Great Apps for Preschoolers and Toddlers

I love my iPhone.  Seriously.  Love it.  And don’t get me started on my iPad!

Over the past three years I have become a total Apple addict.  One of the best things about my iPhone and iPad is something I never expected: the educational (and entertainment!) uses I have found for my children.

Just last week my boys made it through an hour long veterinary appointment with nary a peep thanks to YouTube Fireman Sam episodes, I was even complemented on their behavior by the veterinarian! With the bevy of apps I have equipped myself with I can usually handle all but the most extreme errand trips with the boys in tow, keeping them entertained keeps everyone’s frustration to a minimum.

Here are some of my favorite apps for my boys, this is by no means a comprehensive list of apps for all kids, just some of my favorites I have found that work well for us.  New apps are coming out everyday!

Great Apps for the Kids:

• YouTube-As I mentioned above, I can usually find at least partial episodes of all the boy’s favorite shows on YouTube.  I obviously never let the boys play with YouTube on their own, I usually find a show and start it for them. YouTube comes already loaded on iPhones and iPads.
• Stack the States   Stack the States is a super cute game that teaches simple geography and civic facts about the 50 states.  I have to read the questions to my five year old but he loves playing it and has learned many of the facts along the way.
• Amazing Shape Puzzle  This game is very popular with my boys, it has a variety of puzzles they can put together and can keep them entertained for quite some time.
• Grade 1 Splash Math  Splash Math is a great math learning app that will even send you email reports of how your child progresses. It is available in other grades as well.
• Google Earth  Google Earth is an amazing app for adults but my boys enjoy it as well- we use it for reference in geography and when talking about our planet.
• ABC Tracer  ABC Tracer was one of the first apps I put on my phone for my boys.  It is very cute and helps even young toddlers learn and write their letters.  The ABC song is my boy’s favorite part of this app!
• Color Dots  ColorDots is a great app for tiny ones, even Tommy at 8 months will look at it (hey-whatever lets Mommy potty in peace!) It is very basic-just colored dots bouncing around the screen, and they pop when you touch them.  
• Teach Me Kindergarten  Teach Me Kindergarten is also available in 1st grade.  Wonderful app for learning and practicing basic math and reading skills.
• Wood Puzzle USA is an iPad app that is just beautifully made.  It truly simulates the look/sound of working with a real wood puzzle of the United States.  It has three modes to practice and quiz state location and capitals.
• Little Matchups ABC Alphabet another app to teach letter recognition and phonics, very well designed and fun to play.

Most of these apps are very inexpensive or come with “Lite” versions to try for free, I usually don’t buy an app until I have let my boys play with it first to be sure they actually like it.

Do you let your kids play with your iPhone or iPad? What are some of your children’s favorite apps?

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