This app allows for quick and easy application of forces and motion ideas.

The thing that I really like about it is that (in comparison to other Rube Goldberg apps) is that it starts very simply with a limited number of pieces to use. It allows the kids to learn how each piece works in the correct directed context. There is an opportunity to earn 1-3 stars each level. This puts the kids in a "prototype --> refine" state of mind to problem solving. This is a great way to start them on the right path to learning. I really like the progressive nature of the difficulty. My 4 year old does very well with this and will do better in the future on more complex levels. There are some good physics principles here. So far we've seen the law of gravitation, the law of reflection, density and a host of other stuff. This is a great introduction to real physics principles.

This game is like the game, The Incredible Machine that my students used to play back in the day. Like the Incredible Machine the game consists of puzzles that can be solved by creating various Rube-Goldberg-type machines. My son downloaded this game as soon as it was available because he is a HUGE Angry Bird fan. My son likes it, but not as much as Angry Birds, or Where's My Water, which is another puzzle game. It seems to be a little easier that the Angry Bird games and not as exciting. The free version came with annoying ads that pop up every now and then, but that is to be expected. One cool feature is that kids can create their own levels and then share them with friends or upload them to the web. I think it might be cool to have a contest with a class to see who can create the best level. That might up the excitement factor.

Children learn perseverance as they work through each level. They are challenged to try again and again to find the correct path for the ball. They can guess and check each time they move something new.