Common Sense Media Review
By Chad Sapieha
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Discussion starter for kids and parents to play together.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Who Am I? Race Awareness Game
What's It About?
WHO AM I? RACE AWARENESS GAME is a two-player game meant for a parent and child. Both players see a set of faces. The first player selects a face and passes the device to the other player who then tries to guess which face the first player chose. Players can test out their detective skills by asking questions about the physical appearance of the target face (i.e. gender, age, race, etc.) to eliminate the other choices. When the second player guesses, players can read more about the selected person. Parents get conversation tips between rounds.
Is It Any Good?
Developed by a Harvard professor and an award-winning producer of interactive entertainment for children, Who Am I? engages adults and children in frank discussions about sensitive subjects concerning race, ethnicity, and culture. Similar to playing the game Guess Who?, parents choose a picture from a large group of racially diverse portraits, then hand the device to their children. Kids ask a series of questions regarding physical attributes, and eventually discover the right one by process of elimination. Each portrait comes with quotes from the person explaining how he/she identifies him/herself. The quotes make ideas about race feel more personal, although some of the quotes could reinforce assumptions without parental guidance to offer context.
Some parents may think it unwise to broach the subject of race with younger children, but the game’s introductory text makes a compelling argument that children are already thinking about differences in the way people look and regard themselves and others at a young age, and that it's best to help guide them on this cognitive process. Still, it's a parenting decision that moms and dads will need to make for themselves.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Use the tips and conversation topics the app provides to guide talks with your kids. Apply some of the tips to everyday life.
Help kids with their strategies and deduction skills. The board game Guess Who? offers a similar game experience (but does not focus on racial identity).
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad
- Subjects : Social Studies : cultural understanding
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : applying information , asking questions , deduction , Responsibility & Ethics : embracing differences , respect for others
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : December 16, 2013
- Genre : Education
- Publisher : Playtime Interactive
- Version : 1.3
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 4.3 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
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