Fish School

App review by Christopher Healy, Common Sense Media
Fish School Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 3+

Learn basic ABCs and 123s with colorful fun fish pals.

iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android Free Educational Games
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Parents say

age 3+

Based on 7 reviews

Kids say

age 8+

Based on 1 review

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  • Fish School App: Screenshot #1
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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this app.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Fish School (or the high definition version for the iPad called Fish School HD) is an early learning app that reinforces knowledge of numbers, letters, shapes, and colors through fun and colorful play. The lessons reinforced here are very basic ones, though, and even kindergartners may feel they are too old for the app. For toddlers just beginning to get the knack of the ABC song, though, and preschoolers proud of their blossoming counting skills, this app is perfect. An HD version for the iPad has the same content, but comes with slightly better graphics.

Community Reviews

Martha J.
Martha J. Adult
January 16, 2023
age 5+

This title has:

Easy to play/use
jtoxx
jtoxx Adult
July 9, 2018
age 4+

Confusing letter shapes

The letters created by the fish animations are really boxy, like a 1980's digital display. That, paired with the very busy animation, would make it impossible for a child who doesn't already know what letters are supposed to look like recognize them.
See all 7 parent reviews

What’s It About?

In Fish School, kids can easily scroll through eight different activities. Instead of a main menu, kids just simply tap on a button that lets them switch between more active activities like spotting a different fish to more passive activities like watching the fish form numbers. Some activities are better for learning than others. Like with many apps by Duck Duck Moose, it's set to classical music and uses great pictures and effects that are engaging for preschoolers. Fish School is a simple game with minimal features, designed for young kids to explore and discover.

Is It Any Good?

FISH SCHOOL (or FISH SCHOOL HD) is designed incredibly well for toddlers and preschoolers who get a big kick out of interacting with colorful characters on the screen. The interface is so easy, and the graphics so vibrant and enticing, that little ones with simply want to play around with the undersea creatures (and there's a mode to let them do just that) -- but there are great early learning lessons that get reinforced through this play, and that's where the genius comes in. Whether they're watching the fish form letters, or tapping the ones that don't belong, or counting plastic eggs as they pop them open -- the kids are learning as they play.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Sing the ABC song together.

  • Talk about fish, letters, numbers, shapes, and colors in everyday context.

  • Provide letter magnets or other manipulatives that kids can play with to get more exposure to preschool concepts.

App Details

Our Editors Recommend

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    ABC and memory game teaches letter recognition.

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