I’ve vowed that someday we’re going to take our kids to Paris like I did on a brief, very memorable weekend there in college (ooh, the croissants) but it’s not on the schedule yet. While we save up our money, I’ve been letting my kids play with the Queen Bee in Paris app, the newest in the Tiny Tourist series from Happy Dandelion. It’s a beautiful overview of the landscape, culture, and history of France, from the same folks who brought us the highly recommended Little Lamb in Amsterdam app.
The ebook is long, with 26 pages of lovely animated mixed-media illustrations, and even a few detours into the collections at the most famous museums. But parents will stay interested with some of the nods only adults will get, like the bee stealing Marie Antoinette’s cake or the newsstand with the Je Suis Charlie poster.
Of course, I’m that mom who makes her kids swipe up on every page to get the short history lesson on whatever is featured — from the Palace at Versailles to the Alpine ski slopes.
Even though we have no clue what they’re saying, I love having the chance to listen to the narration in French too. Just a little bit of extra culture while the kids’ brains (and maybe mine) seem to be in off-mode this summer.
You can download Queen Bee in Paris for iOS or Android for $4.99, and we think it’s absolutely worth it. If you love it, try Little Lamb in Amsterdam too. It’s another favorite of ours.
