Review: Kids Academy iOS App
Kids Academy is an interactive educational and fun app for young children who can learn to read their ABCs, trace letters, and phonic songs. The app is free to download on iPad, iPod and iPhone (it does require iOS 4.3 version or later).
The free version is limited, but you do get to give it a try out before you decide whether to make the full purchase. There are quite a few additional in-app purchases available all at a small cost.
When you do download the app you can then go to the parent mode and set-up a profile for your child (you can set-up multiply profiles if needed, and monitor their progress individually). With the profile you can monitor your child's progress. The parental mode also has a contact button, link to the Kids Academy Facebook page and a link to the website. Additional you can also adjust the sound settings here.
On the free download you are given part access to three of the below games, all with clear instructions by either a help button or clear verbal narration.
Game 1. Teaching the child to trace out each number to achieve the bugs to be captured into the bug jar, and increasing their score. With the left and right arrows the child can go back and forth between the numbers.
Game 2. A word appears and the letter it starts with is highlighted and instructions are given for your child to press on an item which matches the same starting letter. Again the child can go back and forth between the different letters, and there is more than one item that matches the same starting letter within the picture.
Game 3. Clear verbal instructions explain to the child how to trace the letter. Once the child starts tracing it does highlight and follows his finger.
I like this app a lot, it is not only fun and interactive, but has a good educational angle to it as well. It has Jacob learning and practising his ABCs, his writing and phonics. The graphics are bold, bright and fun, and they capture Jacob's interest straight away.
In addition to the above, there is a clear verbal instruction given for each task that makes it easy for Jacob to interact with the app more positively.
Jacob enjoys this app, he loves learning, and wants to be like his big brothers and read and write. He has spent many hours playing and learning.
Disclaimer: I was paid for this review. All opinions are completely honest and my own.