Updated: August 7, 2012
Size: 51.2 MB
Seller: StudyPad, Inc.
© 2011 StudyPad, Inc.
Requirements: Compatible with iPad.Requires iOS 4.0 or later.
Tell Time, the latest app from developer StudyPad, is the most comprehensive time app I have yet tried. In addition to testing a child on their knowledge of aspects related to telling time, the app also provides lessons in how to do it, presented in a logical and thorough manner. The 8 lessons are as follows:
- The clocks: explains the different components of the digital and analog clock and how they are used to tell time.
- Time to the hour: How the minute and hour hand operate to show each hour and what the digital equivalent looks like.
- Time to the half hour, quarter hour and to the minute.
- AM and PM
- Elapsed time: seeks to teach and test the concept of how much time has passed from one time to another.
Correctly answering questions wins the child coins which are saved in a piggy bank. The coins can then be used to buy fancy outfits for the child's funky monkey avatar. It's simple for parents or teachers to quickly check the child's progress in each lesson but, as with all StudyPad apps, weekly reports can be sent via email confirming how the child is doing.
Things I liked:
- It's comprehensive and teaches concepts rather than just testing them. The lessons are also interactive and therefore engaging - the child gets to do things like move the hands around the clock.
- The graphics, music and sound effects are fun but not so 'babyish' that older children wouldn't mind playing with the app. The music and sound effects can be turned off in settings.
- Information and questions are presented in writing but also verbally, so this app is accessible to children who are still at the pre-reading or early reading stage. For special needs children this app is great - lots of visual cues and reinforcements are built in.
- Feedback is provided! If a child gets an answer wrong, the app gives them the correct answer.
- The lessons and tests are thorough but not too long and can be exited and resumed again later. Test data can be backed up via the cloud.
Honestly, it's tough to find things about this app that I would change. I love the Splash Math apps but in my opinion this app is StudyPad's best yet.
I highly recommended this app. It's obvious that StudyPad has put an enormous amount of effort into developing this app and that they have taken on board feedback received from their other apps and. This app is simply a must-buy if your child is learning to tell time. It's also excellent value for only $1.99.
There are however a couple of items I would love for them to consider for future updates:
- On the home page, the child can easily access iTunes links to StudyPad's other apps, as well as the developer's social media pages. For those of us who have children that like to touch EVERYTHING on the screen, I would rather items like this, as well as settings, to be put in a section for parents and teachers that can be accessed separately and preferably password protected.
- The voice used for instructions is computer-generated. I know many people won't have a concern with respect to this but I personally prefer human voices.
- The app can only be used in 'portrait' mode. I would love it if it could also be used in landscape. My son Oliver has a really hard time using his iPad in anything other than landscape mode (and it made this review really difficult to write!)
- A repeat function - so, if the child wants to listen to some information provided in one of the lessons, they can tap on the words and the aural output will repeat.
- Add the ability to support multiple users.
- Support languages other than English.
StudyPad can be found online here:
iTunes link to all StudyPad's apps
a Rafflecopter giveaway