There is an endless list of children’s apps that now exist on the app store. Some are designed to teach children life skills, others are just supposed to be a bit of fun to keep young people occupied. But all are created with a purpose.
One app that has become very popular recently is the ‘Little Kitten - My Favorite Cat’ app by Squeakosaurus ug & co. kg. In the same way as games such as Nintendogs which have come before it, Little Kitten is a pet simulation app which allows children to look after their own cat.
As well as looking after your own cat, you can play games with your kitten, and it allows children to learn to understand responsibility.
But this is just one of the good things about this app. In this quick guide, we’ll be reviewing ‘Little Kitten - My Favorite Cat’ to look at the benefits of this for children. So, if you want to find out if this is a good app for your child, then keep on reading.
What is Little Kitten - My Favorite Cat?
First things first, let’s take a look at exactly what this app is. As we have mentioned, Little Kitten - My Favorite Cat is an app which allows children to adopt their dream pet.
This app is perfect for children in families who are unable to have a cat, for whatever reason, as it allows your child access to a totally adorable cat sim who behaves just like a real cat.
Just like real cats, the sim will need to be given a name, given attention, fed, watered, and put to bed. So, this app allows your child to learn a lot about responsibility, and how to look after another creature, without them needing to have a physical cat.
Within this app, your child will be able to play games with their cat, including Hide and Seek and painting. So, by playing this game, your child will create a real bond with their new pet.
As well as looking after your new pet, this app will also allow you to explore the world which the kitten lives in. Your child will be able to look around their pet’s home, and interact with it as they play with their cat. So what are the benefits of this app? Let’s take a look.
Is it Good?
If you are reading this, then you probably want to know the answer to one main question, and that is ‘is it good?’. By all accounts, Little Kitten - My Favorite Cat is a good app for your child to use. So, let’s take a look at why.
One of the best things about this app is that it will capture your child’s attention immediately. Especially if your child loves cats. From the first moment that your child sees their kitten, they will be in awe.
This cat sim looks incredibly realistic, and it behaves exactly like a real cat. So, if you download this app for your child, they will be getting a lot of the interaction that they would get out of a real cat (apart from cuddles, of course).
This app is a great choice if you do not want your child to be hooked to their phone constantly. The cat sim will not be awake all the time, so there will be periods where your child will not be able to interact with it.
The games that are built into this app are also designed to occupy your child, but not be addictive. This will further ensure that your child does not spend an excessive amount of time staring at the screen. But, these games are designed to teach your child some key skills, so let’s take a look at what these skills are.
What Skills does it Teach?
When you are looking for an app for your child to use, then it is likely that you want your child to be able to develop skills while using it. Some apps are designed purely for fun, and that is okay.
But, a lot of apps that are designed for young children are built to help your child learn and develop new skills. Little Kitten - My Favorite Cat is one of those apps, so let’s take a look at some of the skills that it teaches.
Responsibility
Responsibility isn’t necessarily a skill, but it is a major life lesson, and this app will teach it from a very young age. When your child plays this app, they will be responsible for looking after their cat.
They will need to feed their cat, give it attention, and put it to bed at night. So, this app will begin to teach your child this very important life lesson.
Creativity
One of the games that your child will be able to play with their cat is ‘paw painting’. This game will allow your child to unleash their creative side, and it will also help ignite their imagination.
In this painting game, your child will learn how to mix the primary paint colors to create new colors, and also learn how to use their imagination to put creations down on a blank page.
Hand-Eye Coordination and Focus
One game within this app, known as ‘cat-in-the-box’ will encourage children to develop their hand-eye coordination.
This game will also help your child learn how to focus and pay attention, and it isn’t the only game on this app that will do this. There are actually a variety of games on this app that will help your child learn and develop these skills.
Problem-Solving
Additionally, there is a game in this app which allows your child to solve puzzles to be rewarded with cat treats for their pet. This will help your child develop their problem-solving skills, and will also help teach them the reality of being rewarded for their success.
What Else Does It Do?
As you can see, there are lots of different skills which this app will help your child develop. But, there are also some other benefits of this app outside of teaching skills. One of the main benefits being that you can use this app to create and engage your child in conversation.
The great thing about an app like ‘Little Kitten - My Favorite Cat’ is that it really engages your child. If your child is a cat lover, then this app will definitely get them talking, and this is a great way for you to develop your child’s skills outside the app.
This app will likely be met with your child nagging for a real cat, so you can engage them in conversation about the difference between a real cat and a virtual cat.
Likewise, you can discuss the importance of a consistent sleep schedule with your child, and encourage them to follow it by ‘putting their cat’ to bed in the app before their own bedtime. Additionally, you can discuss the virtual games with your child, and encourage your child to put these scenarios into real life.
Speaking to your child about this app will be incredibly important as it will further develop the skills that your child is developing by using this app, and help them understand that they are learning while they play.
What are the Drawbacks of this App?
So far, it is clear that the ‘Little Kitten - My Favorite Cat’ app is a good app. But, just like any app, there will be drawbacks to this, so let’s take a look at what they are.
It is a Paid App
One of the main disadvantages of this app is that you have to pay to use it. The app isn’t expensive, and the cost is often reduced due to sales offered by the app store. But, you will have to pay to get access to this app.
This means that if your child decides that they do not like this app after you have downloaded it, you will be out of pocket.
Only Develops Basic Skills
Some parents want their children to develop some major skills from playing with apps. This app does develop skills, as we established earlier, but some parents believe that the skills learned in this game are too basic.
However, it is worth noting that this app is designed for children from the age of 4+, so if your child is older than this, then it is understandable that you might find it basic.
Only on Apple Devices
But, the biggest drawback of this app has to be that it is only available on Apple devices, such as the iPhone and iPad.
This cuts off a huge section of the market who only use android devices. So, if you do not own an Apple device, your child will be unable to play this game, and that is very disappointing.
Summary
In short, it is clear to see that ‘Little Kitten - My Favorite Cat’ is a great app for young children. Especially if your child loves cats.
This app will allow your child to learn and develop new skills, such as responsibility and problem-solving, and it will allow your child to bond with their cat. But, there are some drawbacks of this app. We have taken a look at all of these in the review above.
