Do I need to buy an Arduino board to use this?

Nope. The app works perfectly fine using just the sensors inside your phone (light, sound, motion). The hardware is only necessary if you want to expand into things like temperature or conductivity.

Is my kid's data being sent to Arduino or Google?

Experiments are stored locally on the device. If you sign in, you can sync them to Google Drive, but the app doesn't have a 'social' component where data is made public.

Is it too hard for a 10-year-old?

The basics—like watching a graph move when you make a noise—are easy. Setting up a controlled experiment with multiple trials takes some guidance, but it's very manageable for that age.

Can it replace a real science notebook?

For data collection, yes. It allows kids to take photos and write notes alongside their sensor readings, making it a pretty robust digital lab book.

Arduino Science Journal – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Arduino Science Journal

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

app2020

94%

WISE Score

4.4

App Store

A pocket-sized laboratory that turns your kid's smartphone into a high-powered scientific instrument.

Arduino Science Journal

app

Everyone, 2020

94%

WISE Score

4.4

App Store

A pocket-sized laboratory that turns your kid's smartphone into a high-powered scientific instrument.

Jump to

Also rated on

Where to Find

App Store

Google Play

Screenwise Verdict

Arduino Science Journal is the gold standard for 'productive screen time.' It successfully reclaims the smartphone from being a passive entertainment device and turns it into a legitimate scientific tool.

If you have a kid who is into Minecraft or building things, this is the logical next step into the real world. It’s free, it’s deep, and it’s one of the few apps that actually justifies its own existence in a child's digital life.

Age Fit

Perfect for kids 10 and up. Younger kids can use it with a parent, but the data analysis and experiment setup are really aimed at middle and high schoolers.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

It encourages kids to get off the couch and investigate the physical world. There is zero toxic content, no social pressure, and it models a healthy, curious relationship with technology.

Imaginative

The app is a blank canvas for experiments. It doesn't tell kids what to think; it gives them the tools to measure light, sound, and motion, then lets them design their own investigations.

Safe

No ads, no in-app purchases, and no social features where strangers can interact. It respects privacy and functions primarily as a local tool.

Enriching

This is peak STEM. It teaches data literacy, the scientific method, and physics in a way that feels like a superpower rather than a lecture.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Zero cost entry point for serious science using the sensors already inside your phone.
Real-world physics is made visible through live graphs of light, sound, and acceleration.
No distractions like ads, loot boxes, or social feeds—it is purely a tool for exploration.
Hardware expansion is possible with Arduino kits, allowing the app to grow as your kid's skills do.

⚠

What to Watch For

Phone safety is a factor; if your kid is measuring 'acceleration' by tossing their phone in the air, you're going to have a bad time.
Learning curve can be slightly steep for kids who aren't naturally inclined toward data, though the built-in tutorials help.

Conversation Starters

"Which room in the house is actually the loudest when everyone is awake?"
"How much does the light change in your room from sunrise to sunset?"
"Can we prove that the car actually goes faster or just feels faster based on the accelerometer?"
"What kind of experiment could we design to test if your headphones are too loud?"

Deep Dive

From Consumer to Creator

Most apps are designed to keep your kid's eyes glued to the screen. Arduino Science Journal does the opposite—it uses the screen as a window to look at everything else. Originally developed by Google and now maintained by Arduino, this app taps into the accelerometer, magnetometer, and light sensors that are already inside almost every smartphone.

No Kit Required (At First)

You don't actually need to buy any Arduino hardware to get value here. Out of the box, a kid can start recording 'trials'—measuring the decibel levels of a barking dog or the G-force of a bike ride. The interface is clean and professional, mirroring how real scientists document their work.

The Arduino Path

If your kid catches the bug, the app serves as the gateway to the broader Arduino ecosystem. You can connect external sensors via Bluetooth to measure things the phone can't, like soil moisture or heart rate. It’s a rare piece of software that is just as useful for a 5th-grade science fair project as it is for a high school physics lab. It’s not 'edutainment'—it’s just science, and that’s why it works.

What Parents Ask

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic