An evil cat has captured and caged all of Springbird's friends. Luckily, your child can put their awesome math skills to good use and answer problem questions in order to earn keys which are then used to free his buddies. It's only a matter of time before the showdown between feathers and feline takes place...
One caveat - there are direct links to social media. I've spoken with the developer who has confirmed that he will modify this in a future update.
If you would like to download Math with Springbird (FREE, iPad/iPhone) then please support Smart Apps for Kids and do so using these rather handy links:
iPad:
iPhone:
Game play is pretty straightforward. Your child answers math questions - the answers are always presented in a multiple choice format. Answer a question correctly and Springbird hops up to the next branch and catches a worm.
The levels are in pairs - at the top of the first level, Springbird gets a key. At the top of the next level, one of his friends is in a cage which Springbird unlocks with his key. Levels are locked until the previous ones are successfully completed.
When a bird is freed, you see a summary screen. The achievement can be shared on Facebook and Twitter - I asked the developer about this and he envisaged that parents would be sharing their children's accomplishments but if parents are concerned about their child accessing social media, this makes the game difficult for kids to play unsupervised. He plans on changing this in an update.
Your child also receives a star rating for the level, so even once the game is completed, there is an incentive to return and replay levels where some questions were initially answered incorrectly.
Every so often a bonus level pops up enabling your child to collect more worms - a sort of whack-a-worm mini-game, if you will.
Other than nutrition what does Springbird need all these worms for anyway? Well, I'm glad you asked...
The more worms your child earns, the more he can modify Springbird's appearance. Change his color, select a spiffy hat for him to wear or completely change the look and color of his feet, nose and eyes. Lots of different combinations from adorably cute to tough and cranky.
Most of the settings are bucolic but a couple of them are more urban. As you can see, the feedback is immediate and positive. The subjects covered by the problems are - addition and subtraction, shapes and sequences, coins and multiplication.
The completion of levels builds inexorably towards...
...the FINAL BATTLE! Your child has to answer a sufficient number of problems correctly within a timed period in order to vanquish and cage the cat that caused all this mayhem to start with.
It's a cute game for reinforcing math skills, with lovely artwork and music that I really enjoyed - I found it relaxing rather than annoying.
Download Math with Springbird today while it's free!
From iTunes:
"[My son] isn’t very confident when it comes to maths so often doesn’t try. Until now. I have been looking for something to get him to do maths without it being a chore as so often the work books are and to make him realise he can have fun learning as he does when he reads. This game makes him WANT to answer the questions so he can find the key and free the bird!"
- Claire, parent from the UK.
"So far my daughter is loving it so much! She even insisted on playing it instead of watching a film when sent home from school sick today!!!!"
- Penelope, parent from the UK.
Note: This is the US English version. For the international version, search the App Store for 'Maths with Springbird'
Math with Springbird is a fun and educational game available on the iPad and iPhone, designed for children aged 4-8 years old. Help your child master their math skills by freeing all of Springbird's friends!
★ #1 Education app on the Australian & NZ App Store (July 2012) ★
★ Featured on the App Store 'National Literacy and Numeracy Week' category (August 2012) ★
★ Featured on the App Store What's Hot list for Education (April and July 2012) ★
★ Recommended and APProved by Famigo.com ★
★ Recommended iPad app by the Texas Computer Education Association ★
Features:
- Practice various aspects of math including addition, subtraction, number sets, shapes and coin counting.
- Coin counting includes international currencies such as: USA, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Chinese, and Euro.
- Gain immediate feedback on whether your child's answer was correct.
- Customise Springbird's appearance by using the worms your child collected.
- Free each of Springbird's friends as your child progresses through the game.
- Hear each of Springbird's friends unique bird sound!
Download ‘Math with Springbird’ today and help your child improve their math skills!
Deanne Shoyer is the mother to twin boys on the autism spectrum, blogs at smallbutkindamighty.com, has two history degrees and looks a lot less hip than her avatar.
Every day we pick what we affectionately call the Good Free App of the Day, an app that we have downloaded, tested and certified: It can't have a ton of ads or just a little content with in-app purchases.
It also has to be good.
We then present them to you to read, download, and share and, based on which ones got the most hits from you, here are your Top 100 Free Apps for Kids! Enjoy!
Please also see our Top 10 Preschool Apps (staff picks), Top 10 Free Apps for Learning Letters, Deanne's Top 10 Free Apps for ASD Kids, Top 12 Apps for Mom, Editor's Top 10,Reader's Choice Top 10, and Top 10 Addition Apps.
(** indicates that the app contains in-app purchases/is very closely tied to a purchase or has ads)
1) LEGO App 4+ (build a vehicle and then use it in activities)
2) Open Wide Snap (we rated five stars)
4) National Geographic Explorer
5) ** Toddler/Preschool Flash Cards (warning! now has ads!)
7) Hide Run Growl (we rated five stars)
8) Little Stars - Toddler Games (letters, numbers, shapes, colors, words)
9) Play 123
11) ** Playful Minds: Math (5-8 years old)
12) Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Road Rally Appisode
13) ** Build a Word Express
16) Learning Games for Preschool to Kindergarten
17) ** Curious George at the Zoo for iPad (now only one area free, the rest in-app)
18) Rover (flash-enabled web browser for kids)
19) Disney's Jake's Never Land Pirate School
20) Scholastic's Sushi Monster (addition and multiplication)
21) I Can Write 2 (make sentences about images)
22) PBS Kids Video (all their favorites, U.S. only)
23) ** Brain Quest (from the people that make those card thingees)
24) ** Thomas & Friends - Engine Activities
25) Collins Big Cat Story Creator books (eight apps!)
26) Miss Spider apps (Bedtime Story and Tea Party)
27) Toca Kitchen Monsters (all kids need Toca Boca)
28) ** Goodnight Safari (baby animals!)
29) Rocket Speller
30) ** Toontastic (we rated five stars)
31) ** Scribble Press (make an book!)
32) ** Puzzingo
33) Touch the Sound
35) Lego Duplo Jams
36) Little Finder
37) Color Uncovered (please don't let your dog drive)
40) Bluster! (McGraw-Hill)
41) ** Math Vs. Zombies
42) ** Spy Mouse
44) ** Let's Color (drawings come to life)
45) ** Alphabet Tracing
46) eggzoo
48) Rocket Math Free (free version of one of our Top Picks)
49) Green ABCs (previously cost $30)
50) Monster Physics Lite (five star app)
51) ** BrainPop Featured Movie (No. 1 on our Editor's Choice list)
52) Story Creator
53) Kids Learning - Photo Touch Learning Concepts
54) ABA Flash Cards & Games - Emotions
55) ABC Mouse Zoo Sets 1, 2 and 3
56) Buzzle
57) 6-in-1 Children's Games (lite version)
58) ** Sock Puppets
59) ** Monkey Drum (do you need more than a monkey with a drum?)
61) ** MeeGenius (six ebooks for free!)
64) Lego Duplo Zoo
65) Scooby-Doo Whos Are You? by Hallmark (Zoinks!)
66) Feel Electric (The Electric Company is back!)
67) ** Booksy (one of our Top Picks)
69) Tim and Tom
70) Kids Learning - My First Numbers Counting Game
71) Wood Puzzle Brain Challenge
75) Jack and the Beanstalk (modern version of the classic tale)
78) Sprout's Good Night Star (nighttime routine, brusha! brusha! brusha!)
79) Stewie The Duck Learns To Swim
80) Chipper's Rainy Day Adventure
81) ** BrainPop Jr. Movie of the Week
82) ** Motion Math - Hungry Fish
83) Little Stars - Word Wizard
84) Adventures of the 7Wonderlicious Girls (girls doing their best, helping others, being brave, learning and feeling good about themselves)
85) Fisher Price's Laugh & Learn Animal Sounds
86) The Land of Me - Story Time
87) JibJab Jr. Books
88) Fisher Price's Lets Count Animals
89) Bean Bag Kids present Little Red Riding Hood
90) Astrid & Siri
91) The Lorax Truffula Shuffle (U.S. only for some reason)
92) Squiggles (bring scribbles to life, one of our Top Picks)
93) Kraft Macaroni & Cheese - Dinner, Not Art
94) The Icky Mr. Fox/Mr Fox and Mr. Rabbit
95) Hallmark's Christmas All the Way
97) Little Bird's Internet Security Adventure
98) PaddleDuck Color and Story App
100) Mini Mining
We've done our best to only include apps that are permanently free, but sometimes developers do change their minds, so please leave a comment if you find an app that's no longer free.
(** indicates that the app contains in-app purchases/is very closely tied to a purchase or has ads)
I have recently started a blog, the info you provide on this web site has helped me tremendously. Thanks for all of your time & work.
Posted by: music | 05/09/2013 at 02:26 AM