 | 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. |
Solar System for iPad
Common Sense Media says
Well-written interactive book with lots of multimedia.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there isn't any questionable content in the Solar System for iPad app. As the name suggests, the app is a digital book about our solar system -- including facts about the sun, planets, moons, asteroid belts, and more. This reference app comes to life with high-resolution photos, videos, animation, music, and text -- and some interactivity, as well. Mom and Dad might enjoy this just as much as kids.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn a lot about astronomy in a fun, engaging, and interactive way with Solar System for iPad. The app focuses on our solar system, in particular, with information about our sun, planets, moons, asteroid belts, and more. Kids can learn about gravity, patterns (such as rotations around the sun), and each planet and moon (diameter, mass, volume, gravity, atmosphere, and so forth). Bring stargazing to life for kids with this far-out collection of astronomy facts, photos, and animations.
Subjects
- Arts
- Hobbies
- Language & Readingnaming, reading
- Mathnumbers, patterns
- Scienceastronomy, geology, physics
- Social Studiesgeography
Skills
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Creativityimagination
- Emotional Development
- Health & Fitness
- Responsibility & Ethics
- Self-Direction
- Tech Skills
- Thinking & Reasoninganalyzing evidence, making conclusions, thinking critically
What's it about?
Solar System for iPad lets kids explore the universe by reading articles and facts about our solar system -- be it the rings of Saturn or the atmosphere of Mars -- as well as viewing hundreds of photos, artist illustrations, videos, and animation sequences. Kids touch the iPad screen to interact with the content, such as zooming in and out of Uranus or Jupiter; or to flick through interactive portions, such as "How to spot a planet?"
Is it any good?
SOLAR SYSTEM FOR IPAD is an extraordinary – and extraordinarily attractive -- resource for amateur astronomers with text provided by best-seller author (and former radio astronomer) Marcus Chown, along with interactive 3D imagery of the sun, planets, moons, and more. You can "touch" Saturn's rings (based on images from NASA's Cassini mission), flick through the icy rubble of the Kuiper Belt (rocky bits left over from the birth of planets), or pinch and zoom into Earth to study the continents from above (with or without cloud cover). Along with an opening song set to space imagery, this app features dozens of articles; high-resolution galleries; extensive videos and animated sequences; and key data for each planet or moon (diameter, mass, volume, gravity, atmosphere, and so forth). While relatively pricey at $13.99 as of the time of this review, Solar System for iPad is an out-of-this-world pick.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn a lot about astronomy in a fun, engaging, and interactive way with Solar System for iPad. The app focuses on our solar system, in particular, with information about our sun, planets, moons, asteroid belts, and more. Kids can learn about gravity, patterns (such as rotations around the sun), and each planet and moon (diameter, mass, volume, gravity, atmosphere, and so forth). Bring stargazing to life for kids with this far-out collection of astronomy facts, photos, and animations.
Subjects
- Arts:
- Hobbies:
- Language & Reading: naming, reading
- Math: numbers, patterns
- Science: astronomy, geology, physics
- Social Studies: geography
Skills
- Collaboration:
- Communication:
- Creativity: imagination
- Emotional Development:
- Health & Fitness:
- Responsibility & Ethics:
- Self-Direction:
- Tech Skills:
- Thinking & Reasoning: analyzing evidence, making conclusions, thinking critically
How kids will learn
Kids will read, tap, and play through the Solar System for iPad app to learn about astronomy in a fun and engaging way. Along with accurate and relevant articles and facts (on our sun, planets and moons), the app offers many multimedia elements including photos, illustrations, videos, and animation sequences. Kids have a lot of control over their experience as they explore the app.
How parents can help
- Visit a local planetarium, observatory, or air and space museum to learn more about astronomy.
- Consider buying or borrowing a telescope and looking at the stars with your kids. Or, spend some time stargazing together with the naked eye on a clear night.
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
| Category: | Books |
| Platforms: | iPad |
| Price: | $13.99 |
| Publisher: | Touch Press |
| Version: | 1.0.0 |
| Release date: | December 21, 2010 |
| Minimum software requirements: | iOS 3.2 or later |
Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.
Review It
Screenshots
1 of 3
2 of 3
3 of 3
Tell us what you think about our new Learning Ratings. We value your feedback.
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already downloaded it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
