Kids' App of the Week: DADA Trains
Give your young train lover an artistic treat, with five games from Spanish studio DADA Company. Each game has a different illustrator, described in the publisher’s blog.
The games, which look like interactive paintings, consist of Look Inside (see the parts of a steam locomotive at work); Train Factory (color a locomotive in various scenarios and complete different challenges); Playground (discover hidden characters, overcome obstacles and explore worlds); Simulator (take a seat in in the engine, with a view through the tablet’s camera, driving through swarms of bugs or rain); and Magic Canvas (make drawings or collages with stickers and a basic set of coloring tools).
Testers noted that one of the problem-solving games uses parts that are clumsy to position, and the sound option is “all or nothing” — if you turn off the music, you also turn off interactive sounds. But these are minor issues. The bottom line? This is a nice general-purpose app that will expose your child to quality ideas and illustrations.
DADA Trains
For iPad
$2.99
Ages: 4 to 9
Warren Buckleitner, Ph.D., is editor of CTREX (Children’s Technology Review Exchange), a professional subscription-only database for teachers, parents and librarians. Have a look at www.ctrex.us. Save 25 percent on your subscription using the keyword “holiday.” Subscribe now.
