SketchUp – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

SketchUp

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

app2016

89%

WISE Score

4.5

App Store

Professional 3D modeling software that turns your kid into a tiny architect—if they have the patience for the learning curve.

SketchUp

app

Everyone, 2016

89%

WISE Score

4.5

App Store

Professional 3D modeling software that turns your kid into a tiny architect—if they have the patience for the learning curve.

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Where to Find

App Store

Google Play

Screenwise Verdict

SketchUp is the real deal—a professional tool that kids can actually use to learn marketable skills. It's not dressed up as a game, it doesn't hold your hand, and it won't entertain kids who just want instant gratification.

But for the right kid—one who loves building, designing, or creating detailed worlds—this is gold. They're learning geometry, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving while making something genuinely cool. Common Sense Education is right: it takes time to learn, but the skills are transferable and valuable.

The free SketchUp for Schools version is a no-brainer for homeschoolers or kids in K-12. The consumer version at $20/month is steep, so make sure your kid is committed before subscribing. Overall, this is one of those rare apps that's actually enriching without pretending to be something it's not.

Age Fit

Best for ages 10+ who have genuine interest in design, building, or architecture. Younger kids (8-9) can use it with guidance, but the interface and concepts require patience and spatial thinking that develops with age. This isn't a toy—it's a real tool, which is both its strength and its limitation.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

SketchUp is a straightforward 3D modeling tool with no social features, chat, or user-generated content that could expose kids to inappropriate material. It's a calm, focused creative environment that encourages patience and spatial thinking. The app itself promotes constructive, goal-oriented activity without any chaotic or emotionally manipulative elements.

Imaginative

This is fundamentally a blank-canvas creative tool that lets users build literally anything they can envision in 3D space—from houses to spaceships to fantasy worlds. Common Sense Education calls it 'fantastic' and 'subject-agnostic,' noting it helps students gain 'truly useful, transferable skills.' The learning curve means kids have to problem-solve and think spatially, which deepens the creative experience rather than offering pre-made templates.

Safe

No ads, no in-app purchases (the app requires a subscription but it's managed externally), no social features, no user-generated content marketplace. It's a professional-grade tool adapted for education. The main safety consideration is that it requires internet connectivity and a Trimble Connect account, but there's no chat, comments, or community features where kids could encounter strangers. Kids Mode is available according to platform signals.

Enriching

SketchUp teaches genuine, marketable skills in 3D modeling, spatial reasoning, geometry, and design thinking. It's used professionally in architecture, construction, and design industries, so kids are learning tools that translate directly to real-world applications. The steep learning curve means kids develop persistence and problem-solving. Common Sense Education emphasizes the 'truly useful, transferable skills' aspect. It's educational without feeling like edutainment.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Teaches genuine, professional-grade skills in 3D modeling, spatial reasoning, and design that translate to real careers
Completely open-ended creativity—build houses, cities, fantasy worlds, furniture, vehicles, literally anything imaginable
No ads, no social features, no distractions—just pure creative focus
Free 'SketchUp for Schools' version available for K-12 students and homeschoolers
Used by actual architects and designers, so kids are learning industry-standard tools

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What to Watch For

Steep learning curve—this isn't Minecraft; kids will need tutorials, patience, and probably some adult guidance at first
Consumer version costs $20/month (though the educational version is free for K-12)
Works best on larger screens like iPad Pro; can be frustrating on smaller devices
Not instantly gratifying—kids who need immediate results may get frustrated

Conversation Starters

"What's the coolest thing you've designed so far? Walk me through how you built it."
"If you could design your dream bedroom (or treehouse, or spaceship), what would it look like?"
"What's been the hardest part to figure out? How did you solve it?"
"Do you think architects and designers use tools like this in real life? What kinds of projects?"

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