Yesterday, we were lucky enough to visit the CBeebies HQ at Media City in Salford, to be among the first people to have a go at using the new app! CBeebies presenter Cat joined the kids as they played with the app on various devices. My Tiny Tester Freddy loved the new app instantly and was able to play straight away, setting up his profile and playing on all the games. The app is very user friendly for little people and bags of fun!
CBeebies Playtime is the perfect companion for young children, allowing them to play along with favourite characters whenever and wherever they want, including the Alphablocks, Octonauts, Tree Fu Tom and Something Special’s Mr Tumble. Parents can also join in the fun through the dedicated ‘Grown-ups’ area. Here they can record special messages for their little ones, find out about each game’s learning benefits, and access useful tips to help their children get the most from the app.
Profiles can be created for up to four children, allowing
them to collect CBeebies bugs as rewards for their progress, and listen to
messages left by their parents. Each profile features a hot air balloon that
children can personalise, which transports them into the CBeebies Playtime
world where they can choose to play one of four games. The balloon can be made into a variety of shapes and decorated in a variety of patterns. You can even take a 'selfie' and use the photograph to decorate the balloon!
Alphablocks Word Magic
Alphablocks Word Magic helps young children develop
confidence in reading and writing by learning how to spell a range of words.
They simply tap on a picture of an everyday object and spell it out by choosing
the right Alphablocks, in the correct order. The words get progressively more
difficult as the game goes on. It is a great game for early readers and writers and will be perfect to help Freddy as he starts school in September.
Octonauts Cadet Training
Little ones get to help the Octonauts in a variety of missions to rescue sea
creatures who have gotten themselves into trouble. Shaking the device to remove
rubble and calling out to lost Orcas are just some of the ways children can
help them out. It develops listening skills and teamwork, as the Octonauts
guide players through a series of underwater adventures, as well as finding out
more about the world around them. It also gives kids a host of fun facts about the underwater animals they help which is a nice feature.
Something Special Paint Pop
Play along with Mr Tumble and his friends, who need some
help decorating their clothes and accessories. Children can colour them in by
tapping the screen to pop paint bubbles as they pass over the items. This game
is suitable for all children, including those with special needs, allowing them
to have fun and develop confidence. Freddy had some fun with this game and enjoyed decorating bow ties and welly boots with the paint bubbles!
Tree Fu Tom Chuckleberry Chase
It's harvest festival day after the Mushas
have stolen all of the chuckleberries. Children can cast the super speed spell
with Tree Fu Tom and help him race through Treetopolis to catch the Mushas and save the
day. The game allows children to practice fine motor skills as they tilt the device to catch the berries and avoid obstacles in their path. It is a quick paced, action packed game for little Tree Fu Tom fans.
Freddy loved the app. It had the right balance of educational content and fun gaming action to keep him enthralled and entertained. The app has the same quality and visual appeal of the TV shows that little ones love and even the youngest CBeebies fan will recognise the characters.
I love that the app doesn't need the internet to play it, which means it will be brilliant on car journeys or when out shopping. I know it is completely safe and as it is absolutely free we can put it onto all our devices without the fear of running up any unexpected bills.
I think this app is a brilliant new addition to the CBeebies brand joining the TV shows, the radio station and the website to entertain our little ones!
