This is a surprisingly thorough iPhone/iPad app that covers a lot of the topics an actual preschool class would. It teaches kids to write their numbers and letters (though I think they should’ve taught the normal printed lower case “a” kids learn in school instead of the one you typically see only typed). Once they’ve mastered the letter names, kids can practice putting together their first words by dragging letters to the words shown underneath a picture of what they’re trying to spell.
There’s simple addition and subtraction (which may be a bit advanced for preschoolers), animal names and sounds, months and days, simple exams, and the opportunity to draw what they want in a sketchpad.
This app is recommended for ages 2-7, and I can agree that there is a pretty large range of skills to learn here. From animal sounds, days of the week, and colors for the young ones to putting together words, playing Hangman, and solving math problems for the older ones, there’s a lot of growing room with this app.
Of course, kids of any age will love the freedom of the sketchpad. The graphics throughout the app are bright, colorful, and remind me of some of the Nick Jr. shows my daughter enjoys.
I won’t say that the app is perfect (see the “A” comment above) since it doesn’t really focus on letter and number formation as well as, say, the LeapPad Explorer and it contains a few other errors (one reviewer on the iTunes site mentioned that they have “aeroplane” instead of “airplane” but I haven’t seen it yet). However, it’s not nearly as expensive and covers a wide range of subjects for children of different educational levels.
I was able to pick this one up for free when it was featured, but it’s normally $.99.
Photo credit: iTunes
