Common Sense Media Review
Basic preschool skills in simple, pricey package.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
HooplaKidz Fun with ABC and 123
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
Kids start by tapping the play button on the main screen, which prompts a bright and colorful train, driven by a friendly character who repeatedly says hello. This is likely intended to engage kids, but it's oddly off-putting (though it may not bother little ones). There are five train cars, each offering a different activity. Kids select an activity by tapping on a car, and they can return to the main train screen at any time. No reading is required because there are audio instructions. Kids can tap a sound icon to hear the instructions again, and if they want to repeat any of the activities, there will be some variety. For example, kids might have to identify an apple as the "A" object in one round and an alligator as the "A" object in another round. However, the overall tasks across activities do not offer much variation.
Is It Any Good?
HOOPLAKIDZ FUN WITH ABC AND 123 gives kids an opportunity to learn and practice basic preschool skills. The colorful graphics are ideal for little fingers, and audio instructions guide kids without the need for reading. Overall, there's nothing different or special in this game than many others, and it might prove too repetitive for some kids. More variety across the activities could keep kids engaged for longer, and an opportunity to track progress could help parents identify how much kids are learning and improving.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about objects around the house or outside that begin with different letters of the alphabet.
Reinforce the number activities by having kids count everyday objects such as pennies or buttons.
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad
- Subjects : Language & Reading : following directions , letter or word recognition , phonics , Math : numbers , sequences
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : memorization
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Release date : March 10, 2015
- Genre : Education
- Topics : Transportation ( Trains )
- Publisher : HooplaKidz
- Version : 2.0
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 7.0 or later
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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
Suggest an 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