Review: Spot the Dot iPad app

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Scenes from Spot the Dot

Picky Kid Rating: 3.6

The name pretty much says it all; the point of this game is to — you guessed it — spot the dot. This app is a good starter app for kids that are new to the iPad. The interface and instructions are clear, and there are no game-play interruptions, such as up-sells or calls to rate the app. The game starts and progresses automatically (though it’s possible to jump between screens if one wants to).

For the most part, the touchscreen action required to play is a tap, but in a few cases, the player needs to drag items on the screen. This can be challenging for kids that are new to touchscreens or very small children.

When previewing this game (I play all apps before turning B loose with them!), I did not listen to the instructions, which made it fun for me, since I had to guess how to find the dot. Of course, this sense of discovery doesn’t last. However, the dots change their positions for each game session, which keeps it (somewhat) interesting.

Things we like: the game has an end, voiceover is straightforward and calm, intuitive game play, no major interface or experience issues. The look is refreshingly different than many other toddler apps (i.e. it’s not “cute”). It’s also a game young children can play without much help from an adult.

Challenges: Spot the Dot is inherently limited. Once you’ve played it, the sense of discovery is gone and there’s not a lot to keep coming back for. It would be nice to see the developer add new ways to find dots.

Tagged as: color recognition, fine motor skills, following directions, hand-eye coordination