If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you probably know there are tons of great apps you can download from iTunes. Many of them fill your own heart with glee, but did you know that there are many that can fill your young son or daughter’s heart with joy too?
You may be wondering if allowing your $300 device in the hands of a three-year old is the wisest of moves. And, this I often wonder myself, as I watch my son shaking my iPhone rather violently to get the iGlowStick to light up — a definite fear of seeing your phone sail across the room removes some of the thrills for the parents. However, for the kids, they love it!
Here are some really fun apps for kids that build on an original post I wrote some time back: “Kid-friendly iPhone and iPod Touch“. I added “EV” for “Education Value” (how educational it is) and “PV” for Play Value (how interactive and fun it is). As any parent with active kids will tell you, getting 10 minute breaks that keep your son or daughter entertained, can make a huge difference. It’s wonderful if the app is educational too, but at least it has to have good, clean fun.
Educational:
Tickle Tap Apps have a series of very gentle learning apps for your toddler. CountCaddy ($1.99)
is a cat that helps kids with counting, while Field Flier ($1.99) is more free-form; allowing your child to help the birdy explore his surroundings while learning verbs. Both are well done, calming, and good for younger children (under 4). (Good support from the company also.) EV= high, PV = good
EliasABC and EliasZoo (was free, now $1.99 each) — simple, clean graphic and easy movement to help toddlers learn either ABCs or animal sounds. EV = high, PV = good
FeedMe (free) — Living in Hawaii, you know how important other languages are. Feedme is available in different languages, including Japanese. Interactive and educational, my son really enjoyed playing it with his mom. EV = good, PV = good
Number Fun Time (free) — fun app for kids to learn numbers. “Where is number four?” EV = good, PV = good
iWriteWords (lite/free, $1.99) — very good way to help kids learn how to write and spell words. Colorful, entertaining, and encouraging. Well worth $2 to watch your child learning how to write letters on his own! EV = high, PV = high
Monkey Preschool Lunchbox ($.99) — A funny, happy monkey teaches kids colors, counting, letters and more. My son really likes this one; very interactive and educational, plus he gets “stickers” for completing sections correctly. EV = high, PV = high
Pre-K Safari (lite/free, .99) – kids learn about the animals in the Serengeti while studying ABCs. EV = high, PV = good
Fun:
iGlowStick (free/pro $.99) — this is just a lot of fun, pull the two corners of the stick to break it, then shake it, and watch it glow or animate. Fire, snow, bats, and more are included in the pro version. My son loves showing this one off to others. EV = questionable, PV = high
Cybertoy – Transformers ($1.99) –
for transformer fans — for $2 your child can convert these virtual robots into cars or trucks, have them dance to music, or shoot lasers. EV = none/nada, PV = good
Lego Photo (free) — not sure if this is for kids or geeky parents, but we both like it. Take photos and have them “lego-ized”. EV = low, PV = good
SpongeBob Tickler Lite (free) — poke or stretch him and SpongeBob will make funny sounds. Bit annoying to parents, entertaining for kids. EV = none, PV = high
TalkingCarl (.99) — much like the above SpongeBob — poke and stretch Carl for funny sounds. Plus, he’ll repeat what your child says in a funny voice. EV = none, PV = high
JumbaluZoo (free) — mix and match colorful animal characters. EV = low, PV = good
Having a couple of these on your iPhone or iPod Touch can mean turning “wait time” into “play time”. And, even if you don’t have kids, pulling one of these out for your nephew or niece can mean you might actually be able to finish a sentence with them around. 
If you’re interested in learning about other cool iPhone apps, either for kids for adults, let HMAUS know; (members can sign in and add comments, or, just contact us). We could even provide a MacLearn on the iPhone to demo some of these, if interested.
Related posts by author:
- Kid-friendly iPhone and iPod Touch: Tips on setting up your iPhone or iPod Touch for your child
- Zen Apps for iPhone/iPod Touch: Apps to help you keep your cool and release some stress
Posted under Reviews
This post was written by markmcmahon on January 26, 2010
