Via Afrika Play & Learn

Via Afrika Play & Learn for ages 4 - 8 from Via Afrika is a bilingual (Afrikaans and English) educational app for kids, which contains hundreds of exciting exercises in 6 key skills development sections. These proven skills are essential to prepare your child for the foundation phase in school. The skills developed include counting, number recognition, vocabulary, logical reasoning, memory recall, shape and colour recognition, object grouping and basic technology/computer skills.

NB: App is not FREE. App can be purchased per activity @ R15.00 or the complete app (all 6 activities for R79.00). We can ONLY classify this app as FREE because Google does not allow Merchants from South Africa to use their payment system. Lots of users complain that we have false advertising and rate the app only 1 star as a result thereof. This is not within our control.

The graphical user interface is designed around a fantasy island adventure theme where there is a small gnome village. Each house in the village represents a different skill or activity. All the activities are presented in fun and engaging game play. The games are made to be understood by kids and is designed to be played without adult assistance. All games can be played in Afrikaans or English.

The gnome houses represent the following skills:

HOUSE OF MATH – COUNTING SKILLS

In this game the focus is on basic counting skills and to test the child's ability to follow and execute a given instruction or task. The task to complete is to place a certain number of items on a plate. The task gets more difficult from level 2 where more than one item is given in the instruction.

HOUSE OF MATH – NUMBER ASSOCIATION / RECOGNITION

The aim of this game is to assess the ability to correctly assign a number value to a certain number of items. A question is asked about the number of items on the plate where after the learner must touch the correct number value.

HOUSE OF PERCEPTION

In this fun game, the goal is to find and eliminate all picture objects where there are 3 of the same pictures on the grid. To eliminate the pictures, one must touch each of the picture blocks that look the same. The level of difficulty is determined by the number of picture blocks in the grid as well as the time available to find all pictures.

LANGUAGE – VOCABULARY & INSTRUCTIONS

In this game, the learner is introduced to new words in order to broaden his/her vocabulary while being given an instruction to follow. The instruction is to move a certain word object to a designated block.

CREATIVITY - SHAPES, LETTERS & NUMBERS

In this creativity activity, the learner must colour in letters, numbers and shapes. Afterwards, the items must be dragged to a shadow box with holes that match up with the shape or letter. The child learns about different colours, different shapes as well as letters and numbers.

MEMORY & CONCENTRATION SKILLS

The goal of this game is to improve the learner's ability to observe and memorise patterns while improving concentration. The exercise consists of stacked blocks where only a few have coloured dots on. The blocks are displayed for a short period and then taken away. The learner must then touch the blocks with the coloured dots. Three levels of difficulty control the number of blocks and rows as well as the time limit.

THINKING & CONCENTRATION SKILLS

The learner is given a voice instruction to move a green ball to a picture starting with a certain alphabet sound. The skill is to first identify the correct picture and then to work out the path through the maze. Three Levels of difficulty control the time limit. Hundreds of pictures with multiple levels of randomized variables ensure thousands of variations.

PROGRESS REPORT

With a build-in Progress graph, result analysis and exercise-log, parents and teachers can monitor the child's improvement over time. Results saved on data file for up to 1,000 learners.

The app is also available for Windows users under the Big Boet brand name.