The Orchard by HABA
By Christy Matte,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Simple color/fruit matching game relies mostly on luck.
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The Orchard by HABA
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What’s It About?
THE ORCHARD BY HABA asks kids to protect a fruit orchard from a hungry raven who is trying to steal the fruit. Kids spin a color wheel and must pick a fruit with that color from one of the trees. When the game starts, kids are prompted with the color and type of fruit to choose based on the location on the wheel. Once they get past the first few rounds, they must figure out which fruit tree matches the color without any help. If the wheel lands on the raven, he takes a step closer to the basket of fruit. Each time he does, he may throw an object (such as a piece of fruit) at the screen. Kids will need to "wipe" it off with their finger. If he gets too close, he gleefully steals the fruit and runs off with it. If kids manage to collect all of the fruit before the raven steals it, they are given flower seeds. These seeds are planted on the main menu screen so kids eventually will have a field of flowers.
Is It Any Good?
What may have been a charming board game unfortunately seems to lose some sparkle in transition to app form. The Orchard by HABA starts with a somewhat disturbing premise for toddlers and preschoolers: A not-so-kind raven is trying to sneak through the orchard and steal all of their fruit. They are charged with protecting it, but the game is entirely by chance. The spinner is random and picking the right colored fruit is a secondary activity as there are no penalties for guessing and choosing the wrong item. The raven is a rather mean fellow and while some kids might chuckle as he hurls fruit in their direction, others might not be so amused. The illustrations are lovely, but kids may not recognize the fruit for what it is, especially after the initial tutorial is over. Unfortunately, there isn't enough for kids to do, and what little engagement they have does nothing to alter the outcome. A multi-player option would restore the opportunity to practice taking turns and good sportsmanship that the board game version encouraged.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about gardening and how fruits and vegetables grow offscreen and in The Orchard by HABA. Where do they come from? Do you grow any fruits and vegetables at your house? If not, visit a farm or community garden to learn more.
How do you like this app in comparison with other apps you could play? If you had to choose, would you pick this app over other apps on your device? Why, or why not?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning : applying information
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Release date: November 8, 2017
- Category: Educational Games
- Topics: Wild Animals
- Publisher: Fox & Sheep
- Version: 1.3
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 6.0 or later
- Last updated: May 3, 2018
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