This is probably one of the best apps for babies. Unfortunately Nick Jr. decided to discontinue Moose and Zee in 2011, so not all babies can connect with the characters as easily as those who have seen Moose and Zee on TV. Nonetheless, this app has given me a very interesting experience as a mother by way of observing Oliver’s interaction with the app. I have observed that, Oliver’s interaction with the same app changes every few months. Initially, he was drawn to Moose and Zee because he saw them on TV, Nick Jr.’s, and he loved Moose. When he was introduced to the iPad, one of the first apps we downloaded for him was the Moose and Zee app.
Oliver was between 4 to 10 months old, he would look at the iPad screen and just listen to Moose and Zee talking and running the show, and there was little involvement that came from him. The app was very nicely designed because it would keep flowing without pausing or waiting for user input to continue. For instance, Moose asked the player to find a hidden alphabet letter; the player did nothing (because the player was a baby). After about half a minute, the hidden letter would start to glow and blink, attracting the baby-player to tap that attention-getting area. It was the perfect “game” in which the information continues to flow even when the amount of human interaction is relaxed. Great design for babies.
Because Moose and Zee had been off air for awhile, Oliver forgot about them and the app. By the time Oliver was about 18 months old, he had learned all of his ABC’s from his daycare. One day, he stumbled upon the app icon for Moose and Zee, so he opened the app. Suddenly, it was like magic happening before my eyes. Oliver was actually playing the game with Moose and Zee! When Moose asked him to find the letter K hidden in the screen, he was able to locate the hidden letter very quickly. As he continued on with the app finding more hidden letters in every screen, I could see Oliver began showing a strive that I had never seen before. He had this very determined look, as if he was determined to “beat the game” or just to impress mommy. It was such a proud moment for me, as Oliver’s mom, to see how much my baby boy has already learned. It was also interesting to see him rediscovering old “toys”, now that he was grown a little more.
I highly recommend this app for all parents with little babies and pre-toddlers. The cartoon graphics is consistent and baby-friendly, the volume and sound are not at all obnoxious, and simplistic user interface makes it very easy to use. The pace of the game is just right, not too fast, not too slow, and progress doesn’t stop when users are not giving inputs. Babies who have yet to learn how to use their fingers can simply watch the app like a TV to learn the alphabets.
