NameGames
© 2013 Name Games LLC
Designed to let babies and toddlers control your iPad's screen, NameGames (formerly called Pictoo's NameGames) is a mash-up between a photo album and a busy box. When a baby -- either accidentally or intentionally -- touches a bubble on the screen with your face, he or she will hear a prerecorded message. The free version lets you store just two profiles, encouraging you to upgrade. There are two activities. Bouncing Faces turns your profiles into floating bubbles. A child can pop the bubble to hear the message or touch the background change the scene. Where Am I? is more structured, asking children to touch the profile that matches the recorded sound. Three correct answers earns an ‘I Know’ bow. Strengths include a well done tutorial, to guide you through the setup. We found the camera and voice recording to be easy to use. Weaknesses include no control over the background music, and the background visuals are "kinda cheesy." Being able to turn your own images and sounds into an app that is high in child control makes this app noteworthy.
$3.99, iPad, iPhone, Android
Teaches: language, causality
CTR Rating: 90%