Review: Pica Preschool App

There’s something about the dazzling display of a tablet or smartphone that tends to keep a preschooler engaged.  Probably because they love the automatic of touching something and receiving an immediate response.  I’m one of those moms that has no issues with ‘screen time’ if the apps are helpful in nature, and I recently had a chance to review Pica Preschool which is a pretty neat interactive story app for a preschool aged child.

Pica Preschool is just right for the three to four year old crowd.  It uses a book to introduce a child to a new activity, in this case going to preschool.  The book can be read in multiple ways; by myself (where a parent would read sitting next to the child), read to me (where the app has a narrator), your voice where the parent can record their own voice to read to the child through the app (This would be especially neat for parents who travel a lot or who are deployed.  It also allows for some word changing if you aren’t entirely thrilled with the text).

The book is naturally interactive.  The child can touch around the screen and see inaminate objects do some fun things, to proceed in the story one doesn’t just swipe the page, there are some hints and clues on what the child needs to do next in order to go further! Problem solving skills!

You can purchase more books through the parent gate, the question to get through is pretty advanced (I received which of these numbers is divisible by 3 and had to choose those that corresponded), so there isn’t much worry about your child buying a whole bunch of add ons in the app.

Within the app, besides reading the book, the child can aslo drag Sam to a select page and go right to it.

Plus there are fun activities to do with Sam.  A Memory Game, Reveal the Image, Coloring Pages and a Puzzle.

There is even some Expert Advice videos for Mom & Dad to help their children adjust to the new activity.

And when the child has gone through the app and is ready to take that leap to go to preschool…they can even get a diploma! (Yep that’s right, I’m ready for preschool!)

This is a sponsored post.

Over all I thought the app is well done, the one thing I would like to see different is the word choice in some of the sentences.  One part when Sam is unsure of going to Preschool he thinks his parents are “dim.”  I don’t think preschoolers need to be exposed to ideas of being disrespectful like that (well any child actually), and while it may not bother others, we were pretty conservative with what our daughter listened to, read and watched especially in her very young years.  If you still like the concept of the book, using it in Read to Me or Record Your Voice mode is a work around to that assuming your preschooler can’t read yet.

You can find Pica Preschool on multiple platforms:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pica-preschool-interactive/id947274485?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ranrazproductions.picapreschool
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Pica-Preschool-Interactive-Educational-Parents/dp/B00QU911O4/ref=sr_1_3?s=mobile-apps&ie=UTF8&qid=1421594245&sr=1-3 

Price: $2.99

There is also a free version for you to try it out first though if you like!

Pica Sharing

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pica-sharing-interactive-educational/id946967673?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ranrazproductions.picasharing
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Pica-Sharing-Interactive-Educational-Parents/dp/B00QMT6PPW/ref=sr_1_4?s=mobile-apps&ie=UTF8&qid=1421594261&sr=1-4

I have 3 promo codes to giveaway for the iTunes version of Pica Preschool App (sorry Android and Kindle users!)

This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents ages 18+. No PO Boxes. The winner will have 48 hours to respond, and will be randomly chosen. By entering this giveaway you are stating that you have read and agree to the Privacy Statement and Giveaway Rules posted on our site. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  Giveaway begins at 7:00 PM CST 2/20/2015 and ends at 11:59 PM CST 2/27/2015. 

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