There were a number of new kid-friendly apps released this week as well, that I thought were worth highlighting.
Some of these apps are specifically designed for younger kids, others have cute characters and family friendly content that make them enjoyable by kids (and adults) of all ages.
First up are a couple of titles from Oceanhouse Media. Just A Big Storm – Little Critter follows Little Critter and his family as they prepare for a big thunder-storm (something we’ve had a lot of experience with the past week or so here in the North East). Will he be frightened when his house loses power, or will his family keep him occupied with lots of fun activities? The app is available at a special launch price of 99¢ (reg. $1.99). The other is Is a Camel a Mammal? a Cat in the Hat book where our favorite tall chapeau-wearing feline takes Sally and Dick on a Seussian safari to observe many different kinds of mammals. It too is available at a special introductory price of $3.99 (reg $5.99).
Everyone’s favorite little Fraggle construction workers, the Doozers want your child to be an honorary member of their Pod Squad in Doozers Solve It. Help find solutions to dozens of different and increasingly complex physics based puzzles, by selecting from a set of provided objects to complete a unique sequence, and reach a goal. The game begins with a “Shape matching” mode which assists children with where to place pieces, with a more difficult “problem solving” mode unlocked afterwards to encourage exploration (and obviously…problem solving).
This next one should appeal to gamers of all ages. Mighty Adventure is a fun looking platformer/runner where you get to switch between three different cute little characters in real-time. Each character has a unique ability – double jump, stomp and dash and switching between them at just the right time will help you “squish a legion of foes, collect bubbles and ultimately save Elder Master from the evil clutches of the Big Boss”. It looks fast and fun, offers 40 different levels and is available exclusively on iOS.
PAW Patrol Rescue Run is the first app to feature the characters from the nick jr. series PAW Patrol. Now your child can run and jump with the pups in three different locations from around Adventure Bay and help them work together as a team. There are minigames and activities as well as pup treats and Adventure Bay badge awards to collect. If your little ones are a fan of this series, then they will probably like interacting with the pups in this app.
Finally, StoryToys is back with a much different app than their usual 3D storybooks. Designed for children aged 4-8, Dino Dog – A Digging Adventure with Dinosaurs! is a “comical adventure story, fun digging game and animated cartoon all in one”. Join Bonnie the Bear and Doug the Dog in their adventures as they travel the world in search of dinosaur bones, exploring deep underground, finding fossils, cleaning bones and piecing them together to assemble whole dinosaurs before placing them in their very own museum. For the project they teamed up with children’s media creator Jason Tammemagi to create the charming characters in this tale meant to spark curiosity and exploration in children and teach them about dinosaurs and natural history in a fun and engaging way.