Technology and tots can indeed go hand in hand successfully, take for example all of the apps made just for little kids for the iPod Touch and iPhone.
I've finally jumped into the app world and I brought my girls (almost 4 years old and 2 years old) with me. We've been having a blast playing the free iPhone/iPod Touch apps for toddlers in particular. It's a good way to jump in and test the waters. Many are short versions of full apps that cost a buck or two if you want to upgrade after you know if your tots like them or not. But some freebies are the whole package!
Apps for tots are a good way to entertain them at restaurants or just to pass time together in the winter months when it's too cold to play for too long outdoors. My girls and I like to sit down together on the couch and take turns with them.
Here's the 10 best free ones we've tested out... all are fun and most also have a learning element too! (Note: We have... and use these with... the basic iPod Touch G1 with the latest v3 software.)
iwritewords (lite) - This is the favorite so far for my 4 year old. She loves writing letters, numbers and tracing and this free app lets her do all of that - with a few letters and numbers and first words too. Great handwriting tool that let's her practice over and over and feel a sense of pride for a job well done without letting her cheat letters by writing backwards, like she does on paper sometimes. (See right for screen shot from iwritewords).
ABC Maze lite - Also made by the same people as iwritewords (ptgdi), this one has easy mazes that your tot has to navigate a ball through to spell out easy words.
Tap Dots - This is a fun way to teach numbers visually with simple tracing of images that little ones love - 18 in all- including a bear, train, duck and more. This is the full version of this app and it's completely free! (See screenshot left from Tap Dots)
Baby Flash Cards - This is another full version app that's 100% free! It has 200 different cards that you can sort in several different ways. These are the digital version of flash cards you probably have at home and your kids have nibbled on or lost some of. Really can't beat this for what it is! So simple and you can use for small babies up thru toddlers.
Doodle Buddy - Doodle Buddy is the best of all the free drawing apps we tried. You can free draw, use stamps, even trace or draw over your own photos. Just shake lightly and clear the screen to start over. You can also save your works of art. Both my girls enjoy this and want to play over and over again! For older kids or kids at heart you can invite other users to draw with you - and play hang man or other drawing games!
First Words Sampler - A short version of several different full apps, this is still fun for little ones. First Words shows an image of a familiar thing plus a letter scramble. Kids have to put the right letters in order to spell out the word. If your tots like this sampler, you can upgrade to a holiday, animals, home, vehicles and deluxe versions.
Letter Quiz lite - A free, shorter version of a full app, this one has tots pick out the letter being asked for from a group of 4 letters. A very basic app but you may learn just how much your tot knows! I couldn't believe how good my 2 year old is at this one and she's so proud of herself.
The above games can all be played with the sound off. But the below ones require sound on/speakers/headphones to enjoy:
Bubblesnap - So simple yet somehow fascinating for tots. My girls just tap tap tap the screen popping the virtual bubble wrap. They're not learning much but can play nicely together with this one. By far the best app involving bubbles of any kind! (Screenshot of Bubblesnap, right)
Vocal Zoo - This is like a piano of animal noises - the keys being the photos of animals and the sounds of the animal in that picture. The photos are really cute too! It's easy for the youngest of app users to figure out and have fun with.
Mini piano - It's just that... a piano for your iPhone/iPod Touch. Kids love pounding away making their own songs!
If you have any other favorite free apps, leave a comment below with the name.
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Thanks...can't wait to try these and share with parents. Bubble wrap popping might be fun for me.
do you have these??
are they online?
Great article. This week I discovered two apps that I liked for my young children. Matches is a fun pairing game, free and well done. When I want to entertain my kids for more than 10 minutes though, a friend told me about WeetWoo, a safe YouTube videos for kids app. It costs $1.99 but my kids can watch lots of shows, like They Might Be Giants, or for my older son, Bill Nye the Science Guy.
I Hear Ewe app. Has 24 animal sounds and 12 vehicle sounds.
I have discovered the Babyskool apps for iPhone and iPad. Teaches kids different languages, numbers, colors, shapes and soothing sleeping videos. Each app has fun games and over 30 minutes of video each!!!!
Just go to itunes apps and search under BABYSKOOL.
My kid loves Wee Giggle. I haven't seen her so engaged in one app before!
My daughter really loves using Drawing Tots for iphone
Wow great information thanks. My husband was looking for some good apps to add for our boys. I sent the page to him so he can check them out.
I think you should add an app called "BabyFirst Mobile" for the Kiddos. Streams dozens of hours of educational videos in 8 languages by BabyFirst TV. Truly Amazing. My Kid LOVES it.
Thank you for this article, I stumbled upon it and I am happy I did. I have 4 girls and they love playing with my iPhone and I am always looking for other good games that get ratings to install and let them play with. I love bubble snap, well I should say they do, my husband has the ipad. Also as a mother I am trying to help other parents and first time parents in any way I can. I am a app developer and I am making lots of great free new apps. The newest one is 50,000 baby names. To see our other FREE apps check out my website that lists all of my other apps http://www.pregnancytoolspro.com/ Thank you!
Jen
This is great! Thank you for the recommendations!
my nephew, who is 2.5 loves Monkey lunchbox, the activities are a bit repetitive but after every 3 activities he gets a break and a 'sticker' keeps him going for ages whilst at the same time teaching him numbers, matching, letters, colours and what things are different and which are same. Wish there were more free apps like this one around.
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