 | 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. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
LEGO App4+
- iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Price: Free
- Category: Educational Games
Common Sense Media says
Free building and driving game is fun while it lasts.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that LEGO App4+ is a game where kids build a vehicle out of different LEGO brick groupings and then drive or fly the vehicle through a course, collecting coins along the way. If they collect enough coins, they unlock new parts for the vehicle. Even if they miss the coin objective, they unlock a LEGO structure to build out of a handful of pieces. The structure then appears in the background the next time they drive the course. Kids can keep playing, unlocking pieces as they go. The one challenge is that the kids can only miss one coin in the course in order to unlock the next part. Younger kids may find this frustrating as the controls get trickier (moving forward and flying, for example). This game is definitely geared toward the four-year old crowd. Much older and it's just too simple. Much younger and the controls may be too challenging.
What kids can learn
While LEGO App4+ was created with educational intent, it appears to have limited learning potential. Kids can learn that LEGO parts can be put together to create a whole, but since it allows parts to be assembled as if in a 2-D puzzle (top part before bottom), it actually undermines building concepts. Kids will enjoy motoring their vehicles and jumping to collect coins, but they won't learn much. LEGO App4+ is cute and appealing but lacks accuracy in its primary skill: building.
Skills
- Thinking & Reasoningpart-whole relationships
- Creativity
- Self-Direction
- Emotional Development
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Responsibility & Ethics
- Tech Skills
- Health & Fitness
What's it about?
In workshop space, kids choose and swipe on parts to create a vehicle with wheels, blue legs (cute!), or a helicopter top. Once completed, kids tap on buttons (that change every once in a while) to advance or hop/fly the vehicle to collect coins along the way. At the end of their route, kids get a simple puzzle to assemble in any order they choose.
Is it any good?
LEGO APP4+ is an engaging choice for young LEGO fans. Building cars/trucks/helicopters with different pieces and then having the chance to drive them is cool. Kids are also bound to enjoy the reward of a LEGO sculpture at the end of each run. There aren't really enough reward sculptures (only eight), so they start to repeat as kids strive to unlock 11 truck pieces (there are 16 total). The game goes by very quickly for kids who have basic controls down on the device, and there just aren't enough customizations to keep it fresh once everything is unlocked. Still, it's excellent quality, fun, and free. It's a great addition to the preschool app library.
What kids can learn
While LEGO App4+ was created with educational intent, it appears to have limited learning potential. Kids can learn that LEGO parts can be put together to create a whole, but since it allows parts to be assembled as if in a 2-D puzzle (top part before bottom), it actually undermines building concepts. Kids will enjoy motoring their vehicles and jumping to collect coins, but they won't learn much. LEGO App4+ is cute and appealing but lacks accuracy in its primary skill: building.
Subjects
- Language & Reading:
- Math: statistics
- Science: motion
- Social Studies:
- Arts:
- Hobbies: building
Skills
- Thinking & Reasoning: part-whole relationships
- Creativity:
- Self-Direction:
- Emotional Development:
- Communication:
- Collaboration:
- Responsibility & Ethics:
- Tech Skills:
- Health & Fitness:
- Show:
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- Parents
- Teens & kids
Parent of 5 year old
April 30, 2012
AGE
lego
The game goes by very quickly for kids who have basic controls down on the device, and there just aren't enough customizations to keep it fresh once everything is unlocked. Still, it's excellent quality, fun, and free. It's a great addition to the preschool app library.
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Kid, 9 years old
August 24, 2012
AGE
Good for anyone
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| Category: | Educational Games |
| Platforms: | iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android |
| Price: | Free |
| Size: | 22.50 MB |
| Publisher: | The LEGO Group |
| Version: | 1.0 |
| Release date: | January 16, 2012 |
| Minimum software requirements: | iOS 3.1.3 or later; Android 2.1 and up |
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