Author: Matt

  • Townscaper

    What is it: Townscaper is a very fun and relaxing town-building toy. It’s not really a game since there is no objective. The interface is extremely simple and intuitive. From the game page: Build quaint island towns with curvy streets, small hamlets, soaring cathedrals, canal networks, or sky cities on stilts. Build the town your…

  • Shawn the Train

    What is it: Shawn the Train is a series of videos for young children about a childlike train who learns about colors, letters, shapes, etc. Who is it for: The subject matter means the videos are for kids still learning colors, letters, shapes, etc., so roughly 3 to 5 years old. What Kids Like: The…

  • Mark Rober YouTube Channel

    What is it: Mark Rober makes YouTube videos about science. These include making a snowball machine gun, making a self-directing bowling ball, or volcanoes made from mentos and coke. He’s not quite Steve Irwin, but shares that same type of enthusiasm and knowledge, for chemistry and physics rather than for animals. Who is it for:…

  • Inside Outside

    What is it: Inside Outside is a charming illustrated book by Lizi Boyd, published in 2013. There are no words in the book and the richly illustrated pages pages alternate between inside a child’s home and outside in the yard. Cutouts in the pages act as windows, giving peeks into what is happening on adjacent…

  • My Singing Monsters

    What is it: My Singing Monsters is a game where the player collects and breeds monsters, each of which sings different sounds. Monsters’ voices combine to create unique songs. Players can edit the songs of more advanced monsters. Who is it for: My Singing Monsters is simple enough that kids as young as 4 can…

  • Aground

    What is it: From the creator’s page: One of the last human survivors, you find yourself stranded on an uninhabited island. With a few other victims of the crash, can you craft, mine, and build your way to survival? Survival is only the beginning. The only way for humanity to have a future is to…

  • Stinky and Dirty

    What is it Stinky and Dirty is a show based on characters from a couple of books, about a garbage truck and an excavator who solve problems together. Who is it for The show is good for kids of most ages, maybe 3-8. What Kids Like My kids like the celebration of filth, which is…

  • Operation Ouch!

    What is it: Operation Ouch! is a British comedy children’s television series about the human body. The show is hosted by twin brothers and doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken and Dr Ronx Ikharia in later episodes. [more at wikipedia] Who is it for: The show is aimed at pre-teens, maybe 6 to 10 years…

  • Geckos Slide and Peek: A Look-and-Find Adventure in Hawai‘i

    What is it: Geckos Slide and Peek is a hidden picture book for young children. The basic idea is similar to that found in “Where’s Waldo” books, but this book is a little easier and the theme is that of cartoon geckos having adventures in Hawaii. Who is it for: I don’t know what the…

  • Flipaclip

    What is it: Flipaclip is a free, ad-supported animation app that is very easy to use, but can be used to create sophisticated animations. Who is it for: Flipaclip is for anyone who wants a free tool to get started creating animations. It’s not a substitute for ToonBoom or other tools used to create cartoons…