These days there’s an app for everything. You want directions to a restaurant and on-the-go reservations? No problem. What if you’d like to scan products at the grocery store and find out their nutritional value, or find them cheaper elsewhere? Yup, there’s an app for that. There are apps that can simulate zombies chasing you (to motivate you to jog), apps that can save your receipts for tax time, and apps that can show you how to replace the wax seal in your toilet. So it’s no surprise that there are mobile applications designed to aid in the educational process, providing kids with tools and games that aim to get them interested in science, math, language, and more. But what about the lessons that kids don’t learn in school, life lessons about caring and sharing that parents are on the hook for? Well, if you’re having a hard time trying to teach your tiny tots about the concept of caring for another living creature, Egg Baby for Apple and Android devices is one app that can deliver.
The app is free to download and like many in the freemium model, there are in-app purchases (coins in this case) that can expedite gameplay. But what does the game have to offer? In essence this app provides users with virtual pets that they care for and raise, much like the Tamagothci of old. But if you’re familiar with the concept, you’re going to find that this little app that could is head and shoulders above competitors. And it’s still simple enough that even young kids should be able to grasp the concept and the controls. In fact, all you have to do to get started is choose an egg to adopt and bring home.
From there kids will have to maintain their eggs and they do this in a number of ways. Eggs must be fed, washed, entertained, and put to sleep. In other words, users have to pay attention to their egg babies in order to keep them healthy, happy, and on their way to hatching. You can track their progress with monitors that show you optimum zones to keep your eggs in with food, rest, and so on. And over time your eggs will earn you coins, which you can then use for customization. Give your egg a wig, some cool shades, a hat, or a hoodie to make it look special. As a bonus, you can now take screenshots to post to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to share with friends or enter in the Egg of the Week contest.
Eventually, the eggs will hatch, revealing one of several creatures that will live in your backyard and provide items for new eggs in the house. And then you can start all over again. For parents trying to teach kids about responsibility, the rewards of diligence, and the onus of a caretaker (to prepare them for a real pet at some point, just for example), this app offers a fun and creative format to impart these life lessons. And you shouldn’t be surprised if you get hooked on this engaging app yourself. When it comes to academic study, you can always hire a service like VarsityTutors.com to help your kids. But life lessons are a different matter altogether. Luckily, this is one instance where the app-sphere has you covered. So don’t hesitate to download Egg Baby and get your kids one step closer to caring for a real live pet.