Parents' Guide to Dotopedia

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android Free Entertainment
Dotopedia Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Dana Anderson By Dana Anderson , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 6+

Cool content creation like Wikipedia with training wheels.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 6+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Dotopedia App: Screenshot #1
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Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 1 kid review

 

 

See all 1 kid review

Privacy Rating Warning

  • Unclear whether personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
  • Unclear whether personal information are shared for third-party marketing.
  • Personalised advertising is displayed.
  • Data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • Unclear whether this product uses a user's information to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Data profiles are created and used for personalised advertisements.
Learn more about our privacy ratings

What's It About?

To start DOTOPEDIA, tap Play. Create a profile by choosing one of the pre-made avatars or taking a photo of yourself. From the main page, choose a "Dot suggested" article, start a new activity, check the Daily Quest, create or view articles, or search by keyword. Add your own audio, visual, or written content to an article by tapping the "Change this article" icon. Take a photo with your device's camera to document the challenges and new activities you complete, and your progress will be documented so you can "level up." View your progress (Articles Created, Pictures Added, Content Written, Sounds Added) on your profile page. Kids will only see content already in the app and content created on their device.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say ( 1 ):

Kids who want to know a little about a lot of things -- and who want to help others learn, too -- will love this app. Dot is extraordinarily good at helping young kids new to information apps and sites through her ground-level tips. She advises kids on basics, such as: "Looking for something? Tap the search box and type it in," and "This is what a Dotopedia article page looks like." Quests get kids learning and doing offscreen, too, and include activities like drawing your scariest jack o' lantern face and taking a photo of it to include in the "pumpkin" article on the app.  All in all, Dotopedia is a fun way for kids to learn and contribute their knowledge in ways they'll likely use as they get older.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how information collaboration works on Dotopedia and Wikipedia. What are the benefits of sharing information? What are the risks?

  • Talk about what to create. What does your kid know a lot about that they can contribute to Dotopedia? Help them brainstorm topics.

  • Find the related Dot book by Randi Zukerberg or show to learn more about the main character on this app. 

App Details

  • Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
  • Subjects : Language & Reading : following directions , vocabulary , writing , Science : animals , plants , weather , Social Studies : cultural understanding , exploration , geography , Arts : drawing , photography
  • Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : applying information , investigation , Creativity : making new creations , producing new content , Self-Direction : achieving goals , effort , Communication : conveying messages effectively , multiple forms of expression , Tech Skills : digital creation , using and applying technology
  • Pricing structure : Free
  • Release date : December 12, 2016
  • Genre : Entertainment
  • Publisher : CBC
  • Version : 1.2
  • Minimum software requirements : iOS 9.1 or later; Android 4.4 and up.
  • Last updated : August 17, 2020

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

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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.

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