Doodle Math: Shapes
Doodle Math: Shapes gallery
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Doodle Math: Shapes includes six activities to introduce kids to different shapes. Kids will learn about circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, pentagons, trapezoids, semi circles, and hexagons through matching, tracing, and puzzle activities. The activities are varied to keep kids interested, and the names and attributes of the shapes are repeated frequently to reinforce learning. Kids can play in English or Korean.What kids can learn
The shapes come to life for kids through the characters. Kids will be fascinated to see how shapes come together to create the fun animal pictures. The varied activities will keep them engaged.
The activities are varied, but the concepts are repeated so kids remember what they're learning. They'll see each shape in many forms and hear its characteristics described repeatedly.
The instructions are given verbally, one step at a time, so kids can easily follow along. Help is available by tapping the question mark to see screen shot demonstrating what to do and what kids are learning.
What's it about?
Six activities get kids interacting with shapes in a variety of ways. Take the journey by starting with meeting each shape character, tapping the corners, and then tracing the shape while hearing its characteristics. Then use that shape to complete an animal puzzle to see different sizes and orientations of each shape. Kids will also sort the shapes by pairing them with matching shapes and match shapes to real-world objects. One puzzle activity mixes different shapes to make pictures of animals, and another has kids find and tap the shapes in a picture. Kids also put their memories to the test finding hidden shapes. A "shop" section advertises all the available in-app purchases.
Is it any good?
Go beyond helping kids learn to identify basic shapes and get them experimenting with how shapes come together to create more complex creations. DOODLE MATH: SHAPES has kids identify and interact with shapes in multiple sizes, forms, orientations, and contexts. A triangle isn't just the standard equilateral triangle, nor does a pentagon always have five equal sides. Kids get beyond cookie cutter shapes to see that pentagon really means any shape with five sides. This concept would be even more clear if there was a bit more explicit teaching about e.g., what makes a pentagon a pentagon. For example, as kids draw shapes, the narrator could count each side. Because the verbal feedback and information about each shape reinforce what kids are learning, they'll need to keep the sound on. Fortunately, the music has a separate off switch and the narrator's voice is pleasant and very positive. The six activities manage to hit the sweet spot with enough variety to keep kids engaged with the repetition needed to help them remember.
Families can talk about...
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Families can talk about different ways to play with shapes. Put a twist on "I spy" and play using shapes instead of colors.
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Incorporate various shapes and sizes of wooden blocks into kids' play. They'll develop hand strength and fine motor skills for developing writing and improve spatial awareness and understanding of shapes.
App details
| Devices: | iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad |
| Price: | $2.99 |
| Pricing structure: | Paid |
| Release date: | August 27, 2015 |
| Category: | Education |
| Size: | 67.10 MB |
| Publisher: | NCSOFT |
| Version: | 1.1.0 |
| Minimum software requirements: | iOS 6.0 or later |
