Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Personalized picks at your fingertips

Get the mobile app on iOS and Android

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

Light & Color by Tinybop

By Mieke VanderBorght, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Shed light on scientific concepts through open-ended play.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad Paid Education
Light & Color by Tinybop Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • Light & Color by Tinybop App: Screenshot #1
  • Light & Color by Tinybop App: Screenshot #2
  • Light & Color by Tinybop App: Screenshot #3
  • Light & Color by Tinybop App: Screenshot #4
  • Light & Color by Tinybop App: Screenshot #5

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Privacy Rating Warning

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

What’s It About?

LIGHT & COLOR BY TINYBOP is designed for open-ended exploration. Kids tap and swipe to discover what's available and experiment with scientific concepts through trial and error. There are six main menu options. In Mix, kids combine and separate paint or light colors to see what they can create. In Move, kids see a natural landscape and experiment with moving the sun to change shadows or create a rainbow during a rainstorm. Here they also experiment with different kinds of light passing through different objects (e.g. prism, opaque object). Kids use AR with the Name section to collect, identify, name, match, and categorize colors they find in their own environment. The Look activity lets kids see how vision looks different for a human, a dog, and a bee. In Sort, kids try out using different rules for sorting colors - such as spectrum, saturation, or tone. And in Feel, kids assign an emotion face to different colors. There are no instructions for play, but kids can turn labels on to learn science vocabulary words in over 40 languages. Parents can also access a learning guide (English only) with details on the scientific concepts.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This learning tool presents a welcoming environment where kids can freely experiment with scientific concepts, though some kids may benefit from more structure. Just like all the apps in Tinybop's collection, Light & Color by Tinybop excels in using technology in clever and inventive ways. For example, kids may marvel as the app analyzes and identifies the colors of objects around them. And as kids experiment what happens when different kinds of light, objects, or colors mix, kids are in the driver's seat -- which is absolutely the best place to be for scientific inquiry and hands-on learning. For kids who love science, or who have no problem throwing themselves into something without really understanding what they're doing, just to see what happens, Light & Color by Tinybop is great. It isn't as great for kids who need a bit more structure. A parents' learning guide does help, and this may be a great activity for kids and parents to do together: kids can experiment freely while parents can help provide the necessary background information.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the science behind what kids discover with Light & Color by Tinybop. Read the learning guide for help in knowing how to talk about what kids find out through the app and suggestions for thought inspiring questions.

  • Experiment with light and color off screen. There are lots of easy experiments to do at home. For example, look at a ray of light as it passes through a glass of water or mix and match paint colors and talk about what results you get.

  • Ask your kid what part of the app they find most interesting and why. What other questions do they have about light and color that aren't answered by the app or in the handbook? Help them find the answers.

App Details

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.

See all recommended app lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

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