RATING AND CONTENT
Recommended for ages 2 and older
Quality: 4 out of 5
Learning: 3 out of 5
Ease of play: 5 out of 5
Violence and scariness: 0 out of 5
Sexy stuff: 0 out of 5
Language: 0 out of 5
Drinking, drugs, and smoking: 0 out of 5
Privacy and safety: 4 out of 5
Consumerism: 1 out of 5 (Are products/advertisements embedded? Is the title part of a broader marketing initiative/empire? Is the intent to sell things to kids?)
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WHAT KIDS CAN LEARN
Emotional development
Responsibility and ethics
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APP DETAILS
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Price: $2.99
Release date: October 8, 2015
Category: Education
Size: 62.30 MB
Publisher: Sago Sago
Minimum software requirements: iOS 6.0 or later
Parents need to know that Sago Mini Babies goes back in time to when the animals in the Sago Mini clan were babies. It’s important to note that Sago Mini Babies is not for babies; instead, it features baby characters for young kids to interact with. Kids care for the babies in the typical ways: feed them, entertain them, play with them, and so on. This is the virtual version of those ever popular, always timeless pretend play sessions in which kids play the role of caregiver to baby dolls. As is often the case with props for pretend baby care, one activity has kids bottle-feed the baby and another has them change diapers, which involves a messy poop, a tap to remove the diaper, and swiping to wipe. The babies also burp loudly after eating and drinking.
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WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
In Sago Mino Babies, kids choose their baby from the four Sago Mini animal characters, then tap either side of the screen to make the baby crawl along. Stars indicate the eight activities: feeding, drinking, bathing, dress-up, dancing, diaper changing, block play, and swinging. As kids interact with each baby in these activities, its facial expression changes according to how it feels about the toy they’ve chosen or food they’re offering. Babies will even start crying if their needs aren’t met.
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IS IT ANY GOOD?
Playing with these super cute highly responsive virtual babies can be fun and satisfying and offers both pros and cons over the real-life pretend play version. As is usually the case with Sago Sago apps, graphics are simplistic but appealing, and play is easy and open-ended. The activity types are right on for presenting realistic ways that caregivers — and kids pretending to be caregivers — interact with babies. As opposed to the passive baby dolls that slump over and take whatever kids throw at them, these babies make their preferences and needs known, and kids can practice reading those needs and acting accordingly. Yet, when kids play with real baby dolls, there are infinite possibilities, and they’re in charge; in the app, many things are scripted for them. Also, without a physical doll to hug, there’s no coverage of that all-important basic need of love and affection between baby and caregiver. Yet, Sago Mini Babies wins points for responsiveness and overall appeal and adds fun elements to pretend play.
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Common Sense Media is an independent nonprofit organization offering unbiased ratings and trusted advice to help families make smart media and technology choices. Check out our ratings and recommendations at www.commonsense.org.
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