Move Gracie on the map to the apple trees, collect some apples, and feed the animals.
Children follow spatial directions to collect apples and feed animals in this augmented reality (AR) game.
Materials
- AR Adventures app on the iPad (one iPad per child)
Preparation
- Make sure the iPads are charged and the AR Adventures app is installed.
- Be sure to first introduce the app and how to play during Circle Time or in a small group. See the separate Intro to the Around the Farm activity.
Directions
- Remind children that they are going to play a game where they navigate a map to get to the apple trees, pick apples, and then find and feed the animals.
- Demonstrate the game as you did in Circle Time or in a small group, but this time invite volunteers to help. For example, different children may help to navigate Gracie around the map, collect apples, and feed the animals.
- Then pass out an iPad to each child and have them play, guiding them as needed (e.g., space children apart as they start playing).
- Navigate the map to get Gracie to the apple trees. Support children by helping them determine the path they want to take and how to get there (e.g., Do you want Gracie to go over the bridge or between the corn and on top of the rocks to get to the apple trees?)
- Demonstrate how to play augmented reality. Support children by encouraging them to pick up the iPad and hold it upright, gently moving it left, right, up, or down until Gracie and the apple trees appear.
- Collect the augmented reality basket. Encourage children to move the iPad slowly until they find Gracie’s basket. Help as needed to hold the iPad steady and focus the iPad with the basket in the middle of the screen until the white sparkly circle turns rainbow colors.
- Collect augmented reality apples. Help children find and focus the sparkly circle on an apple to collect it. Continue to collect six apples. The game will then automatically go back to the map.
- Navigate Gracie on the map to get to the cows. Support children as needed to determine a route and navigate the map to reach the cows.
- Feed the cows. Help children find Gracie by holding the iPad upright and slowly scanning a flat surface like a floor or a table top until Gracie appears. Then follow her directions to find the correct cow. Point the sparkly circle at a cow to feed it an apple. Use spatial language to note the placement of the animals.
- Navigate Gracie on the map again to get to the pigs. Move Gracie on the map to the pig pen where she can feed the pigs.
- Once successful, congratulate children on being able to use a map to navigate to different places and follow the spatial language directions to collect apples and feed the animals.
- Children may need a few tries to manage the AR game. Have children play Around the Farm again throughout the week, as your classroom schedule allows.