Review by Dana Villamagna, Common Sense Education | Updated June 2012
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Baa Baa Black Sheep - by Duck Duck Moose

Get it now
  • Download from App Store

Two classic songs spring to life with interactive seek-and-find game

Subjects & skills
Subjects
  • Arts
  • English Language Arts
Skills
  • Communication & Collaboration
  • Critical Thinking
Grades This grade range is based on learning appropriateness and doesn't take into account privacy. It's determined by Common Sense Education, not the product's publisher.
Pre-K
Great for:
Common Sense says
Flagged for privacy concerns
Teachers say (1 Review)
Flagged for privacy concerns
Privacy (See details)
Not Recommended
Price:  Free
Platforms:  iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

Take a look inside

4 images
Clear written and verbal instructions guide kids into the seek-and-find game.
Sometimes the screen can get a little cluttered with objects, but that also means more interactive options.
Kids see the shapes and names of the objects.
Lines of both songs appear in visually interesting ways.

Pros: Lots of humor keeps kids and adults smiling through the play experience.

Cons: Sometimes guidance is limited, so kids just keep tapping to see what's interactive.

Bottom Line: Colorful, happy app combines music and discovery in an engaging way.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Baa Baa Black Sheep - by Duck Duck Moose can be a fun extension activity for kids who have already been introduced to the classic title song as well as "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." Use it to develop visual discrimination; to give kids practice with rhythmic and rhyming word patterns, numbers, colors, and word recognition; and just to let them have fun and enjoy the humorous scenes. This may also be a good app choice for young kids new to using iPads: There's lots of direction, gameplay is straightforward, the songs continue to loop when complete, and there's very little that can go wrong so kids won't get "stuck" in the game.

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Baa Baa Black Sheep - by Duck Duck Moose is a sing-along and hidden objects game app for toddlers and preschoolers. Centered on the classic songs "Baa Baa Black Sheep" and "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," it has kids look for certain hidden items -- across many different screens with interesting characters, objects, and backgrounds -- that match the silhouettes at the bottom of the screen. Kids can also just enjoy the many, many interactive elements of each scene and the app's great odd sense of humor, while singing along to both songs and searching for missing objects. Kids navigate a boat while hearing the first song, then sink the anchor to explore underwater while hearing the latter song. Along the way, they can tap on objects and see what funny things happen and uncover the missing objects. They can also tap on the to-be-found objects to see and hear the label.

Kids can learn listening and language skills through the songs on Baa Baa Black Sheep. The hidden objects part of the story is a great way for kids to build vocabulary and visual discrimination, and they see and hear the corresponding words. Also, with each verse, the color of the sheep changes, so kids can learn about colors as well. While the app is a little light on learning content, the hidden objects game here is a good way to expose kids to new words and to the rhythmic nature of the two songs.

Overall Rating
Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

The goofy, irreverent-feeling sense of humor is totally toddler-appropriate. Kids can have a great time just tapping everything they see. Scavenger hunt adds a whole new layer beyond the entertaining interactive story.

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

Humor and music build listening and language skills. Though the app's a bit light on learning content, the hidden objects game is a good way to expose kids to words. Shape recognition and a little counting is added, too.

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

Verbal and written instructions guide adults and kids into the simple hidden objects game. Sometimes, however, kids just need to tap around to find out which objects and characters respond and which do not.

Common Sense Reviewer
Dana Villamagna Classroom teacher
About our ratings and privacy evaluation.

Teacher Reviews

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Featured review by
Ruth O. , Technology coordinator
Technology coordinator
Victory Elementary School
Portsmouth, United States
Fun Shadow Exploration
Baa Baa Black Sheep is a fun game for very young children. I like that the app is simple to navigate and easy to understand. Children simply need to explore to find the matching items for the silhouettes presented to them. The graphics are colorful and visually appealing for little children.
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