Weird But True

Review

Common Sense Media says

Silly sounds and great graphics jazz up 300 fun facts.
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
 
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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Weird But True is a fun adaptation of the popular book by National Geographic. Each of 300 facts is presented as a page with fun fonts, sound effects, and occasional illustrations. On the fact page, kids can tag a fact as a favorite, rate how weird the fact is on the "weird-o-meter," tap to see and hear an animal float across the stage saying "that's weird," share the fact with a link to the app on email, or visit the menu. Kids can swipe from fact to fact, visit their favorites, or scroll through topics alphabetically. Kids can also see a list of the weirdest facts as rated by other users during the past week. A few facts mildly mention violence, such as ants that explode when they're attacked, but overall the app is very family friendly and safe.

  • Ease of use4
    The app is very intuitive; when it opens you're directed to simply swipe or shake to see a fact. The buttons on the pages are clear, and there are arrows to navigate to and from the menus. The menu also includes clear instructions for using the app.
  • Violence0
    Mild references to violence are included in some facts, such as a single dart frog containing enough poison to kill up to 100 people and honeybees' ability to detect explosives.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism1
    Kids can send emails with fun facts and links to purchase the app. The menu also includes a links to purchase apps by the developer and the Weird But True book series.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety4
    Mild privacy concerns. Kids can send weird facts and a link to the app by email (if email is enabled on the device).
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Is it any good?

 

WEIRD BUT TRUE is an excellent adaptation of the popular book series by National Geographic. The app focuses on cultivating curiosity, which it does well. Kids will love the fun sound effects and creative design of fonts and colors on the pages, as well as the several different ways of interacting with the facts. However, this app does not contain sources for the facts or explanations of why or how they're true, which not only could help kids learn more about the facts, but also helps them learn to evaluate seemingly factual statements in our digital age. So, families may want to use this app to spark creativity and questions (and have fun!), then find time to talk about verifying facts with research -- and enjoy doing that research together.

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This review was written by Liz Panarelli

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This review was written by Liz Panarelli
Category:Books
Platforms:iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Price:$1.99
Size:60.30 MB
Publisher:National Geographic Society
Version:1.0
Release date:September 1, 2011
Minimum software requirements:iOS 4.0 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.
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