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If there is one thing that little ones often lack, it’s patience. Thinkrolls 2, the latest mobile app from Avokiddo, teaches this and problem-solving skills in a very fun, cute, and engaging way. Thinkrolls 2 is the follow-up app to the highly successful Thinkrolls. Both apps involve moving or rolling a cute, round character down a maze of obstacles in order to catch and unlock a different cute, round character.
The app is aimed at kids ages 3-9, with two levels of difficulty. The easy level has 117 mazes, while the hard level has 118 slightly more complex mazes. The mazes are grouped together by different special components that are introduced throughout the game. For example, in one set of mazes, players have to open and close vertical and horizontal accordions in order to navigate their way to the next level. In subsequent mazes, players have to use wooden barrels to cross over water, avoid being shocked by a battery, use a fan to float up over walls, or even teleport to another place in the maze.
My 5 year old son used to ask me for help whenever he would get stuck building something with LEGO or playing a game. But the first time I let him play Thinkrolls, he patiently worked and thought his way through problems for over half an hour. As a high school Algebra and Geometry teacher, I often see students give up on problems and get easily frustrated, because they are not used to struggling with something until they succeed. The kind of patience and problem-solving skills they are lacking are exactly the kinds of things that Thinkrolls and Thinkrolls 2 help kids develop.
Anyone who knows me knows that I can be rather frugal, and I don’t like to spend money on apps. However, for my kids, I will gladly spend money on anything that will benefit them developmentally. The $2.99 price for the app is well worth it, and if they come out with a Thinkrolls 3, I’ll probably buy that, too. Thinkrolls and Thinkrolls 2 are both available for Android, iOS, and Amazon devices.
Images and video used with permision from Avokiddo and screenshots by Jason Gipson-Nahman
