Elmo's World and You
© 2015 Sesame Workshop
Back in the olden days, TV programming didn't know, or care, if you were in the room. Not in this case. Here are two interactive “appisodes” in a single iPad app -- each with about 10 minutes of carefully carved up vintage Sesame Street content and the ability to freely finger paint with, or on, Elmo. Later, during a fish tank scene, you can tap on the screen to make bubbles for the fish, or pick which skit Mr. Noodle performs. As a result, young children have something to do while they watch, and the thing they do is related to the screen content. Not only that, but it's responsive and high in child control. Nearly every option is responsive and fail-safe, and a table of contents feature lets you jump around in the show. There are some quirks in the design to note. We didn't like how children are shown and teased with additional content in the main menu, for an additional $2.99. A better app design would let parents remove this option, so children aren't tempted with something they can see, but can't play with. We also wondered why a holiday tune (Jingle Bells) was used at one point in the first appisode. That particular song choice was made more noticeable by the inclusion of a keyboard that looks fun, but plays off pitch from the TV footage. A better crafted app would have fixed this. The bottom line: For $5.99 you get the core of two quality Sesame Street episodes: “Pets” and “Beaches,” and more are planned. While this app is pricey, it is proof that classic footage from yesterday can coexist on a modern touch screen.
$5.99, iPad, iPhone
Teaches: math, logic, imagination, art, self control, counting
CTR Rating: 90%