HMH launches iPhone and iPad games for toddlers


17 Jan 2011

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) has launched the first in a series of mobile games for children aged 2-4 on the iPhone and the iPad.

Four games have been released on iTunes today, featuring well-known characters, such as Curious George and the cast of Gossie and Friends.

Curious George

The first game – ‘Go George Go!’ – lets the player dress Curious George in his or her favourite ensemble and help navigate his vehicle through a series of mazes.

The game senses how the child wants to play – either by tilting or dragging – and allows him or her to avoid obstacles, unlock passages and guide George out of the maze.

The second game called ‘George’s Curious Climb!’ lets the player tap buildings to help George climb up to the top and wash dirty windows while dodging obstacles.

The faster George climbs while washing windows, the higher the score.

Gossie and Friends

The third release, ‘Gossie’s Eggcellent Parade’, lets the player choose an outfit for Gossie by mixing and matching hundreds of clothing combinations to get her ready for a barnyard parade.

Using the tilt or drag feature, children can lead Gossie around the maze, collecting her gosling friends and barnyard animals along the way to join the parade and finish the maze.

Ollie Ollie Oxen Free for iPhone and iPad

The fourth game, ‘Ollie Ollie Oxen Free’, lets children play hide and seek through the iPhone 4’s gyroscope feature.

Players rotate their body by holding the iPhone to see a 180-degree view of the barnyard and follow audio clues and visual hints.

Older iPhones and the iPad use the touch and swipe functionality to play.

The Learning Company

The Learning Company, a division of HMH, developed the games.

“The Learning Company is built around the clear and increasing desire of parents to be more actively engaged with their children’s education, development and growth,” said Tony Bordon, president of The Learning Company.

“Our focus is on delivering innovative products to make education fun and accessible, while offering parents new ways to help their children learn with familiar content and characters on the platforms they know and enjoy.”

The games are available on the iTunes Store, costing €1.59 for the iPhone and €2.39 for the iPad.