Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Where to Find

App Store

Google Play

Screenwise Verdict

This is a solid educational tool for the kid who genuinely likes history—the one asking about ancient Rome at dinner or memorizing presidential trivia. It's clean, straightforward, and does exactly what it promises: shows you what happened on any given day throughout history.

But let's be real: most kids won't voluntarily open this app more than once or twice. It's a reference tool, not an engaging experience. The 'what happened on my birthday' novelty wears off quickly, and then you're left with an encyclopedia that requires genuine interest to sustain.

The bigger issue is that history is full of wars, deaths, and dark events, and this app doesn't seem to filter by age-appropriateness. A 9-year-old looking up their birthday might stumble onto descriptions of battles or assassinations. Not necessarily harmful, but something to be aware of.

If your kid is a history nerd, this is a decent tool to have around. For everyone else, it'll collect digital dust after the initial curiosity passes.

Age Fit

Best for ages 9-15 who already have some interest in history and can handle reading about wars and serious events. Younger kids (7-8) could use it with parent guidance. Most teens will find it dry unless they're genuine history enthusiasts.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

88

Straightforward educational content presenting historical facts in an accessible format. No chaotic pacing, no manipulative design patterns. The app focuses on learning and discovery with a calm, encyclopedic approach. Kids mode available suggests attention to age-appropriate presentation.

Imaginative

62

The app presents historical information but doesn't actively invite creative expression or building. It's more of a passive consumption experience—browse, read, zoom on images, click to Wikipedia. The concept of exploring 'what happened on your birthday' has some curiosity spark, but overall it's a reference tool rather than an imaginative playground.

Safe

75

As an educational history app with kids mode, it's generally safe for learning. However, history itself includes wars, deaths, and potentially disturbing events—the app doesn't appear to filter these out. Links to Wikipedia could lead to unmoderated content. No mention of ads in the description, which is positive. The main concern is that 'all of history' includes some dark stuff that might pop up unexpectedly.

Enriching

78

Solid educational value for history buffs and curious learners. Access to significant historical events, dates, and figures builds general knowledge and temporal awareness. The Wikipedia integration allows deeper dives. However, it's fairly passive learning—reading facts rather than interactive exploration or skill-building. Good for knowledge acquisition, less so for critical thinking or application.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely educational—builds historical knowledge and temporal awareness by connecting dates to real events
The 'what happened on my birthday' hook is fun and personalizes history for kids
Clean interface with images and Wikipedia links for deeper learning
Kids mode available suggests thoughtful age-appropriate curation
No ads mentioned, which is refreshing for a free educational app

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What to Watch For

History includes wars, assassinations, and deaths—not filtered out, so younger kids might encounter heavy content
Wikipedia links can lead down unmoderated rabbit holes
Pretty passive experience—mostly reading facts rather than interactive learning
Realistically, this is for kids who already love history; it won't convert the uninterested

Conversation Starters

"What's the coolest thing that happened on your birthday in history?"
"If you could witness any historical event from this week in history, which would you pick?"
"Why do you think [specific event] was so important back then?"
"How would your life be different if [historical event] never happened?"

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