the vast amount of information offered within this app, which can also be emailed to a friend if one chooses. Each interactive section is intuitive and fun, as are the challenges.

I did, however, have some problems with the feeding section as sometimes the food listed was not recognized as a correct answer, now leaving the player to use trial and error to find the correct oceanic animal to eat - an issue I hope can be looked into.

Having said this, it is nice that this section not only allows one to tilt the iPad, but one can also tap the fish one is looking to eat as well, or drag a finger for the shark to follow - helpful for those not skilled at tilt games, such as myself.

This would make a great app for families or in an educational setting as the included games go a long way in introducing shark data in a way that stays engaging. I like that these challenges are in no way timed, and one can make wrong answers without any sort of penalty.

The theme music found on the main menu page is fun, upbeat and with a rock influence older kids and adults will enjoy, but I do take some issue with some of the other music used. Even with this issue, this is a very worthwhile app, especially to families that have a young shark lover.

Sid’s Science Fair is a really fun and educational app based on the hit PBS show, Sid the Science Kid, a favorite show in our home.

My son and I enjoy watching Sid the Science Kid together as it explores not only different science concepts but has a lovely point-of-view by including this show’s characters as young scientists themselves as they collect data and perform experiments and observations. This show is highly educational as well as very witty and entertaining with great characters having distinct personalities and lots of humor mixed in. I am impressed by this show’s ability not only to teach science-related information but to encourage children's interest in science in general and to think like scientists - possibly as a career years in the future.

I was very excited to hear of this new app - Sid’s Science Fair - as we have had very good success with the other PBS apps which are based on TV. shows, specifically Super Why! and Martha Speaks Dog Party.

For those who have not watched Sid the Science Kid before, the look of the show is wonderfully bright computer-generated images. Even the different characters have skin and hair wonderfully stylized in a way that is utterly Sid. This app does not disappoint in the looks department and looks exactly as one might expect if a fan of this show, as this app makes Sid and his gang look even more crisp and vivid than what we see on television.

This app starts out with Sid introducing the audience to his school’s science fair, offering kids three different science-related activities to choose from:

Gabriela’s “Collection Inspection” offers kids the chance to use an interactive magnifying glass to look for specific details found among a variety of objects, such as leaves, butterflies, or sea shells. Here, a specific detail is shown in a circle to the right of the screen, and the player uses the provided magnifier to match this same spot found among the patterns and details within these collections. There are 14 collections offered, and although the collections are fixed, the spot one is looking for is always different so the re-play value of this section is great. I really appreciate the different collections offered and how one can take his time looking at what each section has to offer before finding the specific detail in question.

May’s “Chart It!” goes into detail about charting data into different traits, such as color, shape, type, position or patterns, having the player drag and drop said objects where they belong. Seven collections are offered here, such as flowers, buttons, origami, or balloon animals. Within these groupings, there are ten individual objects and three charts to be worked on, which will vary per collection. I enjoy this section as well, because although children learn such categories as color or shapes early on, here this becomes a science-based activity, using this basic knowledge as data, getting kids ready to learn about and to be excited for science in school and beyond.

Gerald’s “Time Machine” is a very nice way to discuss sequencing. Here, 14 picture collections are offered, such as the sprouting of a seedling as well as the melting down of candles and a snowman. Each collection contains five images that one needs to sequence correctly, and it is especially nice that both backward and forward work correctly as long as the order is proper. After this is complete, one can run a finger back and forth under the correct sequence of photos to watch the time machine in action, with such images as a tomato developing mold - my favorite interaction. It is also nice that some of these choices could be seen in real time, such as a geyser exploding or a space shuttle being launched into space or over a short period, like melting ice or an apple being eaten, but my favorite collections include the growing of a seedling as well as both tomatoes and strawberries decaying, as these changes take days or longer, making great use of the time machine concept.

Each of these sections has the fun and catchy theme song from the TV. show - a piece of music very easy to listen to over a long period of time, as well as each character offering friendly tips on how to work his section, as well as enthusiastic banter throughout, praising the player for a job well done.

I really enjoy Sid as a role model for my son, as he is smart and funny, kind to his friends and family, and has a love of learning that any parent would appreciate have rub off on their child. I also really like the fact that two of these characters from the show and this app are girls - something I think might interest parents of daughters, offering them female role models who love science.

Some parent may note that at $2.99, this app, as well as others developed by PBS, are more expensive than other applications primarily for iPhone, but in my opinion are worth the money for both the educational value as well as the production value offered. My son and I really enjoy Sid’s Science Fair a lot, and we are still working with the other PBS educational apps we play long after the initial purchase, making them a great value. I do hope, however, that PBS will at some point turn their apps into universal applications, as this price for a universal app is easier for parents to swallow.