Ever since Santa left us an iPad under the tree, I’m kind of obsessed with finding the perfect apps for our device. I have this inexplicable urge to hoard memory. As a result, I have become very choosy when it comes to buying apps, because God forbid I run out of memory! When it comes to educational apps, I look for the following: positive editorial and user reviews (awards are a plus), price (under $4.99 is ideal), interactivity (cool animations that really leverage touch technology), games that make learning fun, and is an app the kids do not grow tired of. I’m not asking for too much, right?
So we decided to give Dr. Panda Teach Me! app by TribePlay a spin. Dr. Panda Teach Me! is designed for the preschooler/early learner (ages 2-5) in mind. Dr. Panda leads the user through four different landscapes and over 10 educational activities such as colors, numbers, and puzzles to name a few. Activities are reward-based vs. points based. It is also free off links, ads and in-app purchases.
My 3-year-old immediately went to town, tapping everything in sight to see what would happen. He giggled with each cute animation and instantly knew how to maneuver his little fingers to get from landscape to activity quickly. The educational activities were appropriate for his learning level and he enjoyed making his own landscape when he completed an activity.
Some things to note if you are considering to buy this next time you are at the App Store. Because there are so many different animations hidden in each landscape, Dr. Panda Teach Me! is better suited for an iPad than a smartphone given its larger screen size in my opinion. Also, this is really geared toward a preschooler. My 6-year-old played with it for less than five minutes and declared it was too easy for him. My 3-year-old played with it for 30 minutes and asked to play with it again the next day. A sign of a good app in my opinion!
For $1.99 (Free Lite version is also available), this is a good app for my youngest. Plus the fun music makes me feel as if I’m in some 70s game show – which is not a bad thing.
But before you get those little fingers all over your expensive personal electronics, why not put them to work to help make a healthy and tasty snack! My kids love making these Baked Flatbread Chips. They are super easy to make, not to mention delicious.
Baked Flatbread Chips
INGREDIENTS
- 4-6 whole wheat flatbread rounds (I recommend Trader Joe’s Middle Eastern Flatbread)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher Salt
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- With a pizza cutter or kitchen shears, cut each flatbread round into 8 wedges
- Place wedges onto a rimmed baking sheet. Using a brush or fingers, lightly coat wedges with oil, then season with salt.
- Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until crisp and lightly browned
- Enjoy warm from then oven. Serve with your favorite dip.
Disclosure: As a member of Boston Parent Bloggers, I was given the opportunity to participate in this sponsored campaign. I received the app for free to offer a review. As always, all opinions are my own.
