Common Sense Media Review
By Mieke VanderBorght
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Specialized focus promotes fluency with small numbers.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Gracie & Friends Jungle Gym
What's It About?
In GRACIE AND FRIENDS JUNGLE GYM kids practice recognizing quantity without having to count for numbers 2 through 5. Choose a robot, then drag the requested number of stickers to its belly. Then, group robots by number of dots to create hanging robot chains. To make robots fall from their jungle gym chain onto a trampoline, shake the device and start the next level. Levels increase in difficulty as they introduce higher numbers (up to 5). On a second level, kids match numerals to dot quantity. Helpful hints along the way gently guide kids who are having trouble.
Is It Any Good?
Gracie and Friends Jungle Gym does only one small thing, but it does it well. The combination of content (stickers, robots, a jungle gym, a trampoline) and interactivity (dragging and shaking) is whimsical and entertaining. Along the way, kids count and deal with quantity. Subitizing is a great skill that's a basis for having a comfortable and fluid relationship with numbers, and apps that bolster this skill well aren't easy to find. Without time pressure, kids can count the dots and thus not actually subitize, per se. But even if they do count, they still get nice practice with number fluency, and there's great support for kids who need it. Because the game only covers numbers up to 5, kids will play only so many times before getting bored. But the whole app suite, plus printable materials that extend learning off the screen, is all free and supported by third-party research. So, even if the shelf life is on the short side, it's worth the download.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about all the places where numbers and quantity appear. How many colors are on a traffic light? How many magnets on the fridge?
Count everyday items -- such as eggs -- and point out written numerals, such as the 6 written on a half-dozen egg carton.
Practice judging quantity quickly and without regard to how items are arranged. Group items and ask kids to quickly say how many are there. Rearrange and ask again.
App Details
- Device : iPad
- Subjects : Math : counting , estimation , numbers
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : December 4, 2014
- Genre : Education
- Topics : Numbers and Letters , Robots
- Publisher : First 8 Studios at WGBH
- Version : 1.0
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 6.0 or later
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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