Coral Reef by Tinybop
By Dana Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
See and hear the wonders of reef life, no snorkel required.
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Coral Reef by Tinybop
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What’s It About?
To play CORAL REEF BY TINYBOP, tap the Play icon, and then watch as a coral reef appears and a hand guides where to tap next. Swipe or tap a sea animal or plant to move it or cause it to interact with other animals and plants in the scene. Return to the selection screen to choose scenes: Cleaner Fish, Seagrass, Parrotfish, Blacktip Reef Shark, Box Jellyfish, Peacock Mantis Shrimp, and Linckia Sea Star. Tap on the label icon to view the vocabulary terms, tap "en" to choose a language, and tap the sound icon to mute sounds.
Is It Any Good?
Based on the natural beauty of coral reefs that's quickly vanishing, this app is a work of art for kids. Coral Reef by Tinybop uses visuals, sounds, actions, and labels to help kids learn about many aspects of reef life -- from the tiny plants and particles that make up the base of reef ecosystems to large reef sharks and all sizes of animals in between. Kids will likely love hearing the clicking sounds made by shrimp, helping little crabs, and seeing how the sun interacts with the world under the waves. Some kids may not love seeing how a shark catches its prey and how a shark carcass decomposes, but the app definitely shows it like it happens in the wild world under the sea. By exploring the reef on Coral Reefs by Tinybop, perhaps more kids will grow up with a desire to preserve the real ones.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Coral Reef by Tinybop brings users into the undersea world. Ask your kid to describe what they see and what they hear on the app. What do they imagine it would feel like to be a diver in each scene?
If your child is particularly fascinated by one of the sea creatures featured on Coral Reef, find other online or real-life resources to learn more.
Download the parent guide for more ways to explore this app and the topic of coral reefs with your kids.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Subjects: Science: animals, ecosystems and the environment, life cycle, plants
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: investigation, part-whole relationships
- Pricing structure: Paid ($2.99)
- Release date: February 22, 2018
- Category: Education
- Topics: Ocean Creatures, Science and Nature
- Publisher: Tinybop
- Version: 1.0.2
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 7.0 or later
- Last updated: February 12, 2020
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