Miss Spider’s Tea Party – App Review
Miss Spider’s Tea Party is an all time favorite book at our house! We love the brightly colored illustrations, the characters and the lesson it teaches. Both the small cardboard condensed version and the regular size, full-story hardcover have been well used. I actually read our books so many times when my girls were toddlers, that I had them memorized.
Always on the lookout for “mom” and “kid” related apps to review, I went to the App Store recently and was thrilled to find Miss Spider’s Tea Party in the list of top apps. Here’s my review of this wonderful children’s book app:
Overview: This Miss Spider’s Tea Party app is based on the children’s book of the same name by Callaway & Kirk. Miss Spider begins her story lonely and longing for friends. She tries repeatedly to convince all the bugs crawling and flying by, to join her for a tea party. Much to her dismay, no one accepts her invitation. With a little luck, she happens upon a moth in need, helps him and eventually ends up with a table full of friends. Children and parents reach a new level of reading by interacting with this book app through different modes of play.
Features: The game begins in “Read” mode on the first page of the “book.” Kids have the option of reading the book themselves or having it read to them. Click the speaker button at the bottom of the page to hear the text and flip through the pages, using the “page turn” button, on the bottom right. During “Read” mode, children can tap different items, such as an insect, on the screen and watch them move.
Ready to move on to something different? Select from the five buttons along the top of the screen. ”Watch” mode is next in line, so moving right along… This mode reminds me of a children’s movie with sub-titles. Each word at the bottom of the screen is highlighted and pops out as it is read, while a little movie scene plays out above. The story progresses on its own; however, you do have the option of moving around in the story as you desire. Just tap the bottom of the screen to make the sliding bar appear and move along the bar to select your favorite scene. Kids can exit the story at any time during the “movie,” simply select the “House” button (top left) to return to the main menu.
Kids will love the memory “Match” game. When you select “Match,” 30 Miss Spider squares appear and the game begins. Select two squares with a tap of your finger and each reveals their hidden picture. If the pictures match, stars appear, music plays and the pictures fade. If not, tap and try again. Keep going until you’ve found all the hidden pairs!
Let your kids get creative in “Paint” mode. Select “Paint” and shake the iPad to choose from a number of different pictures. Once they’ve found the perfect picture, choose a brush type, color and begin painting. This is the best finger painting ever, no mess!
Last but not least, “Puzzle” mode. Tap the “Puzzle” button to move on to puzzles. There are six, six piece puzzles along the bottom of the screen from which to choose. Tap to select a puzzle. When the puzzle appears, tap the puzzle to make the pieces spread apart. Use a finger to select and move pieces by tapping, holding and dragging each piece to its correct spot in the puzzle. Once the puzzle is complete, your kids are rewarded as the scene comes to life.
What I liked: I love this app even more than the book. It has the same bright colors and graphic illustrations, plus a whole lot more. I enjoyed playing with my daughter in all the different modes, but “Watch” and “Match” are my favorites. When I think about the way I enjoyed reading as a kid, this book app really takes it to a whole new level. Wow!
What I didn’t like: Absolutely nothing! I think this app is great and I liked it all.
To buy or not to buy: At $9.99 Miss Spider’s Tea Party is one of the more expensive children’s apps, but still cheaper than the hardcover book and certainly more entertaining. I believe it is definitely worth the money if you have young kids.
- App Name – Miss Spider’s Tea Party
- Developer – Callaway Arts & Entertainment
- Category – Books
- Price – $9.99
- Score:
Category: App Reviews, iPad News
