This Fun and Educational App May be a Hit with Your Grandchildren

What did I get my granddaughter this past Christmas? Her very own iPad. Yes, that's right. A four-year-old with her very own iPad, in a bright pink, shockproof carrying case to protect it against the inevitable drops and bumps. While it may seem odd to us grandparents that a four-year-old should have her own iPad, that’s just the way it is, whether we like it or not. Don't get me wrong, I also bought her a barbie, a board game, some Legos and a Frozen 2 costume to encourage diversity in her play, but children are drawn to technology. I hate to admit it, but she probably can work that iPad better than I can. And she should. She was born into a world where technology is intertwined in all facets of our lives, so I think the sooner she learns it, the better.

I've since learned that an iPad has many uses for kids. They can watch videos online, Facetime family members (my personal favorite), and play all different kinds of games through apps that they download. If you're not completely clear on what an app is, it's just a program or application that's designed to run on a mobile device. Yes, most parents and grandparents worry about kids getting too much screen time. We want them to be kids and get outside and play, not be glued to a screen all day. But screen time can provide needed downtime, it can kill time in the car, it can be a lifesaver to busy parents, and it can help kids develop independence while learning how to utilize technology. Better yet, there are many apps available that happen to be educational AND fun, providing kids with the best of both worlds. Educational apps also help eliminate potential parental guilt for allowing screen time in the first place.

I frequently search for apps I think my granddaughter would like, so that when I visit her, we have something new and fun to try together. This can be a good way to bond! There is no shortage of apps out there, so the search can be overwhelming. I look for educational apps in her age range that focus on things of interest to her, like princesses and animals. Some apps are hits, while many are total misses.

I recently found an app that was an immediate hit with my granddaughter and wanted to share a little about it. It’s called ZooQ: Animal Explorer. This app checked all my boxes: it’s educational, for ages 4-8, and it combines a love of nature and animals. The app starts off with the selection of an avatar, which is a fun way to personalize the experience. Next, you're given animal puzzles to complete, but they are polygonal puzzles, which was a first for my granddaughter. I think these puzzles are both challenging and quite pleasing to the eye. Once you complete a puzzle, that animal goes into the habitat, where you can check it out in a pretty cool 3D mode. There are Fun Fact Coloring Cards for each animal, too, which gives the child a chance to express his or her artistic side, while also learning about each animal. You earn coins with each animal puzzle completed, which can be used to unlock additional puzzles and animal avatars.

While we haven’t explored these yet, there’s a Timed mode which works on solving each puzzle quickly, and a Multiplier mode which focuses on solving the puzzles in the most strategic way. So, there are a lot of layers here and these modes may be better suited for the older end of the age range, making this app one that could be used for some time to come.

I've watched my granddaughter play on many apps - she loves to show me what she has mastered - and she truly enjoyed ZooQ: Animal Explorer right away. She completed all the animal puzzles in the first habitat in record speed and right away asked to start on another habitat. The app is free to download; the free version comes with one habitat and a bunch of animal puzzles to start. You can then purchase additional habitats or coins, to unlock more puzzles, avatars and coloring cards. It’s nice you’re able to test the app out with the free version. If you're interested in checking it out for a grandkid of yours, you can search it in the App Store or go here when you're on an iPad.

It looks like I'll be getting my granddaughter an iTunes gift card for her upcoming birthday, so she can purchase and explore more habitats!

 




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