Nature Maestro Rainforest Day
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Nature Maestro Rainforest Day
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Nature Maestro Rainforest Day is an exploratory tool that guides kids through the sounds and sights of a rainforest. Actual forest sounds, audio instructions, and narrated facts take kids through a unique world. Kids can use the provided images and audio and add their own sounds to create personal soundscapes. There are fun facts to read and a matching game that tests kids' memory and visual skills. Parents should note that through the Guide, kids can tap on a YouTube icon and be taken there automatically; they can share created content via email or social media, depending on what's logged in on the device.
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What’s It About?
The home screen of NATURE MAESTRO RAINFOREST DAY is illustrated and organized into the following sections: Guide, Fun Facts, Challenge, and Explore. When kids first open the app, the narrator, Dennis, greets them and provides a brief overview of the app's features. Kids tap on any of the icons to access a section. The Guide includes instructions and navigation tips. The Fun Facts section includes information about the rainforest animals and sounds, and the narrator can read the text. In the Challenge section, kids can play a timed matching game, and in the Explore section, kids can create their soundscapes using different rhythms, melodies, and prerecorded rainforest sounds. They also can add their own narration for a unique, personalized creation.
Is It Any Good?
Nature Maestro Rainforest Day is a fun way for kids to be creative with music and sounds while learning about the environment. The graphics are colorful, and the sounds are authentic. The developers captured real sounds from a Costa Rican rainforest, giving kids a realistic yet whimsical experience. Some kids (and adults) may find the visuals overwhelming or confusing at first, since they're laid out in a nonlinear way and interactive features appear on both the narrator, Dennis, and other icons; once kids access the Guide, however, the instructions will be clear. Audio help is available for any interactive element, which supports different learning styles and abilities. Some additional games and a musical keyboard could make this snappy app even better.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the importance of animal diversity and protecting the environment. What can we do to keep these animals happy and healthy?
Work with kids to create soundscapes, encouraging them to have fun, let loose, and be creative.
Ask kids why they think certain animals make the sounds they do. What purpose might those sounds serve?
App Details
- Device: iPad
- Subjects: Science: animals, ecosystems and the environment, Arts: music, rhythm
- Skills: Creativity: making new creations, Tech Skills: digital creation
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Release date: April 1, 2015
- Category: Education
- Topics: Science and Nature, Wild Animals
- Publisher: Earth in Concert
- Version: 1.5
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 7.1 or later
- Last updated: July 28, 2016
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