Chuggington fans in your house? Chug Patrol: Ready to Rescue is an interactive story app built around the show, and we asked two young reviewers – aged two and five – to put it through its paces.
Chug Patrol: Ready to Rescue app
Get ready to rescue! Ride the rails with Wilson, Brewster, Koko and Chug Patrol chief Jackman in this train-mad interactive adventure. Read the story, complete the challenges, and use your new skills to win special Chug Patrol badges. Perfecto!
Chug Patrol: Ready to Rescue looks and feels just like a real book. Children can watch and listen as Jackman narrates the story, then turn the page to see each 3D pop-up scene magically unfold. From there, they can join in the action themselves, helping the Chuggers complete challenges and earning Chug Patrol badges along the way.
Readers join Koko as she learns control and braking, lay track in the forest with Brewster, explore a mine with Wilson, and rescue Emery when his brakes fail, along with several more mini-adventures.
Some features of the app
- Positive reinforcement for reading and playing along – win a Chug Patrol badge when each game is completed
- Read to Me, Read It Myself and Autoplay modes
- A lively musical score and plenty of train sound effects
What our reviewer thought
I first opened the app with my two-year-old, a big Chuggington fan who doesn’t have many words yet but was very animated about seeing Koko and Brewster on my phone. I moved the story along for him, but when it came to clearing logs off the track, he wanted a go himself – and so he did, not always getting
a result, but enjoying the trying all the same.
My five-year-old is also a Chuggington fan, Koko in particular, “because she is fast AND a girl.” She took over the phone and played through the story herself, listening along and moving the obstacles out of the way with ease. Catching the red trucks took her a little longer to master, but after missing one or two she got the hang of it. It’s a short but enjoyable adventure with some very familiar trains.
Our only real gripe was the size of the download, which meant clearing space on the phone – worth doing, though, given how much play the girls got out of it afterwards.
Is it worth downloading?
If you’ve got a Chuggington fan at home, this is a sweet, simple way to combine story time with a bit of screen time – short adventures, familiar characters, and a gentle introduction to problem-solving for younger players.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chug Patrol: Ready to Rescue free to download?
A free version has been available on the App Store and Google Play. As with any app, it’s worth checking current pricing and availability before you download, as these can change.
What age is the app suitable for?
Our reviewers were two and five, and both enjoyed it, though in different ways – the younger child liked exploring the story with a grown-up, while the older child was happy to play independently.
Does the app include in-app purchases or a paid version?
There has been a paid version alongside the free one, offering additional content. Check the app listing for current details before buying.
Do children need to be able to read to enjoy it?
No. The Read to Me and Autoplay modes mean younger children who can’t read yet can still follow the story and join in with the games.
You might also like
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar app
- 20 of the Best Educational Apps for Preschoolers
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