Drawing Games to Learning Kids

The overall content of this app is drawing. Users are encouraged through a wide variety of different topics to access drawings, which they, with support draw on the screen. When they have created each of the drawings what the user has created magically comes alive on the screen. Throughout the process of drawing lots of support is given to the user via verbal clues as well outlines on the screen. Users are able to take their time drawing each different bit of the picture until it all comes together at the end. Whilst they are drawing the prompts clearly explain what they are doing and how they should be doing it, introducing them to lots of different and new language along the way. In fact, although this app does seem mainly about drawing, and users will probably think so too, however one of the main aims of the app the developers have cleverly included is an introduction to language and also to numbers. As users are drawing their pictures they are doing so via certain themes and are being introduced to letters, words, sounds and numbers maybe without even realising it and for me this is one of the key parts of the app.

Looking on the developer’s website it is clear to see that the suite of apps they have available are already well used in many different countries and that is no surprise when you start to use their apps. The design is smart and will appeal to a whole range of young children and gameplay is simple and importantly creative, which again is a real bonus of the app itself. The app itself is subscription based and although there is a free version content is obviously limited through this, however there is certainly enough for it to be worth downloading. However, to get the most out of the app I would certainly look into purchasing a subscription especially as content is added on a weekly basis meaning that users can enjoy continually using this app and always having content that they have not previously come across before.

Once the user has entered the app they are given a large number of options of different topics they can choose from. These range from pets and transport to animals and Christmas as well as a whole section dedicated just to introducing numbers. Once a topic is chosen the user is then taken to the page for that topic where they are able to choose from a number of drawings to select from. Within some of the topics there is also a further link to some of the other apps in the developer’s suite of available apps. For instance, in one topic there is a link to the developers reading and comprehension programme. Once the user has selected a picture that they wish to create they are then taken to the main drawing page where they are guided through the stages of creating the artwork. They are able at any point to either cancel out what they have done or to go back a step if they wish and they are also able to save their drawings to view via a another page on the main site at any time they wish. All the way through the drawing process the user is introduced to different language to help them to draw the pictures and also guided in how to do this via outlines on the page. All of this, as the developer knows, is helping the user to get used to creating marks on a page which will help them when they come to form letters and start writing, but through an app they are able to make these marks knowing they can be changed, deleted or retyped at any point, great for building confidence in young users.

Overall, this is a good app in helping young children use drawing as a way to be introduced to language, communication and numbers whilst also learning and developing key motor skills.