Dr. MOOVES A&D

What is Dr. MOOVES A&D app?                          

A player’s typical experience with Dr. MOOVES A&D will be to follow along with a dance while the app tracks and scores their movements.

The player chooses from one of four characters currently available and a dance style. The player then needs to stand where the app can detect their body position.

The on-screen character will then begin to dance, and the player mimics them. At the end of the dance, the player receives a score and can repeat it or do other dances.

The player’s dances don’t just generate a simple score but also more detailed body-domain measurements. These are the diagnostic elements of the activity. They are readily accessible to the user and the app account holder. The data is easy to forward to a therapist, and the app can automate this if you choose.

What we love about Dr. MOOVES A&D app.

Apps that make claims for their scientific basis don’t always back this up with researchable details. We’re pleased to see that Dr. MOOVES app has an accompanying website that explains a lot about the app but, crucially, the experts behind the app put their names to it

The named medical doctor, currently practising as a child psychiatrist, alongside a scientific officer, clearly have the expertise and experience to know what helps kids control anxiety and depression.

The play experience of Dr. MOOVES A&D is thoughtfully implemented. The developer has recognised that sometimes the app will be used by somebody recording the player, and at other times, the player might use it alone. It lets users choose an auto-record option if players have propped up their device somewhere.

Apps that get kids to do something physical are few, and even just for fun, we’d recommend getting kids to have a go at some of the dances. They are easy to fit in as they come in various lengths, from less than one minute and up to three. There is also an untimed mode for kids to move however they want.

Players see their scores go up as they play, and occasional announcements of ‘perfect’ and other praise feel gamelike and motivating.

How can you use the app?

Dr. MOOVES A&D isn’t an app meant only for play. The dances record different body-movement measurements, which therapists can use to help direct children’s ongoing treatment. 

The dances are intended to grow mental strength and cognitive resilience as they help manage and control symptoms of anxiety and depression. But they are also good for having fun.

Parents and teachers should be aware that there are different forms of therapy for mental health problems. This app, which has emerged from a scientific study, conforms to the approach and methodology of its designer, whose online details show him to be qualified and experienced in the appropriate field.

What age is it appropriate for?

Kids are the primary focus of Dr. MOOVES, but its developers say it is suitable for use by everyone.

Adults intending to use this app with kids can register as individuals, caregivers, or therapists.

Is Dr. MOOVES A&D app easy to use?

A helpful video tutorial is available on the app’s supporting website, which is also full of other interesting, useful, and informative content related to the app. 

The app is easy to use. There is no problematic calibration to get the app to recognise the player in its camera. If the player is in a reasonably well-lit room and standing at a suitable distance from the camera, it will work without issue.

How will students benefit?

At the time of this review of Dr. MOOVES, there were four characters to lead the player. While we can only anticipate what they will add to the experience, the app’s future characters will include Nickelodeon favourites like Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob. 

Exercise and physical movement are always good activities to encourage in kids, whether they are struggling with anxiety and/or depression or not. The app delivers a fun experience that all kids can enjoy, and the challenge and rewards of receiving perfect scores will keep them coming back for more.

How will parents benefit?

One of the app’s stated aims is to help kids even when they are not with their therapist. Parents can use the app to take a proactive role in helping their kids alleviate their symptoms and through the app’s scoring, help the therapist better understand how kids are progressing.

What can Dr. MOOVES A&D app improve on?

Dr. MOOVES A&D is good fun, and the benefits described by its developer are desirable, so we’d like to see it expand to kids who might be wheelchair users or have some other physical condition that prevents them from fully taking part in the app’s dances as they currently exist.

Judging by the app’s tutorial video, it once showed the the app’s body tracking as an overlay.  It no longer does this, which is not a problem, but something else to confirm that the tracking is working would be reassuring.  The app pauses when the player moves out of tracking range and indicates the problem but beginners will appreciate a confirmation that all is well too.

Good to know

The app asks you for your role when you first create an account with the app. Don’t worry if you are a parent or teacher who has downloaded the app; you can create individual profiles later for each person who will use it. 

Apps should ask for the minimum data they need to fulfil their purpose so it is good to see that this app makes it clear why some of its information requests are there. It asks for physical measurements, which are justified as being needed to determine scores based on the user’s body domains.

The app tracks players over time and monitors their development. If your child has friends who want to try (or you want a sneaky go!) make sure that you create a separate profile so that the data remains relevant to each user.

A good tip with any app that asks kids to record themselves is to get a cheap stand.  Kids can sometimes create quite precarious structures to balance expensive devices and a purpose-made stand could save phones and tablets from falling to the ground.

If you believe that your child has mental health issues of any type, including anxiety and depression, you should seek professional help and advice. You should discuss your use of apps and any other supporting tool with the professional helping your child.

How much does Dr. MOOVES A&D app cost?

Dr. MOOVES is entirely free and fully functional. There are no subscription or in-app purchase options, and the app does not contain third-party advertisements.

Is Dr. MOOVES A&D app safe to use?

There is always a worry when apps record or photograph kids how the app processes and stores the visual capture, but Dr. MOOVES A&D promises that no recording takes place.  This might surprise you as players spend time with the device’s camera pointed at them. However, the app indicates that it only records movement and volume data that it translates into non-visual data. 

Players will see themselves on their device’s screen for positioning purposes but it is not recorded in a visual format.

Although this is a free app, it does not include any third-party advertisements or in-app purchases. 

The app’s terms and conditions make it clear that it is not a diagnostic or treatment tool and that professional support should be engaged to help kids with mental health issues.

Overall rating of the app.

There are two strands to Dr. MOOVES A&D. 

The first is the dance aspect. This activity is entertaining, easy to use, good fun, and gets kids active. 

The second strand is its clinical and mental health support. Here, the app and its supporting website provide a wealth of information, responsibly phrased and supported.  With this, alongside professional guidance, you have the information to make an informed decision.

Kids’ mental health is a specialised field and one in which only a professional who knows your child is qualified to give you good advice. This app could certainly be part of the support your child receives, and at its level of quality and free price, you should download it and have your kids throw down some dance moves with their chosen character.

You can download Dr. MOOVES A&D on your iOS devices from the Apple App Store.