New Curious George App Encourages STEM Learning

By Megan Bailey June 9, 2016

Curious George's latest adventure encourages STEM learning for children.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt calls “all aboard” to children, ages 4-6, to join it on a digital adventure through Curious George Train Adventures, the newly released app for iPhone and iPad. This educational and interactive app brings the practice of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills directly into your child’s hands, so for once, you can skip the lecture on putting down their digital devices.

The initiative behind the app is to bring players a playful and fun experience while teaching them basic skills through competitive puzzles and logic problems. George, a character we all know and love, is boarding this adventure just in time for his 75th anniversary this year.

This time, George and the Man with the Yellow Hat embark on an interactive train ride with the mission of building an amusement park along the way. The player’s engineering skills and concepts will come into play during this process.

The game introduces George and players to four worlds: Tiki Adventures, Frosty Wonderland, Zany Meadows, and Space Spectacular. Players will have the opportunity to incorporate their STEM skills in order to reach new levels and overcome obstacles, such as opening gates and raising bridges.

On top of this, children will also collect basic skills relating to game-play, such as adaptation to new experiences, working memory, learning discipline and endurance, and following directions. The difficulty of the levels will rise as the player progresses, and game play can be easily regulated by the player’s skill level and comfort with pace.

“We know that children love accompanying their favorite mischievous monkey on his adventures, and research continues to reveal how vital STEM skills are for success in the classroom and beyond,” said Leigh Zarelli, SVP, Consumer Brands at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, according to the official press release. “Curious George Train Adventures offers children a developmentally appropriate, fun introduction to sophisticated concepts, sparking curiosity and tapping into kids’ natural tendencies to experiment, build, discover, and play.”

The app includes access to one world (Tiki Adventures) for $1.99. Players may purchase further worlds for $.99 each, or $1.99 for all three additional worlds (Frosty Wonderland, Zany Meadows, or Space Spectacular). Visit the App Store for more information or to purchase the app.