The Hippopomath app for iPad is aimed at children over 3 years.

This app is a mental maths exercise game for various levels of skill from 3 – approx 10 years of age.

Hippopomath is split into 5 levels – Baby Hippo: Memory and match the numbers and animal illustrations. Little Hippo: Memory and match the number to the quantity of objects. Medium Hippo: Memory and match the quantity to the addition sum. Posh Hippo: Memory and match the quantity to the addition and subtraction sums. Genius Hippo: Memory and match the quantities to the multiplication, addition and subtraction sums.

The game allows you to save your scores so that you can come back and try again to beat your personal best and helps you to feel proud of your achievements as you progress.

Professor Hippopo also offers extra lessons – “Learn to count on your fingers”, The addition tables and The multiplication tables.

The app is well laid out, has an easy to use menu system and a simple yet fun design and colour scheme. I tried this app with both of my girls aged 4 and 7yrs. The younger was a little confused that she was using the ‘baby hippo’ section to start with, so I had to explain that they were both starting at the beginning to allow them the sense of achievement that comes with moving on to the next level. Both children took to the application well and I felt that for a primarily educational app, it held their attention very well and they wished to return to it again and again. My eldest daughter was extremely happy with her progression.

What do the kids think of the Hippopomath App for iPad?

Child Review – Age 7 years: ” I really liked the hippo maths game. I found it a bit hard to do some of the sums where you had to count on your fingers and the higher levels of the memory games were quite hard but now that I have learn’t how to do it, it’s really good. My teacher thinks that I should be moved up a set at school because my maths has got so good!”

The Kung Fu Panda Holiday app for iPad is aimed at children over 3 years.

This app is an interactive digital storybook which tells the tale of friendship, family and teamwork whilst boasting great animation and writing.

You begin with the choice of the story being read by a parent, the child or by the autoreader. As well as the story there is also a challenge to locate the lantern on each page.

The story tells the tale of Po, the Kung Fu Panda finding a way to be with everyone and make everyone happy whilst still holding on to his Kung Fu ambitions and is set over the winter holidays.

Po is asked to host the Kung Fu winter feast – a great honour which will allow him to meet his idols however, the downside is that he will miss his annual winter festivals with his beloved father and friends.

I tested this app at bedtime with my 2 daughters and they both thoroughly enjoyed the story and loved locating the lanterns too ! My youngest daughter (4) has a big thing for pandas so she was especially excited by this story. My older daughter (7) has been able to independently use this app.

What do the kids think of the Kung Fu Panda Holiday App for iPad?

Child Review – Age 7 years: “I really liked the Kung Fu Panda story. I have watched the first film and really liked it so I already knew who all the characters were and how Kung Fu Panda met them. I used the auto read to have the story read to me when mummy wasn’t there and could also practice my reading at the same time. I was very good at finding the lanterns and kept finding them before my sister !”

The Eric Carles My Very First app for iPad is aimed at children over 1 years.

This app was as delightful as I would expect from Eric Carle following the success of The Hungry Caterpillar (who I have to admit was I hoping would make a special appearance).

The app has 3 levels, easy – matching colours to the colours used in the picture below, medium – memory game and hard – memory and match game. The levels mean that although this app is suitable for toddlers and preschoolers, the app will challenge and grow with your child and will be enjoyed until they are at least 6.

I tested this app with my toddler niece and my youngest daughter and both took to it well and my 7 year old daughter was keen to join them and took just as much enjoyment in the harder levels as the little ones did in the easy ones.

If I had one teeny weeny criticism, it would be that the navigation within the app sometimes required adult assistance. Having said that however, the app looks great, covers a large range of age and is challenging enough to be enjoyed again and again –  so is definitely worth it’s weight in gold!

What do the kids think of the Eric Carles My First App for iPad?

Child Review – Age 2 years: “I am good at the app and can find all of the colours.”

Child Review – Age 4 years: “I really like playing memory games and this one was good fun.”