In this day and age, gadgets have become indispensable, especially in communicating with one another. But what about tech use for our little ones? Definitely, parents are still on the fence about this.
On one hand, we see the ill effects of having too much screen-time, and on the other, we see how apps can teach kids through a medium they can enjoy—videos and games. As parents, it is our duty to monitor their usage and the content they are consuming.
This month, we are putting focus on two apps that promise educational fun for children.
Da Vinci Kids app
Wanting to know how to make pancakes at home or learn the basics of physics? Level up the family bonding experience and amaze your kids every day as you join them in their learning adventure with the Da Vinci Kids app anytime, anywhere!
Da Vinci Kids app is a new family-oriented interactive video-on-demand app with an impressive library of educational content that will surely tickle the minds of your kids.
Here’s what in store for your little ones on the Da Vinci Kids app:
- Videos. Over 350 hours of fun videos are available and categorized into main catalogs, namely, Mother Earth, Amazing Animals, How Stuff Works, Our Body, Inspiring Art, Fascinating History, and Mathematics. Concepts are visualized through videos that are easily understood by kids.
- Quizzes. Kids can take the challenge of fun quizzes on interesting topics such as Insects, History, and Sports. Tip: Get a perfect score on these quizzes by watching the related episodes.
- Games. An entertaining array of mini games also await youngsters in the Da Vinci Kids app. Give their brains a workout with Memory Gym, create a pixel art masterpiece with Pixel Artist, or learn fraction concepts with The Train Conductor.
- Kids Studio. Is your kid passionate about science or has an exciting experiment he or she would like to share to everyone? Kids Studio is the place to be! It’s a safe, video-sharing community within Da Vinci Kids where they can create their own mobile stories and have it published on the app.
- Plus: By completing the app’s games and activities that encourage “learn-by-doing,” kids are awarded achievements and badges to motivate them to discover more.
*The app is available for P109 per month or P99 per month for Globe postpaid subscribers.
Discovery Kids
Designed to spark curiosity and encourage exploration, Discovery Kids sets itself apart with a unique watch-play-learn experience and a specially curated slate of content within a safe, enriching world that kids will love and parents can trust. Discovery Kids combines the best of science, nature and the wonders of the real world with beloved characters and unforgettable entertainment.
The app’s user interface and experience are designed and optimized for kids, with intuitive kid-first navigation that makes it easy for kids to use while having fun exploring and learning.
Discovery Kids launches with over a thousand activities which include shows, videos, a strong games portfolio, digital books and much more.
Content highlights include:
- Shows that kids already know and love such as My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Transformers Rescue Bots, Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom, Insectibles, Oddbods, and Angry Birds Toons
- Favourite children’s program, TeamYey! from ABS-CBN
- Games like Wild Kratts: Monkey Mayhem, Nature Cat: Park Builder, and Peg + Cat: Chicken Blast Off
- Original games Terra Formers, Ultimate Animal Races, and Rocket Escape
- Digital books such as Scaredy Squirrel and Goodnight Gorilla
- Shows from Discovery’s content library such as Cupcake Wars: Kids, Meet the Penguins, How Do They Do It: Kids Edition and Guess What They’re Making!
Kids will be able to toggle seamlessly between activities, with content refreshed regularly to engage young minds, inspire discovery, and ignite imaginations. With one account, subscribers get unlimited access to the platform across multiple devices and can download content for offline viewing.
*P129 per month after the 30-day trial period for Smart subscribers
Screen-time guidelines for parents
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises the following age-by-age guide when it comes to screen time:
- For children younger than 18 months, avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting.
- Children aged from 2 to 5 years should limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should also watch it with their children to help them understand what they are seeing.
- Older children (above 6 years old) should be placed with consistent limits on the time spent using and types of media. Ensure that the media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health.
Also read: Too much screen time damages the brains of young children