Toontales - Caillou, Busytown Mysteries
By Amanda Bindel,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Fun, free games with interactive stories as in-app buys.
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Toontales - Caillou, Busytown Mysteries
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Based on 1 parent review
The epic battle between Shrek and Caillou
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What’s It About?
TOONTALES - CAILLOU AND BUSYTOWN MYSTERIES includes for free one episode and a few games. All the content is shown on a carousel screen that kids can scroll through. Free content is labeled; the rest must be purchased. Each episode plays like a cross between a TV show and an interactive book. Kids can have the story read to them or read it themselves. Each episode includes several interactive games, and the Toy Box includes a few free games.
Is It Any Good?
Enough content is included for free to make this a worthy download, but parents will need to be prepared to set limits on the in-app purchases or spend a bit of money. Kids can color pages from the extensive coloring book, play a few puzzle games, and play an increasingly challenging memory game from the free Toy Box. In the episodes, the narration is spot on with the same voices kids will recognize from the show, and the activities within each episode are educational and fun.
Disappointingly, the free episodes and paid episodes appear together in a carousel display, so it's very likely that kids will tap on an episode expecting it to play but instead be told they'll need a parent to buy the episode. When you select an episode from the carousel, you'll see the price, a summary, and icons indicating the skills covered (such as reading and fine motor skills) and the age recommendation. Some features can take a while to load or fail to load at all, requiring users to try again.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about freemium apps and explain to kids their guidelines for what they will and will not purchase. Check out our article on managing freemium apps, 8 Ways to Save (and Spend) on "Free" Apps.
The interactive books are lengthy, so parents may want to read alongside little kids to help keep them engaged.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad
- Subjects: Language & Reading : following directions, reading, vocabulary
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning : logic, memorization, solving puzzles, thinking critically
- Pricing structure: Free to try, Free (Freemium app includes some games and, at the time of review, one preview episode/book. Other episodes/books can be purchased in-app for $2.99 each.)
- Release date: June 28, 2014
- Category: Education
- Topics: Book Characters , Brothers and Sisters , Cats, Dogs, and Mice
- Publisher: Loud Crow Interactive Inc.
- Version: 2.0
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 6.0 or later
- Last updated: August 16, 2016
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