Dr. Panda's Hospital

Common Sense Media says

Easy, intuitive app teaches young kids medical care basics.

Age(i)

2
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17

Quality(i)

 

Learning(i)

(i)
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Dr. Panda's Hospital gallery

What parents need to know

Ease of play

Very easy to play. This app is so intuitive and clearly geared toward young app users that there aren't many prompts, instructions, or tutorials because they're just not necessary. By trial and error, swiping and tapping, kids get visual cues for what to do next.

Violence & scariness
Not applicable
Sexy stuff
Not applicable
Language
Not applicable
Consumerism

A More Apps tab on the main screen takes kids out of the app to purchase other Dr. Panda apps from the developer.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking
Not applicable
Privacy & safety
Not applicable

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Dr. Panda's Hospital is an interactive educational app that teaches preschool- and kindergarten-age kids a little bit about sequencing, anatomy, and health care as they pretend to work at a hospital. Mini-games (three in the free version, more in the paid version) prompt kids to help care for cute animals with different health problems. With just a swipe or a tap, kids give shots, measure blood pressure, adjust broken bones, and more.

What kids can learn

Subjects

Math

  • sequences

Skills

Thinking & Reasoning

  • decision-making
  • deduction

Emotional Development

  • empathy
  • handling stress

Health & Fitness

  • body awareness

Engagement, Approach, Support

Engagement

Straightforward enough for little ones to play on their own and feel like they're really accomplishing tasks and helping the animated animals. Nothing outstanding, just a cute app for simple learning fun.

Learning Approach

Ten simple games, plus unrelated side activities such as picking up trash, help kids learn basic emotional skills like empathy and helping. Kids also practice basic sequencing. Kids learn that hospitals and procedures don't have to be scary.

Support

Kids earn stickers for curing the animals they like. This app is so intuitive and clearly geared toward young app users that there aren't many prompts, instruction, or tutorials because they're just not necessary. 

What kids can learn

Subjects

Math

  • sequences

Skills

Thinking & Reasoning

  • decision-making
  • deduction

Emotional Development

  • empathy
  • handling stress

Health & Fitness

  • body awareness

Kids can learn basic, age-appropriate information about health and medical procedures, as well as practice basic sequencing. For example, a patient starts in the waiting room, moves to a patient room, has a medical test or procedure, and then they are better. Kids also learn about the body, emotional awareness, and empathy for patients. Kids can learn that doctors, hospitals, and procedures don't have to be scary. Dr. Panda's Hospital is a cute way for little kids to learn about health care but could offer more feedback.

This Learning Rating review was written by Dana Villamagna

Parents say

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AGE
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QUALITY
 
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Kids say

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What's it about?

The opening screen of Dr. Panda's Hospital looks like an emergency room waiting area filled with cute, sad-looking animals. Kids tap on the animal they'd like to help and are then transported into a hospital room. Tap again, and the animal's particular procedure pops up. Kids help reset bones by swiping on an X-ray, retrieve swallowed items with a magnet placed down the esophagus, or kill bacteria in a cow's belly. Kids choose which animals they'd like to help and earn stickers for curing them.

Is it any good?

QUALITY
 

DR. PANDA'S HOSPITAL is straightforward enough for little ones to play on their own and feel like they're really accomplishing tasks and helping the animated animals. Swiping, tapping, sorting, and moving are the basic requirements for gameplay. In addition to the main tasks in the 10 games, there are a few side activities, such as picking up trash in the hospital rooms, but they're not a core part of the game. Overall, this is a cute app for simple learning fun.

Families can talk about...

  • If your kids have a pretend doctor kit, teach them the names of all the tools so they can identify them on the app.

  • Talk with kids about the emotions the animals may be feeling in the waiting room, and during their "treatment." Help kids connect this to their own lives by asking how they felt during a time they've needed medical treatment.

App details

Devices:iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire
Price:$1.99
Release date:August 7, 2012
Category:Education
Size:64.20 MB
Publisher:TribePlay
Version:1.1
Minimum software requirements:iOS 3.1.3 or later; Android 2.3.3 and up

This review of Dr. Panda's Hospital was written by

Dana Villamagna

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.
  • NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids of any age.

Find out more

Quality

Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning ratings

  • Best: Really engaging, great learning approach.
  • Very Good: Engaging, good learning approach.
  • Good: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
  • Fair: Somewhat engaging, okay learning approach.
  • Not for Learning: Not recommended for learning.
  • Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.

Find out more

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Parent of a 3 year old Written bymaggy12 August 20, 2012
AGE
2
QUALITY
 
LEARNING

Great app for my younger one

a beautiful game for our younger ones. Cute figures make them laugh and learn.
What other families should know
Great messages
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Parent of a 3 year old Written byLinnielin August 22, 2012
AGE
3
QUALITY
 
LEARNING

Very cute and quite fun

This is a one of the best apps i bought for my kid. It caught her attention immediately, and kept her amused for 2 hours straight afterwards! It has a long playing value, definitely worth the money.
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Teen, 17 years old Written byraycui August 25, 2012
AGE
4
QUALITY
 
LEARNING

good

good
What other families should know
Great messages
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