| Backflip Studios (all apps) |
| Paper Toss (Age 3+) | |||||||||||
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“Paper Toss” is a really fun app with a little bit of educational value. I let Big-T (my 3yo) play it and he loves it. The app shows a wind velocity (from a fan) to two decimal places. I get him to read the first digit and ignore the rest. Then I try to explain the idea of the wind blowing the paper ball. He seems to get it enough to have a not bad effort at aiming. My hope was to indirectly teach him a little bit about the wind and how we can feel it but not touch it.
I have to say however that I am removing this app from my iPhone. I often let Big-T play a bit after reading a few books just before bed time. After a while with this app he almost goes a bit silly – he starts tossing the paper ball purposely off the left or right side of the screen and gets “hey I’m trying to work!” and similar complaints from people off the screen (supposedly hit by the paper ball). He starts breaking up into hysterics at this stage, which is not really a great thing when trying to get him to calm down for sleep.
The Application
At startup you choose between three levels of complexity. You then see a scene from a cubical office with a rubbish bin a short distance away. A fan appears on the left or right with a wind velocity display. You flick your finger upwards and slightly to the left or right (allowing for the wind) to toss a paper ball towards a rubbish bin. Each consequtive paper ball in the bin gives you a point; a miss sets your score back to zero. If the ball goes too far off the left or right side of the screen you hear office workers complain.
The Good
- The user interface is nicely done.
- Its easy to throw the ball towards the bin, even by my 3yo.
- There are 3 levels of complexity, so you can start easy and build up.
- The user interface has been kept simple (not many settings to bother about).
- The graphics are really nicely done.
- Big-T loves it.
The Bad
- Its got marginal educational value.
- Its almost too fun, making Big-T go a bit silly and breaking him into hysterics.
Educational Value
I used this app to try and explain wind and how it blows things in the air. Certainly don’t need an iPhone app for this, but its just another way of trying to get a concept across. I then got him to try and throw a few different bits of paper including a tissue (in real life, not on the iPhone) into a bin. The idea was for Big-T to learn a bit more about the physical world around him.
My Score
2.5 stars. Its a lot of fun with a touch of educational value (if you sit and explain the concepts). At the time of review it was free, so I suggest getting it, playing it for a while while explaining the concepts of wind etc, then deleting it once the educational value wears off.
Get it in iTunes
More information, screen shots, and user reviews can be found in the iTunes store.
Other Suggestions
- Physics: iWriteWords Tracing Game
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