Parents' Guide to

DNA Play

By Jenny Bristol, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Adorable open-ended genetics app gives kids mutation power.

DNA Play Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Though kids may not really understand the significance, the open-ended play for genetically designing creatures is on target for early elementary school-age kids and encourages experimentation and observation. Kids can change a creature's genes in the middle of a play sequence to see what difference that change will bring, such as what having more eyes would do while the creature is near a spider. It's a great introduction to genetics for kids, and the experiences they have with this app can form the basis for more involved conversations later. It's up to parents to really introduce the idea of DNA, but there are resources on the developer's website to help parents start the conversation. Though this is great for younger kids, older kids may tire of the simple gameplay options and want to do more with their creatures.

App Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate