One of my girlfriends recently reached out on Facebook asking what apps people recommend as she is taking a long flight with her toddler. This had me wondering as well, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to do some research. I think we could all use this fabulous technology for those rainy and challenging days! And to relieve any guilt you may have, I only searched for educational apps. From the reviews I read from various blogs and the App Store, these are my choices:
Toddlers
Fish School HD- An underwater adventure for your toddler and preschooler to learn numbers, letters, colors, and shapes. Best for ages 3-5.
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Peekaboo Barn- Your little one can learn the names of barn animals and their sounds in English or Spanish. Best for 2 and under.
Toddler Teasers- This is an app my boys love! When Flash was a toddler, I can say this app helped him learn his shapes. They have balloons the kids can pop, which is their favorite. It includes shape flashcards, quizzes, puzzles, and balloon popping. Best for ages 3 and under.
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Tozzle- Toddler’s Favorite Puzzle- A variety of jigsaw puzzles for your toddler. They increase in difficulty as your child masters each one. Puzzle designs include numbers, shapes, food, animals, and more. Best for ages 3 and under.
Preschoolers & Kindergartners
Peg + Cat Big Rig- Children can create songs while using their math skills. Once the song is complete, they can practice their reading skills because the song lyrics are provided. Best for 3-5 year olds.
Green Eggs & Ham- An interactive version of this classic allows children to read along, thus particularly helpful for the early reader. Best for ages 2-8.
The Magic Schoolbus: Oceans Wonder by Scholastic- A winner in outstanding apps, this interactive story includes games, pictures, videos, and science facts. You will pay for it at $7.99. Best for ages 4+.
Bugs and Buttons 2- This $2.99 app offers 18 educational and entertaining games with very realistic bugs (FYI). The games involve racing, counting, sorting, finding patterns, a slingshot, tic-tac-toe, sorting, connecting dots, navigating a maze, steering, matching, and completing letter sequences. Best for ages 4+.
Elementary School
Math in Action- A fun way to learn and practice math skills. This app is divided into 4 sections: 1) sorting (putting like objects together), 2) addition (combining sets), 3) subtraction (breaking sets apart), 4) transformation (changing and rearranging sets). Best for ages 5-7.
Balloony Word- Kids can practice their vocabulary skills with this app’s take on Hangman. Best for ages 6-10.
School Zone Time, Money & Fractions On-Track- Kids can learn basic fractions, how to read a clock, and count money. Best for ages 6-8.
Stack the States- Kids learn to identify state shapes, capitals, and abbreviations. Best for ages 8-11; and maybe some adults, haha.
