Great Big Story
By Mieke VanderBorght,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Mini video docus inspire, enrich, include implicit ads.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this app.
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Great Big Story
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What’s It About?
GREAT BIG STORY requires users to agree to its privacy policy and terms of use before accessing any content. Once in, scroll up and down to browse videos, read short descriptions of the stories they tell, and tap Play to watch. Mark the ones you like or share them through the device's sharing options. Kids can also search by keyword and browse videos by channel, such as Human Condition, Flavors, or Planet Earth. Or, they can watch groups of videos in playlists such as Women's History Month or That's So '90s.
Is It Any Good?
High-quality, short videos offer interesting tidbits to enrich kids' minds, pique their curiosity, inspire them to do big things -- and to introduce them to big corporate brands. There's a great variety of story type with an emphasis on people doing amazing or unique things and interesting tidbits from around the world. The positive spin to all the stories is refreshing and leaves viewers with a good feeling. Of course, the warm fuzzy feeling of goodness is also to the great advantage of Great Big Story's corporate sponsors. Sponsorship ranges from subtle tags such as "this story was brought to you by" to entire videos that seem like feel-good commercials for the brand. Though parents will appreciate the positivity that abounds, they'll likely want to address some of the commercialism issues. The videos themselves are beautifully produced, but it would be nice to see some additional navigation tools in the app, such as build your own playlist. All in all, the stories in Great Big Story facilitate marveling at the wonders of the world and of humankind.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the inspirational themes found in Great Big Story. What stories interest you most and why? How do the stories make you feel?
Discuss the commercial aspects of Great Big Story. How does the app market its sponsors? What are the corporations' goals in sponsoring or creating this content?
With autoplay and lots of interesting videos to watch, it can be hard to stop. Talk to your kids about setting limits and what your family's rules are regarding screen time.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Subjects: Social Studies: cultural understanding, exploration, global awareness, Arts: dance, music
- Pricing structure: Free
- Release date: February 16, 2018
- Category: Entertainment
- Topics: Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models
- Publisher: Great Big Story
- Version: 1.15.1
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 9.0 or later
- Last updated: March 25, 2019
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.
Suggest an Update
Where to Download
Our Editors Recommend
Free Educational Apps, Games, and Websites
Social Studies Apps, Games, and Websites
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