Parents' Guide to

Thinkrolls

By Amanda Bindel, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Adorable physics platformer creates little problem-solvers.

App iPhone , iPad , Android , Kindle Fire Paid Education
Thinkrolls Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Thinkrolls App: Screenshot #1
  • Thinkrolls App: Screenshot #2
  • Thinkrolls App: Screenshot #1
  • Thinkrolls App: Screenshot #3
  • Thinkrolls App: Screenshot #4

Community Reviews

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age 4+

Based on 4 parent reviews

rreveley
rreveley Parent of 6-year-old
December 21, 2020
age 3+

Excllent for slightly older autistic kids

I first introduced my 6-year-old ASD daughter to this game during lockdown when I was trying to find educational apps she would engage with. The mastered the puzzles quickly and moved on to Thinkrolls Kings and Queens and Thinkrolls Space which are much more challenging. She still goes back to the first Thinkrollls game from time to time as it is quite relaxing. The music is pleasant while the sound effects and animations are satisfying in a way that makes you want to carry-on. What works well, is there are no lives to lose and no game over. If you fail to solve a screen, you simply press the reset button on the corner of the screen and that screen resets itself without you being sent back. This is great for children who struggle with resilience and confidence. You pay for the whole game up front so there are no adverts, loot boxes, extra content or premium features. The UI is simple enough for kids to work without supervision.

This title has:

Easy to play/use
dangowans
dangowans Parent of 4-year-old
July 27, 2019
age 4+

This title has:

Easy to play/use
See all 4 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Kids start by choosing a ball, or Thinkroll, from several spunky choices. They then work their way through the game, which has a dozen or so levels for each chapter, rolling the ball along the path and getting through various obstacles. For example, Chapter One introduces a cookie that's in the way; how do you get rid of it? Eat it, of course! Higher levels are harder, combining skills learned earlier in the game and having kids look several moves ahead. Kids have to figure out how to get past the obstacles on their own without getting stuck, but each level can be replayed once they figure out how.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (4 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

With seven chapters, each introducing a different physics concept through familiar objects and including about a dozen levels, there's quite a bit in THINKROLLS to keep kids challenged. And since up to six players can have a customized profile on the device, the whole family can take on these fun and charming challenges. As they play, kids get to unlock new characters and choose which one they'd like to roll through each level, which is just another incentive to keep on working through the levels. There's no failure -- kids get as many chances as they need with no penalty or lost points (because there are no points!). Each level builds on the one before it, allowing kids time to master one concept before introducing a new challenge. The full-of-personality Thinkroll characters will appeal to kids of all ages and interests, challenging them with thought-provoking fun.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what's happening in each chapter to help kids make connections if they're stuck. What would happen if that balloon hit those spikes? What would happen if that rock hit that weak spot on the block?

  • Kids will need to rely on real-world experiences to have the background knowledge to solve the puzzles, so be sure they have time to climb, play with (and pop) balloons, throw rocks, bounce on soft things, and ride in elevators.

App Details

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