Educational Apps
Interactive Alphabet - There's a reason this app has won several awards, including "Best Kids App" from iLounge last year -- this alphabet app is pretty much the cutest thing ever. I let JR choose which games he wants to play when he's got the iPad, but I've always got my fingers crossed that he'll choose this one. Each letter has a fun surprise waiting for your child to uncover. My favourite is "H": H is for Hat, but touch the Hat and you'll find a Hamster hiding underneath. The charming characters, bright colours and even a catchy tune that won't make parents crazy, all make for a true winner. Being educational is just a huge bonus. $2.99
Wild Fables - Razeware has reworked some of the most classic Aesop's Fables and turned them into true works of art. These stories, all of which carry a meaningful lesson, are sure to delight kids (and parents) of all ages. The illustrations are beautifully done and each page is highly interactive with a few hidden surprises. My son absolutely loves 'feeding' the raccoon in "The Tortoise and the Hare" and I enjoy humming along to the lilting tune that serves as background music for all the stories. This app provides three stories for free, with each additional story available for $0.99.
Sound Shaker - You can add this adorable app to the "not annoying even when played repeatedly" category. It lets children experiment with different sounds (chimes, whistles, barnyard noises, etc.) by creating circles that change colour and size the longer you press down. Careful though - press too long and you'll hatch a birdie that flys away! Once you've created a nice collection of circles, you can spin, shake and tilt your iPad or iPhone to hear the symphony of sounds as they bump into one another. Recommended age is 3-5, but our 16 month old loves it too!
Wild Fables - Razeware has reworked some of the most classic Aesop's Fables and turned them into true works of art. These stories, all of which carry a meaningful lesson, are sure to delight kids (and parents) of all ages. The illustrations are beautifully done and each page is highly interactive with a few hidden surprises. My son absolutely loves 'feeding' the raccoon in "The Tortoise and the Hare" and I enjoy humming along to the lilting tune that serves as background music for all the stories. This app provides three stories for free, with each additional story available for $0.99.
Sound Shaker - You can add this adorable app to the "not annoying even when played repeatedly" category. It lets children experiment with different sounds (chimes, whistles, barnyard noises, etc.) by creating circles that change colour and size the longer you press down. Careful though - press too long and you'll hatch a birdie that flys away! Once you've created a nice collection of circles, you can spin, shake and tilt your iPad or iPhone to hear the symphony of sounds as they bump into one another. Recommended age is 3-5, but our 16 month old loves it too!
Just for Fun Apps
Let's Color! by LaZoo - When we went to Vietnam and Singapore last year, I bought a few new books to surprise JR. One of his faves became "Hidden Animals!" by LaZoo. It's a great, colourful book with animal cutouts that 'surprise' the reader when they turn the pages. He read it so often that he practically tore it to shreds...so when I discovered that LaZoo made a colouring app, I downloaded it immediately and wasn't disappointed. There are tonnes of colouring pages that the child adds to (i.e. "What's coming out of the elephant's trunk?") and when finished, the child's drawing is animated by pressing the "GO" button. The app is FREE and includes 18 pages. More pages can be purchased for $0.99 - but it will take a while for your kid to get bored of the free pages, I promise! (And, although childish, I giggle everytime we get to the 'toilet' colouring page. I dare you not to!)