# Highlights™ Shapes — Shape Sorting & Color Mixing > Preschool shape and color sorting game with educational puzzles and interactive worlds. (iPhone/iPad app by Highlights for Children, Inc..) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highlights-shapes/id1127726827 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Highlights for Children, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/567496442) - Category: Education, Games, Family - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 3.80/5 from 325 App Store ratings · 86 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 10.0 · 96 MB - Languages: American English, Italian, Chinese (Simplified, China), European Spanish - Released: 2016-09-05 - Data updated: 2026-07-09 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highlights-shapes/id1127726827/reviews.md ## What is Highlights™ Shapes? Accompanied by a friendly fox - and other animal buddies along the way - young children will learn and practice matching, sorting, mixing and categorizing shapes and colors through imaginative activity-filled worlds. Visit an ancient jungle, the magical deep sea, mysterious outer space — even a wild savanna safari! The puzzle games are woven into engaging stories, and the games increase in challenge as your preschool-aged child plays. Kids will benefit from: • Development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills • Curiosity as they explore new worlds of shapes, colors, and color mixing • Learning to make predictions and understanding outcomes by discovering how primary colors mix together to form secondary colors • Confidence as they make decisions and advance to new levels • Learning key preschool and math skills like matching, sorting and classifying by shapes and colors • Identifying and naming 11 shapes from circles to octagons, 11 primary and secondary colors and color mixing • Development of fine motor skills • Security of an ad-free environment Features: • 6 progressing levels of challenge: o FREE Ancient Jungle Puzzle Pack – 4 shapes + 8 colors o Magical Underwater Puzzle Pack – 8 shapes + 11 colors o Mysterious Space Puzzle Pack – 11 shapes + 11 colors o NEW Jurassic Journey Puzzle Pack –Introduce color mixing! o NEW Savanna Safari Puzzle Pack – Expand on color mixing with even more colors! o FREE Sweet Arctic Puzzle Pack – 8 shapes + 11 colors •Hilarious surprises and delights to engage preschool children along the way •Track progress, skip and replay functions •3 language options (US English, UK English, Spanish) •A secure, ad-free experience (CARU COPPA Safe Harbor Certified) This app is fun, creative, confidence building and developmentally appropriate - brought to you by the early childhood experts at Highlights and Italian creative studio Colto. Highlights Shapes is an ideal first app for kids 3+, and easy for young children to play on their own. It’s playable in English (US + UK) and Spanish. PREPARES CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL As children progress through Highlights Shapes, they’ll develop creative thinking and essential problem-solving skills, both critical for the start of formal schooling. PROMOTES FUN, MEANINGFUL LEARNING Highlights Shapes combines geometric, sorting and matching skills that are crucial for preschool-aged children to grasp, with the fun of an engaging, age-appropriate game. Children will learn valuable math and vocabulary skills all while having a blast traveling through new and exciting worlds! PROMOTES CONFIDENCE AND CREATIVITY In this game, children will foster confidence, creativity and curiosity as they make decisions! They’ll build colorful geometric scenes, learn how colors mix to form other colors, and explore three exciting environments. DEVELOPS FINE MOTOR SKILLS As children touch and drag each colorful shape, they’ll develop their fine motor skills. INCREASES VOCABULARY As they correctly match and sort each object, children will hear their shapes and colors repeated aloud, helping them learn new words and increasing their existing vocabularies. ABOUT US Highlights for Children Founded by educators Dr. Garry and Caroline Myers in 1946, Highlights was built on the belief that “Children Are the World’s Most Important People™.” Today, 70 years later, every “Fun with a Purpose™” product is still designed to help children become their best selves: creative, curious, caring and confident. Colto Colto is creating imaginative and educational mobile play experiences for kids around the world based on original and branded properties. Our Team, made up of a Mum/Teachers and talented Game Designers, Developers and Marketers, strives to develop high quality educational Apps that kids love and parents trust. Our games are ethical, safe and designed to be non-addictive for kids. Required iOS 8.1 onwards ## Key features - Shape and color matching - Sorting and categorizing activities - Color mixing lessons - Progressive challenge levels - Exploration of imaginative worlds - Ad-free environment - Multiple language options ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | "Pack 2 + Pack 3" | $2.99 | one-time | | Chapter Two | $1.99 | one-time | | Chapter Three | $1.99 | one-time | | Chapter Four | $1.99 | one-time | | Chapter Five | $1.99 | one-time | | 25% Off Preschool Puzzle Fun! | $5.99 | one-time | ## What do users think of Highlights™ Shapes? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 👶 Excellent educational tool for learning shapes and colors - 🎮 Engaging and intuitive gameplay mechanics for toddlers - 🧠 Builds abstract reasoning, patience, and problem-solving skills - 🎨 Appealing graphics and visual design - 🦊 Charming fox character guide - 🎵 Calming music and sound effects - 📱 Works offline without WiFi requirement - ✨ No intrusive ads in free version - 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Suitable for wide age range (1-5 years old) - 🎯 Simple and intuitive navigation for young children **Cons** - 🔊 Persistent sound/audio issues across multiple devices - 💰 Expensive in-app purchases for additional levels - 🚫 No family sharing support for purchases - 📉 Limited content - only 3-4 levels available - ⏱️ Levels complete too quickly (3-10 minutes each) - 🔄 Lost purchased content after phone updates - ❌ Misleading 'free app' marketing when most content requires payment - 🎓 Naming inconsistency (calls rhombus a 'diamond') - 😕 Some themes potentially unsettling for young children (ancient idol) - 🚫 Lack of parental controls and home button protection - 📞 Unresponsive customer support - 💳 Confusing pricing display with crossed-out prices **Commonly reported bugs** - Sound/audio not working despite system updates and reinstalls - Notifications must be enabled for sound to function - Purchased levels not transferring to new devices - Language switching glitch preventing Spanish audio - Home button not protected from accidental child taps - In-app purchase system not functioning on some devices - Account creation issues preventing purchase completion - App support/live chat not responsive **Most requested features** - More levels and increased difficulty progression - Additional shape types and more complex puzzles - Alphabet/letter learning app similar to shapes version - Language options including Spanish and Chinese audio - Family sharing capability for purchases - Parental controls and screen time timer options - More diverse themes (animals, fish instead of artifacts) - Ability to transfer purchases between devices - More challenging content for advanced learners ## Recent user reviews (10 of 86) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highlights-shapes/id1127726827/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Finally *2026-02-03, version 1.5.1* I HAVEN’T PLAYED THIS FOR 4 YEARS ### 5/5 — Highlights shapes *2025-09-08* This is the best game ever I used to play when I was little, but when I did I still play it even know I’m nine. I still love this game. ### 5/5 — -👨‍🎓-,-MY-,-👨‍🎓-,-FIRST-,-👨‍🎓-,-Name-,-👨‍🎓-,-IS-,-👨‍🎓-,-SAAJAN-,-👨‍🎓-,-RAJ-,- *2025-08-29, version 1.5.1* -👨‍🎓-,-my-,-👨‍🎓-,-first-,-👨‍🎓-,- name-,-👨‍🎓-,-is-,-👨‍🎓-,-saajan-,👨‍🎓-,-raj-,- ### 5/5 — Review *2025-05-23* The hidden pictures app IS both Fun 🤩 and engaging. I would recommend it for everyone. I also find it relaxingi . It’s definitely worth getting but to try to Do everyday. I found it is a good way to wind/calm down for the day. ### 5/5 — Great skill building *2025-01-10, version 1.5.1* My children have all loved this games over the years. It has great replayability. It has helped them build abstract reasoning, patience, and problem-solving. ### 5/5 — CANDY *2024-09-07, version 1.5.1* I love the candy level 😍🍬 ### 1/5 — Really *2023-12-31, version 1.5.1* NO SOUND ### 5/5 — Shapes *2023-07-13, version 1.5.1* Really good game! ### 4/5 — App Won’t let me buy the game! as app need an account number?? *2023-02-02, version 1.5.1* I Try to pay for the full version -from an Android phone- but can’t create an account, can’t contact support, the text message does not go through… I want to spend money in your shop!!! Signed up for the 10% off, still can’t buy it! If you send me an email address, I give you the address in question. ### 2/5 — No sound *2022-12-14* Unable to hear sound . Able to hear on old iPad but not newer ones **Developer response:** Hi, thank you for the review. As we work to address this issue, we have found that allowing notifications for this app on your device enables the sound. Thanks! ## Frequently asked questions about Highlights™ Shapes ### What does Highlights Shapes do? Highlights Shapes is an educational app designed for young children to learn and practice matching, sorting, and categorizing shapes and colors. It uses engaging, story-driven puzzles set in various imaginative worlds to make learning fun and interactive. ### What are the key features of Highlights Shapes? Key features include learning to match, sort, and categorize shapes and colors, understanding color mixing, exploring six different themed puzzle packs with progressing difficulty, and enjoying a secure, ad-free environment. The app also offers progress tracking and multiple language options. ### How much does Highlights Shapes cost? The app offers a free Ancient Jungle Puzzle Pack and a free Sweet Arctic Puzzle Pack, allowing children to experience the core gameplay. Additional puzzle packs with more shapes, colors, and advanced features like color mixing are available for purchase within the app. ### What age group is Highlights Shapes suitable for? This app is ideal for children aged 3 and up, specifically targeting preschool-aged children. It is designed to be developmentally appropriate and easy for young children to play independently, preparing them for school. ### What skills does Highlights Shapes help develop? The app helps develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, curiosity, prediction abilities, and an understanding of color mixing. It also aids in learning key preschool math skills like matching and sorting, identifying shapes and colors, and developing fine motor skills. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.5.1 — 2021-03-15 Bug fixing ### 1.5.0 — 2020-04-29 This update includes small improvements to keep your squares straight and your circles round. If you’re loving the app, remember to give us a review! ### 1.4.1 — 2019-10-29 RED-y for an update? This one’s for HUE! Update your Highlights Shapes app for some behind-the-scenes improvements. ### 1.4.0 — 2019-09-02 We’re CIRCLE-ing back with another great update! We’ve optimized the app to improve overall performance, making it easier and more fun to use. ### 1.3.8 — 2019-02-04 We’re CIRCLE-ing back with another great update! We’ve optimized the app to improve overall performance, making it easier and more fun to use. ## Apps similar to Highlights™ Shapes | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Trucks - by Duck Duck Moose](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trucks-by-duck-duck-moose/id522562617) | 4.0 (46) | Free | Education | | [Fish School - 123 ABC for Kids](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fish-school-123-abc-for-kids/id367567459) | 3.7 (90) | Free | Education | | [Musical Me! - Kids Songs Music](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/musical-me-kids-songs-music/id441152315) | 4.5 (16) | Free | Education | | [Montessorium: Intro to Colors](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/montessorium-intro-to-colors/id630682398) | 4.7 (14) | Free | Education | | [Busy Shapes & Colors](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busy-shapes-and-colors/id1209114575) | 4.1 (2,485) | Free | Education | | [Highlights Library Reading](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highlights-library-reading/id1468973367) | 2.8 (136) | Free | Education | ## More apps by Highlights for Children, Inc. - [Highlights Monster Day](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highlights-monster-day/id1112162323) - [Hidden Pictures Puzzle Town](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hidden-pictures-puzzle-town/id1182886079) - [Hidden Pictures Puzzle Play](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hidden-pictures-puzzle-play/id1462177299) All apps by Highlights for Children, Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/567496442 ## Related topics [highlights shapes](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/highlights-shapes) · [sorting shapes](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/sorting-shapes) · [highlights](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/highlights) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-09.*