Peek-a-Zoo - Duck Duck Moose LLC

This review of Peek-a-Zoo was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 16 July 2019.

About the app

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

ACCM review

This review of Peek-a-Zoo 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

All available features were considered in this review.

App description

Peek-a-Zoo is a very simple, educational game about animals, emotions, actions and sounds. The game instructions are provided verbally as well as visually, as text on the screen. In the opening screen the player is introduced to the cartoon animated animals. The animals rotate at the bottom of the screen so the player has a chance to view all the characters and when clicking on one, it replies what animal it is and its name. For example, when clicking the elephant, it replies verbally, “Hi! I’m Ellie the Elephant”. This is also written on the screen in a speech box coming from the animal’s mouth. Its first letter e.g., ‘E’ is also capitalised and coloured, which may assist in the recognition of the alphabet. To enter the game an arrow in the top right corner must be clicked (some children may need assistance in identifying this). Eight different animals are presented on the screen in front of a plain background and the player is asked a question related to the animals’ identification/emotions/actions such as: “who is facing backwards”, “who is Linus the Lion” or “who is sad”. Although players cannot progress to the next task without the correct response, multiple attempts are allowed and there is no penalty for selecting the wrong answer (character simply makes a funny animal noise such as “meow”). Upon selecting the correct answer, the character makes a funny animal noise and spins into the centre of the screen before the next question is presented. There is no end point in the game as the questions continue and repeat themselves.

 

Reviewers comments

Peek-A-Zoo is created in collaboration with Khan Academy (a non-profit educational platform) and provides basic learning opportunities to children (the target audience). Children have the opportunity to learn about different zoo animals, identifying emotions (for example an animal has a tear rolling down its face and the child must identify that animal as being sad), actions, (for example who is winking?) and positions (for example who is facing backwards?). The child is also likely to be entertained by the multitude of funny animal noises the characters make. Young children may play this game continually as there are over 20 different questions to be asked with multiple alternating answers, however, older children may become bored due to the basic level of the game.  There is no concerning content relating to gambling, advertising etc. and no account is needed to play the game. There is one option for in-App purchasing by clicking a button in the top left-hand corner which opens to similar Khan Academy games. The App purchases are behind a parental lock which requires the player to swipe down with one finger.

In App purchasing

There is In-App purchasing in this game. By clicking the top left ‘Khan Academy’ button, a number of similar Khan Academy Apps open. If the player clicks an App to download, a parental lock pops up which requires the player to swipe down with one finger (easy for older players).

Online information

There is no online information required to play this game.

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

There is no advertising or product placement in this game.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

None noted.

Coarse language

None noted.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

None noted.

Other

N/A.

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