App Review: ABC Animals
ABC Animals has a familiar tale: turn learning the ABC’s into a flash card experience that is ripe with illustrations and audio to match.
And yet the makers of the app, Critical Matter Inc, have thrown their own twist on the story. Behind each card they have placed instructions for kids to draw letters. As kids follow the helpful instructions and trace the letters, their little fingers are greeted with pink ink (digital of course) that they can splatter across the canvas.
The draw-the-letters feature of the app is fun and unique, but is also the source of my one complaint. The app opens immediately on the flash cards, and does not offer instructions on how to get to and from the drawing feature.
When I first tried the app I accidentally found my way to the back of a card, began to draw and then stumbled back to the front of the card. It took a minute to realize a double tap flipped the cards back and forth. Sounds like a silly complaint but my near 3 year-old did not find it any more intuitive.
Zander did try out the app a bit and liked the illustrations, the audio and the most of all the drawing. In short, my little guy liked the app. I believe it is an update or two away from showing its full potential…A pretty app, and a unique app. Kudos to Critical Matter Inc.
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There is also a way to erase the lines you have drawn and start over. Even though
I have done it several times on accident I still can’t figure out how to erase on command. This app needs just a few lines of instructions.
Josth– after trial and error, I discovered that the way to erase the lines in ABC Animals is to shake the phone. Hope that helps. Also, you’re right — a screen with instructions might be a nice addition to the app.
I am trying to figure out how to change the language of the cards. Does anybody know how? in the introduction it says it can be used for English, German, French and Spanish…but no instruction hon how to do it. Help please
Maria Sol –
To change the language settings for ABC Animals:
1. Go to the main settings for your phone.
2. Scroll down below the default Apple settings until you see ABC Animals. Select it.
3. Scroll down within the options for ABC Animals until you see Preferred Language. Select it.
You should see options for British English, American English, French, German, and Spanish.
Select your desired language, fire up the app, and you should be good to go. Hope that helps.
Also – so far as I know, there’s no way to change the language directly from within the app. If there is a way, and anyone knows how, please speak up..