Parents are often worried about finding appropriate mobile content for young kids, but a new subscription service might have them covered.
Curious World, from veteran educational publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, provides kids ages 3 to 7 with an ever-growing managed library of videos, games, and ebooks in a single mobile app. Launched today on iOS, the app covers eight areas of learning — including science, math, language and literacy, and creative expression — with a selection of content that expands weekly.
The Apple App Store is crammed with educational content, and it’s often hard for parents to filter through it to find apps that are not just useful but also don’t have sketchy in-app purchases. Curious World offers a solution that tailors content to a child’s interests and offers feedback on their progress to parents.
A limited version of Curious World is free to download, and the full customized experience is available for a $10 monthly subscription (or $80 for a year). The app launches with over 500 pieces of content, including exclusive games like Math Arcade and Skyscraper Builder along with appearances from popular characters like Curious George and Gossie. And Houghton Mifflin Harcourt promises hundreds of new pieces of content over the coming months.
CJ Kettler, the chief of consumer brands and strategy at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, emphasized the safe learning environment that Curious World offers children and parents, along with the importance of balancing screen-time with off-screen activities.
“Curious World encourages children to learn through play with content and activities that foster curiosity and imagination both online and offline,” she said in a statement. “Early learning research also shows that parental engagement is key, which is why we built a parent portal featuring practical ways to balance digital screen-time with activities that families can enjoy together, in a safe environment that parents can trust.”