Parents' Guide to The Cat in the Hat Builds That

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android , Kindle Fire Free Education
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Common Sense Media Review

Mieke VanderBorght By Mieke VanderBorght , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 4+

Upbeat feline offers fun STEM exploration on- and offscreen.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 4+?

Any Positive Content?

  • The Cat in the Hat Builds That App: Screenshot #1
  • The Cat in the Hat Builds That App: Screenshot #2
  • The Cat in the Hat Builds That App: Screenshot #3
  • The Cat in the Hat Builds That App: Screenshot #4

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What's It About?

Kids start THE CAT IN THE HAT BUILDS THAT in a tree house where they can choose from three games. Sort items by color and shape with the Sorta-ma-gogo. Adjust the height of a slide and pour different substances on it (e.g., sand, butter) to slide down faster or slower with the Slidea-ma-zoo. And build bridges with differently sized pieces in Bridge-a-rama. Complete a certain number of levels to unlock a similar free play game -- e.g., experiment with building bridges -- in the tree house. Gameplay is rewarded with stars and decorative items for the tree house. There's also a free draw area where kids design and test ideas over templates of the game's machines, and ideas for offscreen play.

Is It Any Good?

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

Fun games gently introduce some foundational science and engineering skills and let kids explore. Well-loved characters guide kids as they sort, build bridges, and adjust slides. Though the graphical feel is true to Dr. Seuss' whimsical style, the audio sometimes feels canned, with awkward pauses between some words. The games get more challenging as kids keep playing, which allows kids to stay on their toes. And the free-play games that open after kids pass a few levels let kids play however they want. There's lots of help and explicit instructions for navigation and gameplay. But the app's organization is a bit unclear, which may or may not affect kids' play experience. Some aspects of the games are mundane, while others are creative, unique features. For example, many preschool apps offer a sorting game, but not many allow kids to change the height of a slide and put different substances on it to experiment with momentum and surface friction. It's also nice that there are often multiple solutions to each challenge, and kids are encouraged to try multiple times to see what happens. To that end, The Cat in the Hat Builds That does offer something unique to the crowded field of preschool apps.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about STEM concepts in The Cat in the Hat Builds That. Encourage kids to verbalize as they experiment. How long are those bridge pieces? What happens when you make the slide taller or put sand on it?

  • Give kids opportunities to experiment offscreen. Build bridges, towers, slides, and more with blocks, boxes, or whatever you can get your hands on. Explore the suggestions in the app's tree house for new ideas.

  • Talk to your kids about branding. Are they more interested in these games because of The Cat in the Hat? Why or why not?

App Details

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