This app is two apps in one: a physics-based game where you learn and apply mechanical concepts in order to achieve certain objectives and an invention mode where you can create your own machines or structures.
Seriously nerdy and very addictive fun.
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** Only the app's developer can control when an app is free or not. All apps that we post as Good Free Apps of the Day are verified to be free at the time of this post. We make no guarantees otherwise. **
If you so desire you can turn the music and sound effects off in Options but I found both quite mellow and unobtrusive. Choose Puzzles mode and the first level is a Tutorial on all the different elements you can use in the game. Complete each stage of the tutorial to unlock the next.
There's a dizzying array of objects that can be deployed in this game - platforms, boxes, dominoes, buttons and more. You can bolt things together, use scissors to cut ropes, attach chains to items, add conveyor belts and of course rotate and reverse all these items.
Thankfully for those of us that are easily bewildered, once you start the actual puzzles then the app offers you a selection of items you need to solve them as well as hints in the form of red diagonal lines all over the screen if you attempt to place items in completely the wrong area.
Even with the hints it can take a bit of trial and error before you get things set up correctly and get that satisfyingly large "SUCCESS!" pop up on the screen.
If you want to explore your creative side then head over to the Inventions section where you can use all these elements to build and share your own machines or take a look at what others have designed - a bridge, car, even pinball.
This app has a huge amount of quality content and no in-app purchases. Highly recommended for older children and adults.
From iTunes:
If you can imagine it, you can build it with TinkerBox
TinkerBox is a fun, free-to-play physics puzzle game. While it is full of interesting science facts and teaches basic engineering concepts, TinkerBox is more than just educational!
Take the tools in your hands to explore your creativity and imagination with Invent mode. Build outrageous machines, share them with your friends, or download popular inventions from online.
Stretch your brain through the devious Puzzle mode. Get immersed in physics-based puzzles and mechanical concepts, where your only hope for success is your creative problem solving.
Dream. Build. Share. TinkerBox.
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)
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