Many of these apps come with in-app purchases. If your children don't understand that they are paying with real money every time they tap one of these, it can cause real problems. Before handing a phone or tablet over to a kid, make sure they don't know the password for your account or have an understanding of what in-app purchases are and that they need to ask before they click. You can also turn off the in-app purchases altogether for iOS. Also look into our guides on best iPhone apps and Android apps.
Games
Super Why! ($3 for iOS/Android)
Ages: 3-6
Theme: Literacy
Super Why! ($3 for iOS/Android)
The Super Why! app utilizes characters from the popular PBS show by the same name to help kids with reading and writing skills. It features three games that are led by different characters. Kids can help Alpha Pig follow the alphabet path to create words, Princess Presto lays out words kids can trace with their fingers to learn how to write, and Wonder Red teachers children how to find words that rhyme. The app also includes interactive storybooks in which kids are instructed to plug in the correct words to complete sentences. The downside of this app is its fairly expensive price and gameplay that can grow repetitive, so only purchase if your child is younger or needs a little extra help with literacy. It has also been known to freeze and experience audio malfunctions. The newest update claims it has fixed these problems, but it's something to be wary of.
Monkey Preschool Lunchbox ($2 for iOS/Android)
Ages: 2-5
Theme: Preschool Studies
Monkey Preschool Lunchbox ($2 for iOS/Android)
One of several Monkey games, Monkey Preschool Lunchbox teaches preschoolers about shapes, counting, puzzles, and colors. Whenever he opens his lunchbox a new lesson comes out. The monkey asks for help in finding all the green fruit, grabbing only eight strawberries, or finding the fruit that starts with the right letter. You can't lose points for messing up, so wrong guesses become part of the learning process instead of something scary. There are a number of different challenges, but it gets boring for older kids with a solid comprehension of letters, colors, and counting. The bright colors and monkey mascot make it engaging for young kids, and the controls are easy for anyone to learn quickly.
Polar Bowler ($1 for iOS/Android)
Ages: All
Theme: Entertainment
Polar Bowler ($1 for iOS/Android)
Polar Bowler follows a Hawaiian shirt wearing polar bear named PB as he careens through obstacles on an inner tube to knock over pins. PB is assisted by his penguin butler, J. The game is an update of a computer game from 2007, featuring new levels to clear and new ways to win. That doesn't mean this is expansion of the original — the app features fewer characters and levels, despite a handful of new levels. The game includes a multiplayer function so kids can play with their friends and learn to be more interactive. This is a good game for all ages. The controls are easy to learn and the amount of increasingly difficult levels make it easy to stay engaged, even for older kids. And to curb frustration among younger kids, Polar Bowler includes an option to put up bumpers. There are two versions of this game, Polar Bowler: 1st Frame, which is free but only has a conventional bowling lanes, and the full featured version for $1 with different courses and levels. If you are unsure about how your kid will respond to this game download the free demo on iOS/Android, and see how they do with the controls. If they like the game you can shell out the dollar to get the full version. The paid version offers over 70 levels and no ads, but there are in-app purchases.
Cut the Rope ($3 on iOS/Android)
Ages: All
Theme: Logic Puzzles
Cut the Rope ($3 on iOS/Android)
An alien named Om Nom has come to earth and all he wants to do is eat candy. It is up to your kids to figure out what ropes to cut and what bubbles to pop to get the candy to the creature with the least amount of moves. Cut the Rope is geared toward older kids because it is a puzzle game but it does force the player to problem solve and think critically. Two skills that are useful at any age. Each level is a little harder than the last and it is easy to become frustrated. Only invest the $3 if your kid is someone who loves getting through problems and will stick with something. There are a few different versions of this game including Cut the Rope: Experiments (iOS/Android) and Cut the Rope: Time Travel (iOS/Android), so the fun can keep going even after you've completed all the levels on the original. The rope cutting never has to end.
Angry Birds ($1 on iOS/Android)
Ages: All
Theme: Strategy/Entertainment
Angry Birds ($1 on iOS/Android)
If you haven't heard of Angry Birds, you have successfully avoided popular culture long enough and it is time to come into the light. The object of the game is to slingshot birds at pigs sitting in small structures in order to kill all the pigs. No one knows what the pigs did, or even if they are evil, but for some reason the birds are not happy with their presence. Levels are like puzzles and each one is harder than the last, but along the way you unlock different birds with new abilities. If your kid is tired of the original Angry Birds, you can branch out to one of many sequels including but not limited to Angry Birds Star Wars and Angry Birds Friends.
Educational
Toddler Teasers: Shapes (Free on iOS/Android)
Ages: Preschool
Themes: Preschool Studies
Toddler Teasers: Shapes (Free on iOS/Android)
Toddler Teasers gets kids ready for preschool with puzzles and games involving shapes, colors, numbers, and letters. The app is laid out so a young child can click around without getting out of the game or ending up at a menu, and the controls are easy enough for anyone to use. There are four ways to play but all of them are educational, and should help with development. Toddler Teasers features over 30 categories, which include shapes, colors, money, symbols, colors, and numbers. The game has puzzles, games, and flashcards to make learning easy. Once kids have been playing for awhile, the app will email report cards to show the categories in which your kids excel or struggle. Once your child starts to outgrow the games, you can give them a new challenge by changing the language to Spanish or French.
Free Books ($1 on iOS)
Ages: All
Theme: Reading
Free Books ($1 on iOS)
Free Books boasts that it offers 23,469 classics for less than the price of a cup of coffee. All of the books offered are public domain novels, so it is perfect for a kid with any interest in the classics like Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz. If your child can't read novels yet, Free Books also has a selection of audio books. Users can even switch between an audiobook and an ebook, so kids can listen to a paragraph and then try to read it themselves. If your kid comes across a word he doesn't know yet, he can highlight it and pull up the dictionary. Once you've download the app, you have access to it's entire library. Scrolling through all the tiny pages can be tiring, but it does offer options to change the font, background, and go into night mode. You can rate books to help you remember which ones were your favorites or read reviews to make sure your choice is appropriate for children. Free Books can take up a lot of space on your phone or tablet — depending on how many books you download — so make sure you have some extra space on your device before handing it over to your child.
Memory Matches (Free on iOS/Android)
Ages: All
Theme: Memory Games
Memory Matches (Free on iOS/Android)
Memory Match is a great way to keep your mind sharp. The game is laid out like a typical memory game in which you uncover cards to find matches and clear the board. It is an extremely simple concept so you kid might get tired of playing it, but it is something the whole family can play. Games can be chosen by themes, such as shapes, dots, and animals. There are two ways to play, timed single player mode or against another player in multiplayer mode. You can also change the board to have four cards by four cards, 5 x 5, 6 x 6, 7 x 7, or 8 x 8. The app records all scores of anyone who plays on that particular device, which makes it easy to keep track of who you are beating, who is the reigning family champ, and who must be dethroned. Because the game is quite basic, it might become stale for some children, but it's free so there's little reason not to download it.
GazziliScience ($2 for iOS)
Ages: 5-10
Theme: Science Education
GazziliScience ($2 for iOS)
Science can be a tough subject for some kids, but GazziliScience makes it easy and fun. There are six different areas of the game with a different piece of science to learn. Different characters take kids through lessons about plants, seasons, water cycles, and more. Kids can plant a seed, watch the roots grow, and see the transformation into trees and flowers. Watch how the rotation of the earth changes the seasons and go under the sea to learn about the wildlife. The app has a lot of content, but the actions are repetitive so there is a possibility children will outgrow the games. Each time a kid completes a lesson, they unlock another portion of the GazziliScience Fun Page, an interactive menu in which kids can get stickers and touch on-screen objects to make them move, talk, or dance.
Ubooly (Free on iOS/Android)
Ages: 5-8
Theme: Interactive Toys
Ubooly (Free on iOS/Android)
Ubooly, which can be described as a less terrifying Furby, is essentially an far more advanced version of a Teddy Ruxpin. But rather than cassette tapes, you can insert your iPhone or iPad into the Ubooly plush toy ($30), which will interact with your kids. It can learn names, birthdays, responds when spoken to, and walks kids through various lessons and games. For example, kids can enter math problems into the iPhone/iPad and Ubooly will work with them toward the correct solution. Ubooly also teaches children science by walking them through easy at home experiments, which make hands on learning at home easy and fun. The toy covers a range of lessons from the human body to Spanish, and has enough content to keep a kid of any age interested. It can also tell stories, jokes, and play music right from your iPad, iPod, or iPhone. And your device is protected in a plush case when plugged into the Ubooly, so you don't need to be as mindful of your child dropping it or scratching it.
Art/Music
Mini Monet ($2 on iOS)
Ages: 3-10
Theme: Drawing / Art
Mini Monet ($2 on iOS)
Mini Monet lets kids explore a town where they can click on different things to learn about different types of art. Kids have a number of digital tools available to them, such as markers, paint, pencils, and glitter. They can also make custom stickers and stamps. Mini Monet offers 120 coloring pages and a blank pad in which kids can create pictures from scratch. Every week, kids receive a new challenge page and can win stickers for completing said challenges. Every masterpiece can be saved to your child's art book and looked at later or sent to emailed and printed out. Once kids complete a coloring page, they can earn coins and use those to buy new coloring pages or different colors. If you have a little one who wants to play along, Mini Monet offers the magic pencil that ensures they stay within the lines. Though this game says it is appropriate for children up to 10, unless your child really likes to color, there isn't much appeal for all but toddlers.
Artkive (Free on iOS/Android)
Ages: All
Theme: Art Preservation and Sharing
Artkive (Free on iOS/Android)
Artkive is the refrigerator door of apps. It allows you to take pictures of your kids' artwork and share it on Facebook or send it to anyone via email or text. This may sound like something you can already do with the camera on your phone, but Artkive offers child-friendly navigation and lets anyone easily edit pictures for brightness or filters. Artkive lets you create a plaque for each picture that includes the child's name, age, and date, so you don't have to try to remember who painted what. You can also upload artwork you like onto the Artkive website and create calendars and books, which could be used to embarrass your children for years to come. A book from 99-105 pages cost $100. Artkive can be used to preserve school work and projects as well. If you have more than one child, you can either combine all the artwork or make separate accounts for each one.
Little Fox Music Box ($3 on iOS/Android)
Ages: 3-6
Theme: Sing-along
Little Fox Music Box ($3 on iOS/Android)
If your child likes to sing and listen to music, Little Fox Music Box is the perfect app. The player can sing along with the Fox and his friends to classics such as "Old MacDonald," and "London Bridge." Each song is paired with a different scene with interactive animals and backgrounds. If your little one is tired of the standard basic songs, head to the fox studio where you can record original songs while Little Fox dances along. This app is not without a major flaw: it's relatively simple for kids to buy in-app purchases. For reasons yet to be fixed, Little Fox Music Box still allows in-app purchases regardless of whether you've have turned them off on your phone or tablet. These purchases appear when users swipes down from the top of the screen–which is easy to do for a child–so parents would be wise to keep an extra close eye on their children while they play this game.
My First Classical Music App ($4.99 on iOS/Android)
Ages: 4-8
Theme: Music Education
My First Classical Music App ($4.99 on iOS/Android)
A great place to start learning about music, My First Classical Music App teaches kids about different genres of music, types of instruments, and historically important composers. The app has a lot of text, but kids can click on paragraphs to have them read out loud and click on pictures to watch illustrations dance and move. Cartoon animals walk kids through what each instrument sounds like and how these are played. Once you child has learned about instruments, you can head over to the composers section and read about the lives and music of famous composers. The app features over 40 recordings of classical music, so they can start to recognize famous pieces of music. After working through the app and reading about instruments and composers, your child can answer questions about the material to test retention. My First Classical Music App is one of the more expensive apps on this list, so only pull the trigger if is something you are confident your child will enjoy for awhile.
Art of Glow (Free on iOS/ Android)
Ages: All
Theme: Creativity / Lite-Brite
Art of Glow (Free on iOS/ Android)
Lite-Brite was a revelation of the '90s that combined the glory of neon, art, and potential chocking hazards. This relic used to be found in every suburban home, but now it has gone the way of Pogs and fuse beads. Art of Glow brings back the national past time digitally — without the choking risk. Every creation begins with a blank black screen and children choose which kind of brush stroke to use, such as stars, hearts, and circles. Choose a color, all of them neon, and draw away. It's like finger painting without the mess. Some of the shapes are animated and will come to life, but all of them are bright and eye-catching, perfect for a young child. After the masterpiece is completed, you can then save them to enjoy later. And perhaps the biggest upside to this app: you won't find those little Lite-Brite tabs stuffed in the carpet.
What are your favorite apps for kids? Sound off in the comments below.
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