Parents' Guide to

Noggin Preschool Learning App

By Amanda Bindel, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Subscribe for fave shows; might want more parent control.

App iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire Free to try Education
Noggin Preschool Learning App Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • Noggin Preschool Learning App: Screenshot #1
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  • Noggin Preschool Learning App: Screenshot #3
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  • Noggin Preschool Learning App: Screenshot #5

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 3 parent reviews

debtchen
debtchen Parent of 3-year-old
August 25, 2022
age 2+

Borderline unethical subscription plan

Not worth it, impossible to cancel subscription. I first cancelled my subscription, but was still charged because you have to delete your account. I did that and was still charged and had to dispute the credit card charge.
elen22
elen22 Adult
January 5, 2021
age 2+

5 stars for the old app, but the new version is TERRIBLE.

The old app (about 3 years ago) had everything that my kids loved from the Noggin channel. Moose and Zee, Oobi, and the Upside-Down Show were all favorites in this house! When I went to reinstall the app for my youngest, I was shocked to see that all of the Noggin shows had been taken off completely, and replaced by obnoxious toy-commercial characters from Nick Junior's new shows. It was just depressing. Why even call this the "Noggin" app anymore, if you guys have already deleted all of the Noggin shows and put mindless "Buy Our Toys!" shows like Paw Patrol in their place??

This title has:

Too much consumerism
See all 3 parent reviews

What’s It About?

With a monthly subscription, kids can watch clips and whole episodes of shows from the former Noggin network -- and play lots of games with NOGGIN PRESCHOOL LEARNING APP. Shows include Little Bear, Franklin and Friends, Blue's Clues, and more, with dozens of episodes across multiple seasons of each show. Games and play-along videos have interactive elements and touch on standard early learning themes such as literacy, basic math, and puzzles. There's also a collection of early reader books from Bob Books; kids can choose to read on their own or be read to. Kids can browse content by show, content type, or themed collection such as "creativity," "music," or "ocean." Kids can watch Noggin Knows, a variety show, or explore content from NASA. There's also social justice content and a podcast.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (4):

There's definitely some excellent content within the app, but the functionality and user experience can still improve. Regardless of whether you love or hate the featured shows, there are quite a lot of big names here, and young kids are bound to find something they like. Classics like Dora the Explorer and Blue's Clues, as well as relative newcomers like Franklin and Friends, offer high-quality preschool fare. The addition of the interactive elements is a nice feature so that kids can take a more active role instead of only passively watching. The activities touch on your typical preschool learning themes, but sometimes do so in creative ways. And kids who are really into a particular show or character will appreciate being able to play games with them.

The major downsides are a confusing presentation and a complete lack of parental controls or customization options. Noggin Preschool Learning App is huge, with lots of content presented in a crowded menu that's almost guaranteed to overstimulate and overwhelm young kids. Content is mixed together so much that it's hard to find what you want. For example, there's no way to filter for whole episodes versus short clips, so it's impossible to distinguish between a clip that'll take a couple of minutes and one that will last half an hour. And parents have no options for customizing what their kids see, or for controlling anything other than how much memory downloaded content can take up on their device (which, by the way, you'll need a lot of). The bottom line: If parents and kids feel that they can wade through these usability issues, they will probably find content they like.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the shows kids watch with Noggin Preschool Learning App. What happened in each show? What was your favorite part? Ask questions about the lessons the characters learn: Did they discover something about friendship and sharing? Problem-solving? Teamwork?

  • There's lots of content here. Look through the app with your kid and help them figure out how to find what interests them.

  • Talk to your kids about screen use and limits. How can kids enjoy digital media in balance with other activities?

  • Ask kids about interacting with their favorite characters. Does it make it more fun to play games with familiar and well-loved characters?

App Details

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