Common Sense Media Review
By Amanda Bindel
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Good customization options boost early-learning app.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Monkey Preschool Explorers
Parent and Kid Reviews
What’s It About?
The monkeys explore the jungle via boat, plane, and jeep. Kids choose a character and then receive a verbal assignment, such as "Find the letter v" or "Touch the animals you'd find in the zoo" with three choices. As kids tap the correct tile, the vehicle moves forward, offering more tile choices, until they reach the finish line. After completing a couple of rounds, kids race another vehicle to the finish line or move their car around the screen to collect coins, and they can earn additional fun hats for their monkeys to wear.
Is It Any Good?
Though the games are pretty repetitive, it's easy for preschoolers to keep up since it's the same format over and over again, and the content adjusts to keep them challenged. The broad range of curriculum covers colors, numbers, and letters but goes into deeper critical thinking, asking kids to identify objects that go together -- such as things that are furry or things that go with rain.
Kids are empowered to choose which character they want to play with and to choose a hat as they unlock new ones; the fun race or coin-collecting games break up the drills. Very clear visual instructions show kids how to play, and kids can get help whenever they need it by tapping the question mark. The best feature for parents, though, is being able to choose which concepts kids focus on by adjusting them in the parent section.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about shapes, letters, and numbers they encounter every day as well as the relationships among things to support early literacy.
Read aloud to kids and encourage creative play; both of these activities build literacy skills.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Nook HD
- Subjects: Language & Reading : following directions, letter or word recognition, Math : numbers, shapes
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning : thinking critically, Self-Direction : academic development
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Release date: July 8, 2014
- Category: Education
- Topics: Cars and Trucks , Numbers and Letters , Wild Animals
- Publisher: THUP Games
- Version: 1.03
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 6.0 or later
- Last updated: August 10, 2021
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