PBS Parents Play & Learn app review: an educational app for the whole family

30 Dec 2013 Reviews

Introduction

While there are plenty of education apps for kids to use there aren't a ton for parents. The PBS Parents Play & Learn app for your iPod touch, iPad, and iPhone is designed for parents to play with their children. It features a variety of interactive games, 13 in total, each with a specific theme. The goal is for parents to help and interact with the kids as they learn through the activities which can increase the learning experience.

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A Family Event

Instead of learning being a solo event for kids, this app creates an atmosphere where the whole family can get involved. This is a bilingual app and is able to be used in Spanish and English. The games provide focus on "teachable moments" that pop up throughout the day rather than a structured lesson plan. Each of the lessons takes place in a location where kids are comfortable visiting such as their kitchen or the grocery store.

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So what will kids be learning with this app? They will be working on their literacy and math skills through the series of interactive activities; in total, there are 52 hands-on activities and 13 interactive games. As an added bonus there is a sticker play zone that is free to use.

Opening the Lines of Communication

Be prepared to do a lot of talking with kids as they work through this app, as it encourages the lines of communication to be open and flowing with information. Each week parents will receive weekly push notifications that are filled with learning tips and ideas. All of the games offer a parent note; this is a little note about the actually game and the lesson that is being taught. It gives parents a tip or two about how to use this particular activity.

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Although the app is rated four years and older, there is no reason at all younger kids can't use it since parents will be playing with them. All of the activities and games are very simple to understand and play so why not start working on their math and literacy skills early?

I really enjoy the approach of this app as most educational apps don’t encourage or ask for parent participation. This is a great way to ensure kids are getting the absolute most out of the experience. Unfortunately the app has crashed on me a couple of times; however, I don’t see this comment among other users so this doesn’t seem to be a common occurrence.