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Ask Slashdot: Math and Science iOS Apps For Young Kids?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the mildly-annoyed-birds dept.

Oyjord writes "I have a very smart and curious 3-year-old daughter. Before anyone tries to derail my query, yes, we get a lot of play time outside with soccer and baseballs, and inside with blocks, Hot Wheels, PlayDoh, etc. However, on the rare occasion that we do sit down with my iPad, I'd like to solicit recommendations for good Math and Science apps for kids. There are hundreds of horribly gender-biased baking apps and Barbie apps for young girls, but they turn my stomach. She has a wonderfully curious mind, and really likes SkyView already, but I feel lost in a sea of pink and Hello Kitty apps."

11 of 165 comments (clear)

  1. Newtons gravity by codegen · · Score: 4, Informative

    YOu try to solve mazes by putting blocks in the righ place to let the ball roll down. My nephew has played that game since he was 3.

    --
    Atlas stands on the earth and carries the celestial sphere on his shoulders.
    1. Re:Newtons gravity by fermion · · Score: 3, Insightful
      There are many games that, as she gets older, will make increasing sense to her and teach her basic physics concepts, mostly mechanics. Gravity is one of them, and it is very good, but I don't know if a three year old can play it.

      Games like No, Human, Tesla toy, and even angry birds, might provide the immediate feedback and simply play to encourage a three year old. Angry Birds Space is especially interesting.

      When she becomes older, Osmos and SimplePhysics is very interesting.

      --
      "She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
  2. "Gender biased" may be oversimplification by sideslash · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I have young daughters as well, and I have a similar reaction to Barbie dolls and their ilk, primarily because I don't want my daughters (or my son for that matter) to buy into the whole sexualization/objectification of women mindset. However, I don't reflexively avoid gender-targeted toys. Why should boys and girls have to be indistinguishable in their play preferences? What's wrong with the boys deciding that they like Cars and the girls Disney Princesses, as long as their parents are OK with it?

    Don't worry, there are plenty of gender neutral family activities, too. I teach them all to shoot firearms as soon as they're old enough. ;)

  3. Apps by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    Amazing Alex
    Angry Birds
    Cut the Rope
    Dinopedia
    Isaac Newton's Gravity HD
    Google Earth
    Math Bingo
    Math Drills
    Multiponk
    NASA App HD
    PBS Kids
    Scrabble
    The Elements: A Visual Exploration
    Tiny Wings HD
    TinkerBox HD
    WolframAlpha
    Word Bingo

  4. Bobo Explores Light by digitallife · · Score: 3, Informative

    Bobo Explores Light is an engaging, entertaining and extremely extensive app exploring light and its consequences. Sounds boring or technical, but they've managed to get an amazing amount of content (we forget how much light affects us and how weird it is!) into a very fun package.

  5. Re:Dragonbox by Thwyx · · Score: 5, Informative

    I do have personal experience with this one, and came here to recommend this. I've personally seen a 4 year old get an elementary understanding of algebra from this app. Worth every penny.

  6. Re:IOS? by BasilBrush · · Score: 3, Funny

    Why IOS?

    Because he's got an iPad.

  7. Re:The best app ever for science and maths by queazocotal · · Score: 3

    Slide rules teach lazy approximations.
    Abacus should be every child's first toy!

  8. Skip the software by mrops · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Just something from personal experience. I got my kid bunch of nice learning software for Android. He loved them, played them, learned a lot.

    Then we had our student led parent teacher meeting/conference. Turns out, he doesn't do jack in class because he finds it all too boring. And it is, when he gets to race a car for solving the right question, sticking stuff with glue on paper is rather pale.

    Result... he knows his stuff but is "officially" a C grade student. He is in grade 1 so no worries, however I will skip the software to tame his exitment level.

  9. Re:Dragonbox by Pastis · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Thanks a lot! Our goal is to teach the K-12 math curriculum in 30 hours. DragonBox is our proof of concept. Expect more goodies from us in the future!

    --
    Sneak teach kids Algebra using a game
  10. Re:So your plan is to literally retard him? by tlhIngan · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Then we had our student led parent teacher meeting/conference. Turns out, he doesn't do jack in class because he finds it all too boring.

    You found out how to make learning interesting for your kid, and because he can't do well in what is ignorantly a boring and mediocre environment, your plan is to dumb down his learning until he can be pacified with the rest of the sheep?

    Or maybe to teach his children that in life, there WILL be boring parts, and that's perfectly OK? We've basically gotten to the point where if something's not stimulating, it's not worthwhile to do, which is not only a bad attitude, it's positively dangerous as there are many boring tasks that need doing throughout life (think mundane stuff - chores, boring paperwork and stuff at work, etc., you can get away with a lot by skipping it, but eventually you'll have to pay it back).

    Life is not always fun and interesting. And there's a potential fear of overstimulation (probably that combined with diet may make up a bunch of ADHD cases - if you don't achieve a level of stimulation, people's minds wander).

    Sure the kid's not old enough yet to have much discipline or know about stuff like that, but sometimes boredom IS a wonderful thing that can lead to enhanced creativity.

    Heck, most first time jobs will be pretty boring, repetitive and utterly dull, but it's a way to get some spending money