Have you start making plans for the summer yet? Does it include any traveling? When it is time for a long flight, car ride or train trip, I start looking for new apps that are both fun and, if possible, will also teach my 8 year old a bit about the destination.
In the app store I found many apps about the world, about travel and about specific cities and countries. Most of them don’t have photographs, which I personally really like. The ones below are my current favorites to raise young global citizens on the road.
Being Global is an app that tries to explain what it means to be global. And I love that is goes beyond flags, maps and languages and touches upon what we call Globe Smart. It tells a cute story with fun drawings. It also includes a lesson plan! A great conversation starter about what it means to be a Global Citizen!
My 8 year old feels she is too old for this app, but once in a while I hear the recognizable “Kids Planet Discovery” tune and know she is playing (probably the global dress up feature). Some of the IAPs come with videos, which are all very different and mostly without narration, but still great to see what the real world looks like!
Up and Down is an app with a great story on two levels, showing how the lives of two boys are both the same and different. This app is available in 4 languages (French, English, Spanish and Hassaniya Arabic!) and the reading can be made interactive by opting for the Read & Game mode. Be ready for questions and some interesting comparison with your own lives!
And then there is Touchable Earth, which comes closest (but still far!) to the One Globe Kids app. You might like it because it has little videos with kids explaining things from the country or culture. Great for kids who like to travel the world!
We are keeping an eye on all of them, to see what we can learn from other apps that give the options to children to travel online. Please send us your feedback and additions to the list!
Stay Globe Smart, Sanny Zuiderveld
