Bee-Bot - TTS Group

This review of Bee-Bot was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 12 July 2018.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of Bee-Bot contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

Reviewer accessed all available levels.

App description

The Bee-Bot app is a digital version of the Bee-Bot programmable floor robot, designed to introduce young children to basic programming.  Users are required to control the movements of the ‘Bee-Bot’ by entering in a sequence of commands (forwards, backwards, left/right 90 degree turns). Once the ‘go’ button is pushed the ‘Bee-Bot’ then carries out the sequence to perform a task (ie. finding the flower). Each of the 12 available levels are timed and become progressively more difficult as the user completes them. The faster each one is completed the more ‘stars’ the user can earn as a reward.

Reviewers comments

Set in a bright, colourful garden with a relatively simple appearance this app is designed to appeal to young children. It allows them the opportunity to develop basic programming skills, spacial awareness and an understanding of directional language and concepts. As the sequential movements of the ‘Bee-Bot’ need to be pre-programmed before it moves, this requires children to have the ability to visualise the sequence of the ‘Bee-Bot’ in advance (i.e. it does not do one movement at a time).

Whilst this is a good learning opportunity it could potentially be difficult for some children to do correctly, causing frustration. There is a pause button that can be used during a sequence but unless the clear button is pressed new instructions will be added to the existing sequence. Instructions for game play within the app are found on the home screen, although young children may require support to understand them.

The game does allow for multiple tries, as after each sequence of movements is executed by the ‘Bee-Bot’ it can then be cleared and a new sequence put in. This may help young children to develop persistence and to encourage them to keep trying to improve their skills.

In App purchasing

None.

Online information

None.

Gambling

At the time of review, the reviewer found no simulated gambling content.  If you discover simulated gambling content in this app, please contact us with the details so we can update our review.

Advertising and product placement

On the home screen and the game instruction page there is a link to a similar game by the same developer (Bee-Bot Pyramid).

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

No gender stereotypes or sexual references were observed during the review.

Coarse language

No coarse language was observed during the review.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

No concerning game playing behaviour was observed during the review.

Other

N/A.

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