Common Sense Media Review
By Ana Beltran , based on child development research. How do we rate?
Delightful puzzles inspire innovation and problem-solving.
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Thinkrolls Play & Code
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Privacy Rating Warning
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
What’s It About?
THINKROLLS PLAY & CODE has four different components. Under Home Sweet Home, kids will activate their creativity to build their own ready-to-play Thinkrolls. They'll be able to customize their characters with a variety of body designs, hair styles, accessories, and more. The Arcade Puzzles require kids to implement reasoning and problem-solving skills to navigate a collection of mazes. They'll have to think strategically and plan ahead. Under Code Your Own, little ones can build their own puzzles, which involves some elements of coding logic. Kids can choose from a series of backgrounds, earth blocks, or interactive objects to drag and drop into their puzzles. Tapping on the play button allows kids to play their own game, which can be edited at any point or saved for future play. There are seven different Brain Games for kids to explore; Find the Odd One Out, Now You See Me, Spot the Difference, Memory, Space Up, Hide and Seek, and Pop the Balloon.
Is It Any Good?
Kids will enjoy problem-solving and creating puzzles without even realizing how much they're learning! The four different components promote a range of thinking skills, such as logic, and innovation. It also encourages important habits of mind, such as persistence, resilience, and flexibility. The Help Monster gives just enough guidance without compromising the intentionality behind the app's design. Parents will appreciate having control over when kids can access help during the experience. Since the app accommodates up to six players, parents can also customize settings for each player in order to target their learning needs.
The range in puzzle levels and the adaptive brain games will continue to challenge little ones as they grow. The design of the app focuses on the learning experience rather than winning or beating a best score. Kids can test their ideas over and over, which reinforces the trial-and-error learning strategy. In addition, the app implements a reward system where kids can win trophies for completing daily challenges. Though there's no block coding or actual programming, the process of puzzle creation involves a bit of coding logic, though some parents might be looking for more traditional block coding, like Scratch. And building your own puzzle isn't easy without the locked items, so if kids love that feature, it'll likely require the subscription. Overall, Thinkrolls Play & Code is a delightful app that will captivate and continuously challenge kids, encouraging them to think outside the box.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about different habits of mind when playing Thinkroll Play & Code. Bring awareness to perseverance and resilience. What might you do when you feel stuck? What might you do when you feel frustrated?
Talk about what trial and error looks like and why it's an important part of learning. The Help Monster provides some hints when turned on in settings, but the app is designed for kids to figure out on their own.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad
- Subjects: Math : patterns
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning : decision-making, hypothesis-testing, logic, memorization, problem solving, solving puzzles, strategy, thinking critically, Creativity : developing novel solutions, imagination, innovation, making new creations, Tech Skills : coding, digital creation
- Pricing structure: Free to try (offers in-app purchase options starting at $6.99 for monthly subscription or $46.99 for annual subscription)
- Release date: December 3, 2020
- Category: Education
- Topics: STEM
- Publisher: AVOKIDDO
- Version: 1.1
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 12.0 or later
- Last updated: January 20, 2021
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