Professor Kim – What’s Missing Here

Review

Developer: appp media

Review:

(by Admin Sarah DeBellis)

There are many early concept apps available to the point where we are spoilt for choice due to the sheer number of similar apps.  Still, it can be possible to search for an app for a particular skill and not find it.  What do you do?  If you are Kristin Heitmann of Apppmedia (Apples, Peaches, Pears and Plums), you make your own.  Kristin wanted an app for her children that resembled Kim’s games.  Named after the character in Rudyard Kipling’s classic novel, Kim, the game involves studying items on a table or tray, then covering them and identifying what is on the tray.  In a different version, an item is taken away and you need to find what is missing.  The games promote observation and memory skills.  This is the type of activity Kirstin couldn’t find, so she designed Professor Kim – What’s Missing Here?.

Activity

Children are presented with a number of items and then must find the item that is NOT on the screen from the picture menu in front of them.  There are several levels of difficulty.  Each level puts an extra picture on the screen and in the list.  On level 1, children look at three items on the screen and select from a list of four items.  By the time you get to level five, children are looking at seven items on the screen and selecting from a list of 8.  The 6th level doesn’t add an item, but uses silhouettes on the screen.  Correct answers result in a green light and a fish token.  If you answer incorrectly, the red light flashes and you get the fish bones instead.  There is also a time bar for each puzzle.  If you have not identified the missing item before the bar runs out, it gives you a new screen to look at.  Levels are unlocked as you progress through the app.

 Features

• Player Mode – Single and Two-player modes are available.  In two-player mode, the list of items appears at both ends of the screen, and points are awarded to the player who is first to select the correct answer.
• Graphics – the graphics are colourful and appealing, with an under-the-sea theme.
•  Sounds – the fun sound effects and background music can be turned off using options on the main screen.
•  Special needs – there is no spoken language in the app.  Although some of the sounds might reinforce incorrect or correct answers, they are not necessary to complete the activity.  Students with a hearing impairment should find this activity easy to use with easily understood  visual cues, such as the flashing red and green lights, the time bar, and the fish reward.  For the same reason, this app will also be useful for all students, no matter which language they speak.
• Internet Safety – There are no social networking or other external links, there are no in-app purchases, and there are no ads.  In short, this is a safe app for your children to use.

Wish List

My wish list for this app is very short. Firstly, although this app is great to play with no sound, sometimes some verbal or visual prompts for children might be helpful if they are unsure.  This is only a minor wish, as the same kind of support is easily supplied by an adult or sibling, and is usually better than an automatic, recorded response.

The only other thing on my wish list is for more of the same activity, perhaps with different themes such as jungle, farm, household, school, fruit shop etc.

Verdict

There is a lot to love about this app, but what excites me most is that this is something new that fills a gap and meets educational needs.  Professor Kim – What’s Missing Here? is aimed at children aged 4 – 8, and it will also have relevance in the Special Education world, particularly for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  I’m speaking as an ex-special ed teacher and as a mother, but I’d love to hear what occupational and speech therapists have to say about it.  The bottom line is that it is different, useful, and lots of fun to play.  I hope the developer bring out more apps with this kind of activity, maybe with different themes.

Disclaimer:  My thanks to Kristin Heitmann from Apppmedia for giving me this app for review purposes.  I am happy to receive apps for review purposes, however  these gifts do not influence my opinion of the app.  This review is my own opinion about the app.

Description:

*** is a great fun and entertaining game, perfect to stimulate kids memory and observation skills. Your kids will be engaged and focused. You can play it alone but we liked the 2 players mode a lot. Lots of fun, hours of play … and if you want to be the fastest one you will find out that it might be even more challenging that your first thought! ***
FunEducationalApps.com

“Innovative and challenging memory game for one or two players that completely avoids the “matching pairs” cliche.” smartappsforkids.com

“There is a lot to love about this app, but what excites me most is that this is something new that fills a gap and meets educational needs. The bottom line is that it is different, useful, and lots of fun to play.” onsarahsipad.wordpress.com

*** Can you spot the missing sea creature, before the other player? This classification experience presents this type of simple early logic challenge, starting with smaller, easier sets, and progressing to harder challenges, for two players.
For focused logic/memory experience this app is worth considering. We noticed no external links, ads or hidden agendas.***
Featured Review in Children´s Technology Review, Sept 2012, Vol.20, No9, Issue 150

A great game for one or two players! Who can spot the missing animal or object first? Is it the octopus, the diving elephant or the clam? Help Professor Kim in his submarine to find whats missing in the deep blue sea!

This game is great fun for two kids to play together or for parents and kids! You might aswell play alone and race against the time. Be quick to spot the missing creature! Best for kids from 4 to 8 and their parents!
This game is a Kim´s Game and helps to develop memory and observation skills!

*** How to play ***
One Player:
– You can see one animal or object more on your screen than in the water.
– Try to tap as fast as you can on the missing animal or object on your screen.
– The new level will be unlocked as soon as you solve the level without a mistake
– There are two counters. The upper counter shows the highscore.

Two players:
– You can see one animal or object more on your screen than in the water.
– Be quick and tap faster than your partner onto the missing animal or object on your screen.
– The golden fish shows you who won

*appp media is a member of – Moms with Apps -, a collaborative group of family-friendly developers seeking to promote quality apps for kids and families.
*appp media is a member of – kindkidsappsrules.com

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Disclosures for Parents
We take your kids privacy and safety serious.
This app includes
* no links
* no ads
* no tracking functions
* no share functions
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Specifications:

Category: Games
Updated: 14 December 2012
Version: 1.0.1
Languages: English, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish

Links:

Website: appp media
Facebook Page: appp media
Twitter: @apppmedia
Pinterest: appp media
You Tube: appp media
Cost: $1.99

App:

iPad: Professor Kim – What’s Missing Here
Requirements: Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 4.0 or later.
iPhone: Professor Kim – What’s Missing Here
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 4.0 or later.

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