Common Sense Media Review
By Mieke VanderBorght
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Tricky navigation, but super cool to match to actual sky.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Ready Jet Go! Space Explorer
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
Jet and his friends are here to help kids explore and learn about planets and constellations in READY JET GO! SPACE EXPLORER. Kids can play in two ways: Swipe or move the device to scan through a generic sky, or turn on location services and tap the compass icon to have the app match the sky exactly as kids see it from where they are. Tap on constellations and planets to learn a few fun facts about them, color the constellations with some simple drawing tools, or play hide-and-seek with Jet using clues to figure out where he's hiding.
Is It Any Good?
This is a solid, though somewhat superficial, introduction to the wonders of the night sky. Exploring the sky and seeing how stars form pictures will certainly be fascinating to lots of kids, although they can learn only three simple facts about roughly 30 planets and major constellations. As kids look for Jet in the hide-and-seek game, there's a bit more substance in the form of carefully worded clues and the guiding hand of Jet's sidekick, Sunspot. In-app navigation controls could use a bit of clarity or explanation, as it's not immediately clear how to use the different features. But by far the most interesting part of this app is that kids can calibrate the virtual sky to their real-world sky and try to match stars and find constellations. Even with the sometimes confusing user experience and information coverage that just barely touches the surface, this feature -- and the fact that the app is free -- makes it worth checking out.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what they see in the sky from their own backyards. Bring the device out on a clear night and match it up to your sky. Point out the stars you can find, and draw imaginary lines to form the constellations.
Help kids research to find out more about the things that most interest them in the sky. Go to the library or bookstore or look online for more information about planets, stars, constellations, and more.
Look at the Ready Jet Go! series and online materials to discover more about outer space.
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Kindle Fire
- Subjects : Science : astronomy
- Skills : Tech Skills : using and applying technology
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : June 6, 2016
- Genre : Education
- Publisher : PBS KIDS
- Version : 1.3
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 8.0 or later
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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