App Review: Art Maker by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Play School

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Looking for a fun way for your child to be able to put together their own pieces of art?  You should check out Art Maker by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

This iPad app is based on the Play School television show in Australia.  The television show is the longest running children’s show in Australia and the second longest running children’s show in the world.

With this app children have a choice of 8 backgrounds to create pictures in.  To create their pictures they will need to drag and drop toys, crafts, animals and other objects into the background.  Some of the pieces also contain mini-games where the item is taken apart and the child has to put it back together like a puzzle.  Upon completion of the piece, the child can tap the camera picture and place their art into a scrapbook.

Another feature of the app is the ability to create their own own animated movies.  This enables the child to essentially do a screencast and record their voice while they move the characters around.

The company claims the app is designed for children 2-6 years old, but I find some of the actions a it too advanced for even a 3 year old.  This is definitely not an app where you can let your child go it alone if you want them to fully understand it.  You would need to help them discover all the capabilities and features.  The Australian version of the app lets the kids view the show.  I am disappointed not to see this incorporated into the international version.  I would have liked to expose the little one to a new show.

For a free app, the design is absolutely beautiful.  It is essentially a sticker book and a slideshow maker.  The vast selection of characters, animals and objects combined with the ability to choose a variety of scenes will keep your child going back to this app for more.

Art Maker by ABC’s Play School is available for the iPad in the iTunes App Store for free.

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