Montessori Nature

Though a screen can't give kids all the pleasures of the real natural world, this game does a good job of simulating the different factors at play in successful gardening. Montessori Garden is slow going at first, and the minimal how-to instruction may not be enough. But kids will likely feel rewarded if they stick with it. As they earn more coins, build more gardening plots, and go through the different seasons, there's potential for all sorts of things to happen. Kids can get knee-deep in tending their gardens, or they can get the whole family involved by using the multiplayer option to approach it as a team. With kids concentrating on just keeping everything going, it's not entirely clear how all the moving parts -- seasons, the day/night cycle, weather patterns, pests, bees and pollination -- come together and affect crop growth. That's somewhat of a missed learning opportunity. And there's little help for kids to understand the different elements, such as what exactly are those things in the garden store and what do they do? Don't skip the parents' guide, which has some great information on gameplay as well as gardening. Overall, it's an engaging game and can be a source of inspiration to explore and learn about the natural world.