Common Sense Media Review
By Christy Matte
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cool idea and imagery but info doesn't dig deep.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
ARcheology - Dig Up History
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
ARCHEOLOGY - DIG UP HISTORY invites kids to join an expedition to dig up some dinosaur bones. They just point the device camera at the ground (inside or out) and start tapping to clear away dirt. A skeleton slowly emerges. Once the fossil is uncovered, kids can access more information about the creature by focusing on one of three magnifying glasses. There are five dinosaurs to uncover. Kids who are already passionate about archeology will note that there are no special tools used in the dig.
Is It Any Good?
Virtually digging up dinosaur bones is a cool premise for an app, but the experience lacks depth. ARcheology - Dig Up History truly is a neat idea. What kid wouldn't want to dig in their backyard and discover a dinosaur bone? It's too bad the digging portion of the app isn't more realistic. There are no tiny picks or soft brushes to do fine detail work, just a lot of tapping on the screen. The effect of removing the dirt is realistic, though, and it's fun to see what bones will emerge. Still, that's unlikely to hold kids' interest for very long. With just five dinosaurs and not much else to do, it's likely that kids will be left wanting a bit more from the experience.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the dinosaurs featured in ARcheology - Dig Up History. What are your favorite dinosaurs? Which ones were biggest? Which ones are herbivores?
What is archaeology? What does an archaeologist do? What types of tools might one use?
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPad
- Subjects : Science : animals , life cycle
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Release date : December 19, 2018
- Genre : Education
- Topics : Animals ( Dinosaurs )
- Publisher : Le-Roy Karunaratne
- Version : 1.02
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 11.3 or later
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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