1. Smokey Bear
A lot of people get Smokey’s name wrong and call him Smokey THE Bear, partially because there was a popular song in 1952 called “Smokey the Bear.” (The word “the” was added to keep the rhythm.) One thing that most people don’t forget, though, is Smokey’s famous slogan. The most memorable version was created in 1947—“Remember…Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires.”—but in 2001 it was updated to “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires.”
Fun Fact: In 1950, an American black bear whose paws and legs were burned in a wildfire became the living symbol of Smokey Bear. He was first called “Hotfoot Teddy,” and then renamed Smokey.
2. Gummi Bears
I’m not talking about the gooey candy that gets stuck in your teeth. I’m referring to the far-superior stars of Disney’s Adventures of the Gummi Bears, the legendary bouncing bears who live in the Gummi Glen and guzzle gummibeary juice that gives them crazy jumping abilities. I would argue that the best part of the show, which aired from 1985 to 1991, was the super-catchy theme song. You just can’t help but jump around and smile when you hear the glorious chorus of “Gummi Beeeeaaaars! Bouncing here and there and everywhere!”
Fun Fact: In 2010, for the show’s 25th anniversary, veteran Disney writer/producer Jymn Magon held a live webinar that reunited the talented team behind the Gummi Bears, including some of the voice actors, writers, and composers.
3. Fozzie Bear
Fozzie is the world’s best bear comedian…but only because he’s the only one! His jokes are cringingly bad, and they’ve never gotten any better, even after his 30-some years as a comic. Still, you can’t help but love Fozzie for his eternal optimism, dogged perseverance, and dedication to terrible puns and gags. Here’s a bear-themed Fozzie joke in honor of our Bear-a-thon: “Why don’t you wear shoes, Fozzie?” “Why should I? I’d still have bear feet. Wocka wocka wocka!”
Fun Fact: In the first season, Fozzie used to cry when his jokes didn’t go well. Audiences felt uncomfortable and embarrassed by that, so they tweaked the character to be more optimistic and endearing.
4. Winnie the Pooh
Who doesn’t love this silly willy nilly old bear? He’s definitely the oldest bear on this list—the first collection of stories about him, by A.A. Milne, was published way back in 1926. Disney acquired the rights to Winnie the Pooh in 1961, and the rest is history. Since then, they’ve released countless animated movies and TV shows, making Pooh a beloved bear for many generations of kids. But the best part of Pooh, a “Bear of Very Little Brain,” is his wise words. Here’s my favorite Pooh quote: “Some people care too much. I think it’s called love.”
Fun Fact: The Latin translation of the Pooh stories was the only Latin book to ever be featured on The New York Times Best Seller List.
5. Yogi Bear
While Pooh’s head is stuffed with fluff, Yogi is smarter than the average bear (at least, according to Yogi). Everyone’s favorite pic-a-nic basket thief debuted in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show, a Hanna-Barbera production, but he soon broke out on his own. He’s starred in many TV series and movies since then, including a 2010 film where he and his sidekick Boo Boo had to team up with their rival, Ranger Smith, to save their beloved Jellystone Park.
Fun Fact: Yogi’s collar was actually a revolutionary animation technique for the time. Animators had to work on tight budgets back then, so the collar created a separation between Yogi’s head and body and allowed them to focus on animating the head, while keeping his body in a handful of static poses.
Introducing Gertie
These bears are all legends in their own right, but there is a rising bear starlet you may not have heard of. Her name is Gertie, and this sweet mama grizzly is the star of the new Ranger Rick Jr. Appventures: Bears. The iPad app is packed with fun bear-related activities and games, plus an interactive photo story that teaches kids all about bears. Download the app today from the App Store!
For even more bear fun, don’t miss Disneynature’s new BEARS movie, premiering on April 18, 2014—in time for Earth Day! Meet Sky and her adorable cubs, Amber and Scout, in the BEARS trailer, and don’t miss the movie next spring!
Gummi Bears, Fozzie Bear, and Winnie the Pooh images used with permission from Disney.
There are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there about bears, especially when it comes to what you should do if you ever encounter one in the wild. Read on to discover five popular myths about bears and why they are false.
1. Myth: Bears have poor eyesight.
Some people think that bears’ amazing sense of smell must make up for a lack of vision. In fact, bears’ eyesight is at least as good as humans’. They also have excellent night vision due to a reflective membrane on the back of their eye.
2. Myth: Bears are carnivores.
3. Myth: Bears can’t run downhill.
If you’re being chased by a bear, don’t run downhill! Bears can run as fast as a horse (35 mph), and they can do it uphill, downhill, and everything in between. A bear can outrun you no matter what, so if you see one in the wild do not try to run away from it. Instead, you should stand tall, wave your arms, and talk loudly but calmly. Back away slowly, but stop moving if the bear follows you.
4. Myth: Brown bears and grizzly bears are different species.
People used to think that there were many different species of brown bear because they can vary greatly in size and color. In fact, they are all the same species (Ursus arctos), with the grizzly bear being one subspecies (Ursus arctos horribilis). Many people in North America refer to the smaller, lighter-colored version of the brown bear as a “grizzly bear,” and call the larger, darker-colored version a “brown bear.” Again, they are the same species, but one is bigger because it lives where there is a lot of salmon to eat. The other is smaller because it eats mostly berries and roots and can’t grow as big on such a diet.
5. Myth: You should run away from an attacking bear.
Of course, these myths only cover the “bear” necessities.
To become a true “grizz whiz,” you’ll have to download our new iPad app, Ranger Rick Jr. Appventures: Bears! The app is packed with fun bear-related activities and games, plus an interactive photo story that teaches kids all about bears. Download it today from the App Store!
And now that you’ve boned up on bears, test your bear knowledge with our Grizz Quiz! Find out if you are “beary” intelligent or if your head is stuffed with fluff, like Winnie the Pooh.
Older explorers aged 7–12 can subscribe to Ranger Rick’s Tree House, an app that invites kids to explore Ranger Rick’s tree house home, a place filled with intriguing rooms and all kinds of wildlife fun.
Still not convinced? Here are five great reasons to get your paws on these apps:
1. They’re on sale right now for Earth Day
This one’s a no brainer. Since Ranger Rick is Earth’s best friend, we’re celebrating his favorite holiday with a sale on his apps. Both Tree House and Appventures are 60% off all week long, from April 22–29. That means they’re $1.99 instead of $4.99! See, I told you, no brainer.
2. They teach kids about animals and nature
If your kids are fascinated by the animals on the pages of the magazines, they’ll love all the ways that animals come alive in our apps.
In Appventures: Lions, kids discover videos, photos, animation, and illustrated factoids as they wind their way through a tale about lions told by their friendly guides, Lars and Ricky. It’s impossible to get bored when there’s so much to explore. In the Tree House, the experience of reading a fascinating Ranger Rick adventure story gets even richer. Wildlife articles spring to life with eye-popping photos, clickable facts, funny animations, wildlife sounds, and more.
3. They encourage kids to get outside
Kids can open the back door of the Tree House to find ideas for nature crafts and outdoor activities. They can even log the time they spend outside in their own backyards. And Appventures will get kids so excited about wildlife that they’ll want to embark on a safari in their own backyard!
4. They’re winning raves
Appventures was named one of the top 10 kids’ apps of 2012 by Entertainment Weekly and earned a silver medal from the Parents’ Choice Foundation. Bloggers like Geeks with Juniors love the fun and innovative way that Appventures presents educational content and teaches kids about nature.
Parents’ Choice named Tree House a recommended mobile app, and the bloggers at Dandelion Moms said “no other digital children’s magazine is more innovative, interactive, or just plain fun!”
5. They’re FUN!
Do you want to compose a tune with the soothing sounds of a lion roaring and an elephant trumpeting? Or create an animal with a cheetah’s tail, zebra’s body, and giraffe’s neck and head? The answer is yes, of course, and with Appventures you can do that and have a lot of other silly animal fun. You can even go on a photo safari: pick up the iPad and move it all around to snap shots of all the lions in the pride.
For more of a challenge, stop into the Tree House and play games like Ribbit Rodeo, where you lasso up a tasty meal of bugs for a hungry frog, or Manta Mission, where you help Manta Ray race through underwater roadblocks to get to the Manta Party on time. You can also venture into the “bFunny” room to laugh at comic gems like, “What do kangaroos eat for breakfast?” (Pouched eggs.)
We’ve also teamed up with some great bloggers who are giving away download codes for the apps. Head over for your chance to win:
Thanks to all the bloggers who have already reviewed our apps and hosted awesome giveaways!
- Momma D Jane
- Inspired by Savannah
- The IE Mommy
- 5 Minutes for Books
- Special Needs Orange County
- For Kids Entertainment
- Dandelion Moms
- iGameMom
- the iPhone mom
- Crafty Garden Mama
- Raising Them Green
- Curriculum Choice
- iHeartThisApp
- Geeks with Juniors
- BabyCenter
- NBC Latino
I want apps with the following qualities:
- Appealing to my kids – They want to interact with it.
- Appropriate reading – The reading level works for a six-year-old and a nine-year-old.
- Good wildlife content – After they play, they have new information about wildlife.
- Inspirational – After they play, this app comes up in conversation. They build on the concepts they learned either in their art or creative play.
We tested apps on an iPad2.
Meet Nora and Russell
Their profiles might help you know which games would appeal to your kids.
Nora is nine. Nora enjoys playing outside. She knows every inch of the stream behind our house. She wants to be a marine biologist when she grows up. She has phone calls with her cousin where they exchange interesting fish facts. In Ranger Rick and Ranger Rick Jr. magazines, she wants to read the animal articles and jokes. Nora prefers apps where she learns about animals and creates a world for them to live in.
Russell is six. He does not go outside to play on his own steam, although once he is outside, he loves to climb trees and act out dramas with his sister and friends. In Ranger Rick and Ranger Rick Jr. magazines, he goes for the games and jokes. Russell prefers apps that test his skill with the device, such as how fast can he move through a virtual world. He is a good reader for his age, but would rather explore a game through trial and error than by reading. He likes learning the rules and explaining them in detail to the rest of the family.
Even though they have different interests, they often like to look at apps together. So the best apps make sense to both their learning styles and reading levels.
Our Favorite Kid-Friendly Nature and Wildlife Apps
I searched for “best kids nature apps” and most apps I found did not teach about wildlife or nature. Most had a cute animal as the main character teaching how to read, do math or make art. While those are great goals, I was looking specifically for apps that increased my kids’ knowledge of wildlife and nature.
These apps reward you for learning facts about animals or nature. They usually require the ability to read.
These apps are listed in alphabetical order.
Click the Birdie – This is a National Wildlife Federation app where you take photos of birds in various habitats to fill out your scrapbook. I don’t feel I can rate this app because it was made by my family! I say my family because my husband coded the app, and kids tested it every step of the way. Of course we love this app, but check it out for yourself! The little girl in the Southwest habitat is named Nora in honor of our Nora. This app costs $0.99.
Creatures of Light: Nature’s Bioluminescence – I thought my fish-loving daughter might enjoy this app, even though it is not particularly designed for children. It is about a exhibition that was at the American Museum of Natural History. My guess was correct. The subject matter caught her attention, and while slideshows or video of typical animals would not interest her, we are talking about species that glow in the dark! She also liked the video about how they made the models for the museum exhibit. This app is free.
Meet the Insects: Forest Edition – Did I mention how much my daughter loves bugs? This app looks quite formal and a bit like a text book, but I have a daughter whose favorite books are field guides, so she loved it. We joked that most of the videos show males fighting over females because hey, what else could you videotape about an insect’s life and keep audiences interested? We loved the style which is a mix of cartoon and realistic art. Nora commented more than once, “These are really nice pictures.” She made the insect videos more exciting by adding her own dialogue. Russell was not interested in this one. This app cost $3.99.
Nature Tap – You are shown four species. Then you hear a bird call and you guess which bird is making the sound. With the insect module, you are shown the name of an insect, and you have to guess which insect matches the name. My daughter loved this app and wanted me to buy a lot more modules. The bird module is free and the insect module is free if you register. Other modules cost $1.99 or $2.99 each.
Ranger Rick’s Appventures – What I find with most kid-oriented apps is that they contain one game or one concept, and so the kids “get it” quickly. What’s different about Appventures (and Tree House, below) is that they are multi-layered apps. It takes time to find all the parts. So the first time they each visited these apps, they looked around quickly, played one game and left. But what I found was each time they opened this app, they discovered a new thing. My son’s favorite parts were the puzzle utility, where you can put together simple or complex puzzles made from animal photos. He also liked the game which was like Photo Safari where you look through a habitat for animals and take photos of them. You hold your iPad with two hands and tilt it to see all sorts of nooks and crannies in the lion’s habitat. I won’t spill the beans, but make sure you look up in the sky when playing this game. Nora’s experience was different because really this app is designed for children younger than her. But what I found was that she enjoyed this app when playing with her brother. She would make him laugh by acting out dramas on the Sticker page or adding color commentary to the music area (where the keyboard keys sound like a lion, elephant or baboon.) This app brought my kids together. This app costs $4.99. This app is made by National Wildlife Federation.
Ranger Rick’s Treehouse – Nora liked the dolphin book where she could learn facts and get more wildlife jokes. She also liked the outdoor time journal in the backyard area, recording all her outdoor time with the goal of earning a badge. She liked that at the end of the leopard game, the leopard finds its kitten. My son liked the dolphin flip game, especially when it got up to the two and three dolphins at one time. For some reason, my son found the video of the “dancing wallabies” to be completely hilarious and proceeded to watch it about twenty times. There is a free version of the app as an intro. Then this app costs $4.99 for one issue or $19.99 for an annual subscription that sends new content quarterly.
Survival – There are a lot of apps called Survival, so when you are searching, look for the one with the icon of the orange frog. You answer quiz questions about animals in rapid succession. The longer you “survive,” i.e. answer correctly, the more photos of an endangered species you get to see at the end. It takes practice because the method of answering the questions changes from one question to the next. At first, it was too difficult for my son, but he liked the bright colors and competing against his dad to survive longer. My daughter struggled with the “pinch” feature which is one way of answering questions, but figured it out. You really learn a lot about wildlife facts with this app, and you learn to answer fast! This app is free.
Tick Bait’s Universe – I would not have guessed that my kids would enjoy this app because it seems like too simple of a concept. However, it was recommended by Warren Buckleitner who reviews children’s apps, so I downloaded the free version. The app starts with a dog named “Tick Bait” and you can zoom in on his skin or out to outerspace. In the free version, you get to zoom about 13 levels, and with the paid version, you get more levels. The graphics are all hand drawn, not photographs. My kids got really excited about this app, even though it required lots of reading. This app is free and the paid version costs $4.99.
Weird But True – Not all the facts in this app are about wildlife or nature, but many are. You are shown one interesting fact after another, and you rate how weird you find the fact. One bummer about this app is that every time you start it, it shows you the same facts. It is free and made by National Geographic.
Which Wildlife and Nature Apps Does Your Family Enjoy?
We’d love to hear about your experiences with these apps or others. Of course nothing connects children with nature and wildlife more than time outside, so be sure to balance your screen time and green time today.
Update on March 7:
Check out our next app review blog – Apps where you get to pretend to be animals or naturalists – LIVE like wildlife in these apps!