Both of my kids know their way around an iPad better than myself, it seems, at times. My husband and I are techies, so naturally, we aren’t surprised when our children have a desire to watch their favorite shows or interact with their favorite characters on our tablets. We are stringent about supervised, limited time with electronic devices so that our children grow up in an environment that is filled with diverse activities and experiences.
But we aren’t opposed to educational apps such as Sid the Science Kid: Sid’s Slide to the Side Appisode, the latest iPad app to be released by Mindshapes. In fact, just last week, my son’s teacher suggested a few apps that we might find beneficial to supplement his learning. We have found that apps such as this one provide unique learning experiences and can be helpful in assisting children with more difficult concepts.
Many of the apps on the market simply offer play experiences featuring popular children’s characters and designed to simply entertain. What I appreciate about Mindshapes’ latest app is the fact that children can learn in a number of ways through interactive stories, music, and mini-games.
If you’re familiar with PBS Kids’ popular show Sid the Science Kid, you know that the five year old boy is highly inquisitive and uses comedy to explore the questions he has about why things work the way they do. Sid’s Slide to the Side Appisode explores the scientific principle of friction and is based on an episode that touched on this concept.
When children first enter the app, they are led through an interactive story. Sid has just received a new pair of shoes, but unfortunately he is having difficulty sliding to the side in them (one of his famous dance moves). After discussing with his parents, who recommend that he take his shoes off to slide in his socks, he heads over to school to continue exploring the concept of friction and why he is able to slide with his socks but not his shoes.
The story is broken up into two parts, and in between, children have the opportunity to practice the concepts they have learned about friction through one of two interactive games. In Push-A-Puck, children select different materials and surfaces while Sid’s Speedway engages children in a race as they learn about friction. At the “end,” Sid’s teacher sings a song which features videos showcasing scenarios that depict the concept of friction.
Overall, the app is fun, engaging, and educational. I love the integration of characters from the show with live action scenarios.
Sid the Science Kid’s Slide to the Side Appisode, targeted for children ages 3-6, is now available in the App store for $2.99.
This is part of a compensated campaign with Mindshapes. All opinions remain solely that of the author.
Images: Mindshapes unless otherwise noted.
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