Busy Shapes | learning with shapes childrens app, inspired by intelligence expert Jean Piaget

✔ iPad + iPhone | app for children ages 2+ years

We’re really excited on what to expect of this rather unusual learning app Busy Shapes, which has only just been released.

Busy Shapes has been developed by Seven Academy, who have developed many interesting educational kids apps so far, for example Tic Toc Time and Count up to 10: learn numbers with Montessori. The most recent app Busy Shapes is a digital intelligence toy, with which toddlers and young children can practise their reasoning skills on.

It all starts with a single shape and a single hole on a playing surface. Whilst kids place the shapes into the corresponding holes, a new playing surface appears from underneath with new holes, shapes and different colours, which keeps children interested. Kids get to explore, interact and experiment with the objects in their own time, without needing any explanation and without being pressurised or discouraged.

Automatic Difficulty level (AI)

Unnoticed by the players, the app recognises and supports the speed of the players problem-solving ability during the various levels and therefore tracks the time it takes for each child to finish a level. If children had some difficulties with some of the shapes, objects and constellations during the levels, the difficulty level decreases automatically with the next upcoming level and vice versa. The basic principle however, does not change: On each playing field, one or more shapes need to be matched with the corresponding holes, whilst barriers, obstacles and other problems which are blocking or obstructing the direct path to the holes, may need to be circled or moved around.

Later on in the game, the shapes are occasionally hidden underneath glass-elements, which means that kids can see them, but can’t directly touch them. With the help of a little wooden brick, kids are able to also sort this problem easily by themselves.

We have found an excellent video on YouTube, where a 12 year old boy demonstrates the game.

Alternatively, you can check our own YouTube trailer of the app, where we show you many of the various puzzles and playing fields of Busy Shapes in detail.

Real-time Monitoring

Also in this Seven Academy app it is worth checking out the parents area: Here you’ll find a detailed evaluation of the game progress of each individual player and if necessary, you can reset the game if the highest level has been reached.

Overview of the challenges for toddlers

1. Toddlers need to match and sort the different shapes into the corresponding holes
2. Some shapes hide behind various objects and sometimes need to be brought out with the help of other tools.
3. Obstacles such as fences and liquids need to be circled and removed.
4. Moving objects need to be caught.

Inspired by Jean Piaget

Taken from the App Store description and from the parents area, Busy Shapes was inspired by the Swiss scientist and intelligence expert Jean Piaget (1896-1980), who among other things, used to hide metal objects in experiments with his children, in order to study their reactions.

It’s therefore no big surprise to us, as to why there are also many metal shapes and screws etc. found in Busy Shapes, which also make some interesting sounds whilst moving them. In general and despite all its simplicity, a lot emphasis was placed on graphics and sounds. The subsurfaces do not only look like wood, soil, tiles and carpet, they also sound like it.

Busy Shapes | kids app rating

Busy Shapes instantly made us curious, maybe because the game is so simple and starts off with one single shape. What’ll happen if the shape falls into the hole? And after that? And again? Well, before you know it, you’ll find yourself strapped to the game, level after level, whereby the game leads into an endless-mode after 38 levels, therefore you can just carry on playing.

Nevertheless, for older kids, we’d like to wish for more levels with more elements and more challenges.

Pro’s
(+) High quality graphics and sounds
(+) interesting concept
(+) monitoring of the progress
(+) child-safe app
(+) supports kids reasoning skills

Con’s
(-) We want more levels and objects

Conclusion: especially suitable for kids aged 2 years.

Top best apps for kids rating: 5 stars

kids app developer: Seven Academy