Max & Ruby Science Educational Games App Review

One of the first shows that my son became obsessed with at a young age is Max & Ruby.  The animated series follows a brother-sister duo as they problem-solve their way through common, everyday obstacles without much interference at all from grown-ups.  In fact, my son often asked me why we never saw Max and Ruby’s parents; he asked so many times that I actually Googled it.  Turns out that Rosemary Wells, the author of the popular book series upon which the show is based, has deliberately omitted much adult presence: “The television series gives kids a sense about how these two siblings resolve their conflicts in a humorous and entertaining way.”

Released late last year, Max & Ruby Science Educational Games is a physical science app that carries on the spirit of independent problem-solving while teaching preschoolers and kindergartners important science skills.  Through narrated guidance, kiddos play along with Max and Ruby through three different mini-games that also help to teach secondary skills in other areas like literacy, number recognition, and language.  Developed and released by Tribal Nova (the tour de force behind the i Learn With series of apps) this is a truly comprehensive approach to teaching hard concepts to young children in a way they can understand and absorb.

Three mini-games adjust to each player’s skill levels and get progressively harder as players learn and grow.  Water Blast requires players to connect pipes to keep water flowing, teaching about the properties of water and how it changes (water to ice, water to steam).  It’s a drag-and-drop game that’s easy for little fingers to play.  Ball-O-Rama teaches the basics of physics by engaging players in a game of launching balls into holes – introducing kids to force and motion.  Lastly, players can give their science skills a rest and flex their creative muscles with Make Believe! and make scenes with stickers of Max, Ruby, and all of their friends.

The initial download is free and includes the first 5 levels of each of the three games, and for $2.99 the whole version can be purchased in-app.  As with most other Tribal Nova apps, there’s an option to track player’s progress (up to four accounts) by creating a profile and signing in.  This allows parents to see what kiddos are learning, not only in the Max and Ruby app but across all i Learn With educational apps regardless of what device is being used to play the game.  In the parent’s section you can also change the language from English to French without having to download a different version of the app, something that’s not before been done in the i Learn With apps.

Both my kids love this app.  My son, who’s now nearly 6, still appreciates the independent learning aspect that Max & Ruby foster through this app.  He’s particularly into physical sciences right now as he’s learning the fundamentals in school, and the games in this app only reinforce what’s being taught in kindergarten.  My daughter is 3 and thinks Ruby is the cat’s pajamas the way she “bosses” around Max so playing this app is just plain fun for her.  She doesn’t know that she’s inadvertently learning important early education skills.

As a free download, this is a no-brainer.  Even to purchase the full version for $2.99 would give real bang for the buck.  Max & Ruby Science Educational Games is an app that makes early learning fun for the 3-6 crowd, and that is hard to find these days.  Better yet, kiddos can play with relatable characters that inspire independence and self-sufficiency when it comes to everyday problem-solving.

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