Heads Up! Kids

$0.99, iPad, iPhone, Android

Teaches: language, problem solving, social interaction

CTR Rating: 88%

CTR Review

This is the children's version of the Ellen DeGeneres quiz game, where you hold your device up to your forehead and ask your friends to give you clues. The game is fun and it works, but there are some minor quarks to note. In addition, your child will be tempted by the additional decks that are sold for $.99 each as an IAP. This is a "paymium" app, meaning you have to pay a dollar to download the app and a starter set of content, then pay more for each content pack. If you were to download every content pack, it would cost about $10. After you choose a topic, your tablet (or phone) displays the clues, and keeps time. You tilt down for a correct answer or up to pass...the goal is to get as many correct guesses as possible. As you might imagine, the children's version contains generic topics. In the version we downloaded the decks included Around Town, the Letter A, Who Am I, The Letter B, Animal Kingdom and Around the House. The art is stylized in some of the decks, and sometimes vague (e.g., the farmer's hat was strange). But it is possible to include a word clue as well. We preferred the clear photos used in the Household Items deck. Weaknesses to note: The screen orientation jumps between vertical and horizontal, and there is no way to interrupt a game and start over, other than to let the timer run out. We also didn't like the way the app forces you to start your camera and record a video of the session. Parents may not want every game recorded, and the option to toggle this on/off should be included in the app. You'll also note that an Internet connection is required to download some of the included decks. So start this app in advance of a road trip, and make sure you have all the content on your device.The bottom line is that the kids version successfully brings a highly social play pattern to any group of children. This is a high social experience, and there is no limit to the size of group that can play, and a teacher could plug his or her device into a big screen to quiz and enter group of children. The Kids version was developed for Warner Bros. by Impending and Boinx Software. The game was created by the staff of the Ellen DeGeneres Show.