problem solving Archive

  • Shape Shuffle – A new dimension to Tangram puzzles

    Many folks are familiar with tangrams, the ancient Chinese shape/shadow puzzle. They’re good, challenging fun.  Shape Shuffle – A Shape Saga takes that puzzle fun to another dimension (or two?) by adding depth and color to the puzzles. One has a target pattern that needs […]

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  • Star Wars Pit Droids – surprisingly educational puzzler

    These pit droids are pretty mindless.  They can only follow instructions via tiles printed on the ground.  It’s your job to steer them in the right direction. Yup – it’s another algorithmic thinking puzzle in the guise of a game!  I had come to think […]

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  • Cargo Bot – introduction to algorithmic thinking.

    Cargo Bot is a great little game that has generated some buzz because it was developed entirely on the iPad.  We’ll be looking into that development environment and how it might be useful for a kid to get introduced to programming later on.  For now, […]

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  • Scribblenauts – a great creative, problem solving game

    Scribblenauts was originally introduced to us via my brother’s Nintendo DS.  When we saw it out for the iPad, we jumped on it.  Maxwell, the main character, often finds himself in situations where he needs help.  That’s where you come in.  You create objects (by […]

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  • Into the Snow – more interactive than book, but fun anyway!

    Going into this app, I thought it was going to be an interactive book.  My first run through it showed me it wasn’t and though the interactive stuff was cute, I wasn’t that interested in it.  There was a story, but it was acted out […]

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  • Where’s my water – good physics puzzle game from Disney

    The Disney folks have some good apps on the iPhone for kids.  Very kid friendly, but sometimes geared towards some of their brands. This game is different, since it is created around a new character, Swampy the Alligator. Swampy just wants to take a shower, […]

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  • Maze+ – Freemium app that lead to some tears.

    Maze+ is an interesting game at some levels.  At a personal level though, it left us in tears. The idea is simple enough – lead your cute little dude through a maze.  The maze is interesting in that it doesn’t all fit on the screen […]

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  • Casey’s Contraptions – physics game, geared towards kids with a iPad friendly UI

    Update:This game was bought out and renamed Amazing Alex by Rovio. But it’s still the same great game. It’s a physics, Rube Goldberg game, with a slant towards children.  It is a lot like the previously reviewed Crazy Machines, but it has a much more intuitive […]

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  • Bartleby’s Book of Buttons – a fun interactive book.

    Bartleby’s Book of Buttons is exactly that – a book of buttons and knobs and switches.  Each of the buttons interacts with the page somehow, making this a storybook that really couldn’t be done without the iPad. Bartleby, the main character, goes on an adventure […]

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  • Ticket to Ride – great iPad implementation of the board game.

    I have a few board game enthusiasts at work and they were recommending some board games to play with Sal.  At first, I wasn’t into the idea behind Ticket to Ride, but when I was talking to another parent about games with choice versus games […]

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