Bugs and Buttons Review

 

Bugs and Buttons is an engaging romp through a digital backyard. A must-buy app for the youngest folks using the iPad.

Price: $2.99
Age: 3+

The intuitive nature of these games, and their simple design, make this perfect for young children.

Pros:

– Excellent animation
– 18 different games
– Inherently educational, and a ton of fun
– No penalties, only rewards

Cons:

– The sequel isn’t out yet 🙂

Bugs and Buttons is a bright compilation of games that teach different skills organically, so your child will have a ball without realizing they’re learning.

Each game has a unique premise but they all have a similar feel. All of the games involve bugs that you would find in the backyard, or buttons. The bugs are used more in action games where you have to count them, or poke them, or use swiping and tilting to guide them. Buttons are mostly used with pattern recognition and matching.

The action in each game unfolds with a lot of movement and sound. Stars are rewarded for correct answers, and there’s no penalty for getting it wrong. This leaves a nice balance between a child having incentive to increase their skill level, without ever frustrating them. As the game is played, achievements are unlocked and a beautiful stamp collection begins to unfold. It can be viewed at any time through the main menu.

The app opens with the option to choose a specific game, or dive right into a random one. This allows even the littlest tot to figure out how to start playing on their own. There is a parental section, which is guarded with an arithmetic problem, and allows you to email the app developers and see additional information about the game and the company.

The gameplay is immediately intuitive in every case. You may be asked to choose the right letter to fill a truck, to sort buttons, or count insects. There’s an excellent range of game types, for every mood your child is in. If they’re subdued, they may want to match colors on a gorgeous firefly level, or they may be in a more excited mindset and just want to poke insects scrambling around the screen. There’s even a super fun game of tic tac toe with buttons and a helpful dragonfly.

This app is one of the most solid and well rounded I’ve seen. It knows its exact audience and targets it with a bulls eye at every turn. I can’t emphasize enough how much of a must buy this app is for those of you with young children. The price is hefty, at $2.99, but if any app is worth that price, it’s this one.