Okay, I’m going to do something I’ve never done before and tell you all you need to know about this app in what will be the second sentence of this review. Shape-O ABC’s is an amazing app, and one of the best iPad apps of the year! I have fallen in love with this app, and its one I simply came across myself. I bought this app a few weeks ago before going on vacation, to give Bug something new to play with. It was a pleasant surprise that its been a pure home run when it comes to her!
A little background from the people who brought you Shape-O ABC’s – Bellamon:
Shape-O! ABC’s is an activity for preschool age kids that encourages “learning by doing” by integrating puzzles, shapes, words, colors and sounds. It features over 100 inventive shape-puzzles and was developed in consultation with a PhD level education specialist.
★ Over 100 images
Geometric shapes are pieced together to form images including animals, plants, transportation, faces and foods.
★ Alphabet & spelling
Letters are used as puzzle pieces to form words, helping with letter recognition and spelling. Friendly voiceovers demonstrate pronunciation, and parents can adjust the difficulty to the unique abilities of their child.
★ 8 color palettes
The rainbow button allows kids to rotate through colors expressing a variety of moods and tonal ranges inspired by natural and imaginary worlds. The simple screen designs incorporate warm textures of wood and craft papers.
★ Real instrumental sounds
A local composer created the melodious sound effects and background music. Kids will identify the real-world instruments, and parents will appreciate the simplicity of the tones.
★ Positive feedback
When a shape puzzle is completed successfully, children are rewarded with a triumphant “congratulations” sound, word and graphic. The aural and visual encouragement rewards the value of their effort and inspires continued play.
★ Thoughtful design
Shape-O! ABC’s strikes a balance between entertaining and challenging kids. The large, colorful buttons are designed for small fingers, and the simple icons are easily remembered for independent play.
★ We’re kids at heart
At Bellamon everything we do is designed for and tested by small people with big imaginations. We are inspired by the uniqueness and ingenuity of kids, and believe they deserve products that apply the highest quality of interaction design. This is why we use all custom graphics and sounds, and why we consult with a PhD level education specialist when developing new apps. Bellamon is a group of interactive experts (who also happen to be parents) dedicated to creating apps full of heart and imagination for kids everywhere.
Shape-O is an amazing educational, challenging, puzzle app. It challenges your kids to put together not only a picture, but also the word that names what it’s a picture of. Coming with three difficulty levels gives this app a lot of life as it can continue to challenge, and is geared towards kids anywhere from 2 to 6. Both my 2 and 4-year-old have fought over the iPad for their turn to do a puzzle, that’s how much they love this app.
As a parent I love the app not only because my kids love it so much, but because of the deep educational value it holds. Shape-O helps kids learn their shapes, and develop an understanding of letters spelling words and what those words are associated with. The puzzles themselves can be seen as similar to tangrams that are used in math, and help with a child’s spatial learning and understanding. Bug has started to learn her letters, learn words, and can even point out certain things that she could have only learned from this app. It truly is one of the best apps you can buy for your kid, and is a mainstay on my iPad from now on.
 Shape-O ABC’sby Bellamon  $1.99 |
