Is this app worth the higher upfront price tag compared to free science apps?

Yes, if you want a clean reference tool. Free science apps frequently rely on banner ads, locked chapters, or cheap animations. The Elements functions like a museum-quality digital reference book with over 500 custom-photographed 3D rotatable objects and zero upsells.

Can a kid who cannot read complex science text still get value from it?

Younger kids can still enjoy the interactive layer. The ability to pinch, zoom, and spin every object gives early elementary kids a visual sense of materials and physical textures, even before they can digest the text on atomic weights.

Does the app require an internet connection to run?

No. Once downloaded, all the high-resolution images, text, and 3D objects live locally on your device, making it useful for road trips or travel without Wi-Fi.

Does this app follow modern school chemistry curricula?

It covers every standard element on the periodic table with accurate scientific parameters like atomic mass, density, and electron shells. It serves as a visual supplement to standard middle and high school chemistry rather than a step-by-step curriculum.

The Elements by Theodore Gray – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Elements by Theodore Gray

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

app2010Education, Reference

94%

WISE Score

4.6

App Store

A interactive periodic table where you can spin razor-sharp gold nuggets, titanium screws, and 500 other physical objects in full 3D.

The Elements by Theodore Gray

app

4+, 2010, Education, Reference

94%

WISE Score

4.6

App Store

A interactive periodic table where you can spin razor-sharp gold nuggets, titanium screws, and 500 other physical objects in full 3D.

Jump to

Also rated on

Where to Find

App Store

Google Play

Screenwise Verdict

The Elements by Theodore Gray is the gold standard for what educational software on a tablet should actually be. Instead of gamifying the periodic table with cartoon quizzes or point systems, it relies on incredible high-resolution photography, 3D interactive rotatable objects, and genuinely sharp science writing.

Every element opens with a living 3D visual sample — a chunk of native copper, a sparkling diamond, or a glowing tube of neon. Tapping deeper reveals a rich mini-essay explaining where the element comes from, how humanity figured out how to use it, and a collection of real-world objects made from it. It treats chemistry like a tangible mystery of the universe rather than a grid of numbers to memorize.

It costs more than a typical throwaway app store download, but it behaves like a permanent digital coffee table book. For any kid asking what the world is made of, this is one of the best tools you can put on an iPad.

Age Fit

Great for kids ages 8 and up. Younger kids will happily spend hours spinning the 3D objects, but the rich, witty text really hits its stride for middle school chemistry learners and curious adults.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Completely calm, intellectually grounded, and driven by wonder. Zero chaos, noise, or manufactured hype.

Imaginative

Turns abstract chemistry into a tangible, tactile library of physical objects that spark genuine curiosity about the material world.

Safe

A standalone paid interactive reference book with no ads, no microtransactions, no social layer, and no tracking loops.

Enriching

Packed with razor-sharp photography, historical anecdotes, physical data, and multi-language support for every element in the universe.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Tactile chemistry exploration lets kids spin, zoom, and examine real physical samples of every element from every angle.
Engaging narrative science replaces dry textbook entries with memorable stories about how each element was discovered and used.
Comprehensive reference data includes atomic weights, electron configurations, and state-of-matter shifts for serious study.
Multilingual instant switching converts the entire app text and captions into over a dozen languages with a single touch.

⚠

What to Watch For

Reading level targets middle schoolers — while 6-year-olds love spinning the shiny 3D chunks of metal, the written copy requires solid reading comprehension.
Storage footprint is large due to hundreds of high-resolution 3D rotatable photographic assets.

Conversation Starters

"Which element sample looked completely different from what you expected when you zoomed in on it?"
"Why do you think elements like titanium or gold get used so differently than elements like chlorine or mercury?"
"If you could collect physical samples of five non-reactive elements, which ones would you put on your shelf?"

Deep Dive

A digital museum exhibit on your couch

When tablets first emerged, apps like The Elements promised a new kind of interactive media that rarely actually materialized. Theodore Gray took what could have been a static digital textbook and turned it into an interactive gallery. The brilliance lies in its simplicity: you tap an element on the periodic table, and a razor-sharp, smoothly rotating 3D object fills the screen. You can pinch, zoom, and spin every artifact, from raw ore samples to retro consumer products containing trace amounts of the element.

Science writing with personality

Gray does not write like a committee drafting a state exam prep guide. His entries are direct, humorous, and full of historical grit. He explains why bismuth forms iridescent rainbow crystals, why mercury is fascinatingly dangerous, and how argon keeps historical documents from degrading.

For a younger kid, the draw is almost purely aesthetic — spinning liquid-looking metal and strange glowing gases on the screen. For an older student entering physical science or chemistry, the text bridges the gap between high school formulas and real-world physical reality.

Buy once, keep forever

In an app ecosystem crammed with subscriptions, notification pings, and intrusive data tracking, The Elements stands out for being completely clean. You pay for it once, download the massive asset library, and sit with it in peace. It works equally well for a quiet solo browsing session or for sitting side-by-side with a kid analyzing why gold holds its luster while iron rusts.

What Parents Ask

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic

Related Guides

8 Best Chemistry Games for Kids to Learn Mixing Chemicals

These are the best chemistry games for kids, including Toca Lab and Minecraft Education. Learn about atoms and reactions without the real-world mess.

Writing about The Elements by Theodore Gray? Put this WISE score on your site