Plant Nanny makes drinking water fun

Looking for a fun way to increase your water intake? Then you may be interested in the Plant Nanny app. This free app makes drinking water a game, reminiscent of the “digital pets” of the 90’s. You take care of a virtual plant and help it grow by tracking your water intake within the app. Plant Nanny is available for both iOS and Android devices.

How it Works

After you download the app, you’ll be asked to update your profile. The app uses your height, weight and activity level to recommend your water intake. Next, you’ll pick out your plant and name it. Once you’re set up with a plant you can start tracking your water.

You can change your measurement type in the Settings section to either ounces or milliliters. You’re also able to select a “cup” from their preset options, making it even easier to track. Each time you drink water, you use the cup icon in the bottom right hand corner to track it. The app will send you an encouraging message and you’ll know how much more you need to drink for the day. It will also display how much water your plant needs to grow to the next level. If you drink too fast, the app will warn you to slow down. If you don’t track your water, you can hurt your plant and possibly cause it to die.

Through the app, you can set reminders to drink, to help better care for your plant. As your plant grows, you’ll receive rewards that can be used to increase the growth of your plant and “purchase” items for your plant through the virtual store. There are real in-app purchases–for example, you can buy virtual “seeds” to plant and take care of more plants. You can also earn free seeds by watching commercials through the app.

Pros:

• The app is a fun way to become more motivated to drink water.
• The plant graphics are cute and visually appealing. The background even changes with the time of day.
• Once you get the hang of the app, it is easy to use.

Cons:

• Although it’s fun to help the plant grow, it seems to grow slowly after passing the first level.
• Periodically an ad may appear at the bottom of the screen, making it difficult to change your cup when tracking water.
• It’s not fully apparent where to change settings, access the store, etc. It can be confusing to navigate through the menus.

Overall Consensus

If you want a fun and different way to track your water intake rather than standard tracker apps, Plant Nanny may be a good option for you. The app makes it enjoyable to keep track of your water intake while taking care of a virtual plant.

For Health Advocate Members

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