As a homeschooling mom, I find it a real struggle to balance my kid’s technology use while still preparing them for a technological society. In the day in age we live in, I want my kids to know how to use technology safely, and yet not have the urge to be on screens and apps constantly. One way I juggle this is by trying to provide fun, but educational apps for my kids so that they think they are just playing, but really, they are learning and growing. I was eager to give the Piccoli Zoo app a try to see if it was an app worth keeping on our devices.

Piccoli Horses offers a free learning app, Piccoli Zoo, that presents vibrant photos that are incredibly engaging to children. The child is encouraged to speak the word, make sounds (i.e. roaring) and act out the picture. For example, the picture might be a giraffe reaching for leaves on a tree and the child will be prompted to speak the word “giraffe” and then prompted to “reach” and stretch up high. The child earns a star when they complete the action and swipe to continue. Getting the child to speak out loud and move their bodies while engaging with the Piccoli horse all while developing their language skills are the goals of the app. The best part is that the app is free because free is awesome.

Additionally, Piccoli Horses has designed the cutest and softest plush horse that is designed to be cuddled while a child is using the app. The horse comes with its own unique name that you can find out on the website. Our horses name was Sergeant. As far as stuffed animals go, these are just about the most adorable horses ever. I have some horse-loving girls who swooned when they saw our Piccoli Horse. They are $30 on their website for the 14” plush and $10 for their 6” plush. We have the 14” and it is the perfect size for taking with us places but large enough not to be lost or forgotten.

We have a three-year-old with some serious speech delays. I was eager for him to try the app when I saw that language development and speaking were some of the goals and benefits of the app. He really loves that he gets to hold the Piccoli Horse while he plays with the app. He is proud that he gets to hold the tablet and swipe and push the buttons by himself. I love that he is engaged and trying new words and sounds. Any app that gets him to speak words out loud puts a big smile on this mom’s face!

Overall, I think the Piccoli Zoo App and the Piccoli Horse plush are a fun addition to our home. Anyone could use the app without the Piccoli Horse plush, but there is something so fun about having the plush along with the app. The plush is adorable on its own without the app and has become a favorite of all my kids, but it’s nice that it ties in to the Piccoli Zoo app and is just a simple toy that is beloved by children.

-Product review by Audrey Tolle, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, August, 2018