Bugs and Buttons

Review

Common Sense Media says

Realistic-looking bugs blend fun and learning in 18 games.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning2
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Bugs and Buttons is a collection of 18 educational and entertaining games with buttons and (very realistic!) bugs. The games involve racing, counting, sorting, finding patterns, a slingshot, tic-tac-toe, sorting, connecting dots, navigating a maze, steering, matching, and completing letter sequences. Most of the games involve both buttons and eight different bugs: ants, bees, butterflies, dragonflies, fireflies, ladybugs, roaches, and tarantulas. Succeeding in the games helps kids win stamps of the bugs to collect in a book. The realistic graphics might frighten or unnerve young children, but the games may help them feel more comfortable with insects. The games are both educational and entertaining. The difficulty range within each game and across the games means the app can be played and enjoyed by preschoolers and early elementary kids alike.

  • Ease of use5
    Visual instructions demonstrate how to play the games; each begins simply, then adds more elements with each level to increase the difficulty. Some games are timed, and high scores translate into stamps that are collected in a stamp book. Scores and achievements can be hidden in the settings menu. Kids can use the explore page to see their progress and find a particular game, or just press start from the main menu to begin playing games at random.
  • Violence1
    In one game, kids aim bees at a target using a slingshot, but the bees are unhurt, and in fact exclaim "yippee" and "yahoo" as they fly through the air. Another game involves tapping bugs to make them disappear in a burst of light.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
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What kids can learn

2

Kids can learn a wide range of language and math skills, from recognizing lowercase and uppercase letters in alphabetical order to counting up through 20 with Bugs and Buttons. Several puzzles challenge kids to identify patterns, finish sequences, and group similar objects, all while kids build the fine motor control to pinch, tap, and drag objects around the screen. The lively bugs and colorful buttons energize the puzzles and make the concepts more intuitive and relevant for kids to learn. Better progress tracking for parents would give the app a boost. Bugs and Buttons entertains and engages while it educates kids on basic skills.

Subjects
Skills
  • Collaboration
  • Communication
  • Creativity
  • Emotional Development
  • Health & Fitness
    fine motor skills
  • Responsibility & Ethics
See more details

What's it about?

In Bugs and Buttons, a collection of 18 games, kids will tap and drag bugs and buttons around the screen to achieve various goals. Several puzzles focus on recognizing numbers, letters, colors, and patterns, while others -- like tic-tac-toe, a maze, and a racing game -- rely on more subtle learning components like prediction. An animated tutorial demonstrates the steps to take, and kids try until they succeed, gradually proceeding to more difficult levels and eventually winning insect stamps for a digital stamp collection.

Is it any good?

 

BUGS AND BUTTONS is a very neat set of games. The wide assortment of games and the increasing difficulty level within each game gives the app a lot of entertainment value, which makes the educational components more subtle and effective. For kids who are achievement-driven, the simple stamp collection may feel a little boring. Still, this app has a lot to offer kids in a wide age range -- as long as they're not too squeamish about pinching a tarantula or two!

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This review was written by Liz Panarelli

What kids can learn

2

Kids can learn a wide range of language and math skills, from recognizing lowercase and uppercase letters in alphabetical order to counting up through 20 with Bugs and Buttons. Several puzzles challenge kids to identify patterns, finish sequences, and group similar objects, all while kids build the fine motor control to pinch, tap, and drag objects around the screen. The lively bugs and colorful buttons energize the puzzles and make the concepts more intuitive and relevant for kids to learn. Better progress tracking for parents would give the app a boost. Bugs and Buttons entertains and engages while it educates kids on basic skills.

Subjects
  • Arts:
  • Hobbies: collecting
  • Language & Reading: letter or word recognition
  • Math: addition, counting, numbers, patterns
  • Science: motion
  • Social Studies:
Skills
  • Collaboration:
  • Communication:
  • Creativity:
  • Emotional Development:
  • Health & Fitness: fine motor skills
  • Responsibility & Ethics:
  • Self-Direction:
  • Tech Skills:
  • Thinking & Reasoning: prediction, solving puzzles

What's it about?

In Bugs and Buttons, a collection of 18 games, kids will tap and drag bugs and buttons around the screen to achieve various goals. Several puzzles focus on recognizing numbers, letters, colors, and patterns, while others -- like tic-tac-toe, a maze, and a racing game -- rely on more subtle learning components like prediction. An animated tutorial demonstrates the steps to take, and kids try until they succeed, gradually proceeding to more difficult levels and eventually winning insect stamps for a digital stamp collection.

How kids will learn

Kids are empowered to select which of the 18 games they’d like to play, or they can play all the games in a random series that keeps kids drawn into learning. Each puzzle begins with a tutorial animation demonstrating the solution, so directions are clear and accessible for non-readers. Most games have multiple rounds, with visual and audio feedback guiding kids toward the correct steps. In many puzzles, the difficulty of the next round adapts to how well kids do, which is tracked with the stars they win and/or their time for that round.

How parents can help

  • Set specific, attainable goals, such as collecting all the stamps for an insect, to encourage kids to keep developing and improving their skills.
  • Demonstrate the tougher fine motor skills, such as firing the slingshot and pinching.
  • Use keywords like "pattern" and "counting" about different puzzles to reinforce larger concepts.
This review was written by Liz Panarelli

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This review was written by Liz Panarelli
Topics:bugs
Category:Education
Platforms:iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Price:$2.99
Size:80.70 MB
Publisher:Little Bit Studio, LLC.
Version:1.0.3
Release date:November 17, 2011
Minimum software requirements:iOS 3.0 or later
This review was written by Liz Panarelli

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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