Last winter, my daughter and I explored a clever app from 2BME Studios that introduced her to the world of Firefighters. The app, very favorably reviewed here, allowed Reina to poke around a fire station, sit behind the wheel of a fire engine, and help put out a fire. When I contacted the developers to congratulate them on their outstanding app, my first question was, will they make more career apps for kids? One year later, 2BME has finally released a second app, 2BME Aviator.
Like Firefighter, Aviator has a smooth and intuitive interface that encourages kids and parents (there is no shame in adult learning) to explore an aviator’s world on the ground and in the air in a fun 3D environment. Along the way, children learn about weather and flying, make a simple flight plan, learn about the controls on planes and helicopters, perform a preflight check, pilot a biplane, and more. Afterwards, there is a classroom function to assess what young pilots have learned in a no penalty environment.
In the ensuing year, 2BME developers did not rest on their laurels. There is now a progress feature that shows cognitive, language, and fine motor skills progress within the app. This feature can be reset in the case of multiple children using the app, or if Baba goes through the entire app first (guilty). Thankfully, the reset feature, along with other app controls, is only accessible in the options section after answering a math problem. Social media links are also safely ensconced here so that young users do not accidentally end up in Facebook or on Twitter. I like the security question concept, but would prefer something more complicated than a simple addition equation. Still, it is a solid step in the right direction.
Overall, 2BME Studios has produced another winner with Aviator, and kudos for making the host aviator a woman. If your kid liked 2BME Firefighter, he or she will love 2BME Aviator.
This app is rated for kids 4 and up and is available at iTunes here for $1.99. There is also a lite version that can be sampled for free.
