Ed. note: App of the Week picks are now being curated by the editors of Common Sense Education [1], which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. Click here [2]to read the full app review.
Space by Tinybop [2]
What’s It Like?
Space by Tinybop allows kids to be virtual space explorers. Kids tap on a rocket to blast into space and then move around the planets to compare their size; they can also see how they rotate around the sun to compare the length of each planet’s year. As students explore, they can figure out the phases of the moon by tracing its orbit or zoom in on a planet to interact with the surface.
Price: $2.99
Grades: 1-8
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Beautiful interactives place space exploration and investigation right at kids’ fingertips.
Cons: Despite the developer-cited age range of 6–8, younger elementary school-age kids need more in-app directions.
Bottom line: Learn about the sun, moon, and planets through interactive open-ended play.