Bottom Line: If you have a toddler ready for the big leagues of potty-going, Daniel Tiger is here to help! This app is truly gorgeous with great animations, step-by-step instructions, videos, games and a very cool feature that interrupts play to make one of the characters go potty or get a diaper change.
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iPhone/iPad ($2.99)
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This app has no ads, no in-app purchases and strong parent-protection to external links.
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My three kids have long ago been potty trained, but I know one thing for sure, there was no single way to make that happen. Each kiddo is motivated by different reasons and as it happens, my youngest son with classic autism responded to the use of an app. Four years ago, pickings were slim with apps that weren't too demure or too graphic that explained the whole thing in a fun way. Thankfully, those folks about to "enjoy" this stage in development also have Daniel Tiger in their corner.
The app opens to a cute song by the little tiger standing in a bathroom. This page has options to move straight to the heart of the app, as well as strong parent-controlled links to other PBS Kids apps and a Parents section. I say strong, because it gives users four, random, spelled numbers that users must press in order and those numbers do not show appear on screen. The parent section has about, learning to use the potty, videos, links to other Daniel Tiger fun and a thanks from the developer.
Back on the opening screen, users press the play button that opens a scene in a home with characters from the PBS show. Users can play blocks, change a baby diaper, a stacking ring-game, or even a water wall station. Each section runs smoothly with professional narration and smooth animation. The games are fun and open-ended. Children can stack blocks and dump a truck, stack rings with the baby or create an interesting water wall. During play, a small picture will appear as one of the characters realize that they need to use the potty or needs a diaper change. In the the diaper
changing area, users get to pick a diaper for baby Margaret and give her toys to help keep her busy. The change is simple and nothing is shown that might be uncomfortable for some users like poo or naked baby parts. In the potty, users have to help the characters by opening the lid, giving toilet paper, flushing and then a thorough washing of the hands with steps that include getting soap, getting suds built up, turning the water on and off and drying the hands.
There are also four potty-themed music videos that can be found in a book on the shelf. Each video made me wish I was still teaching a toddler how to go. I'm just kidding. I don't ever want to do that again, but I definitely would have gotten my hot little hands on this app to help the cause.
This app performed flawlessly from start to finish. The illustrated areas were fun to look at, the narration was perfect, the games performed as expected or better and the animations and videos rolled without any long pauses or jerks.
I normally have to work hard to phrase criticism in a way that helps a developer as well as a consumer, but thankfully, this app is spot on. It doesn't go outside of the intended purpose (to teach potty training) and it doesn't make the specifics gross or uncomfortable. Highly recommended.
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Cynthia isn't kidding about how cute this app is or how much she's glad her kids are potty trained. If she had to fish one more toy out of the toilet, she was going to scream. *Smart Apps for Kids was paid a priority review fee for this post.
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