We remember when expensive items were simply off limits to curious (and clumsy) kids. “Put that down! That’s not a toy!!!” Well, these days, high-tech items ARE toys, and we don’t just mean those stuffed pony-bots. Parents are now unafraid to hand over their expensive smartphones to keep their kids quiet, in what’s known as the passback phenomenon. It’s so common, that some of the most popular apps on iTunes are aimed at the sippy-cup set. Odds are, these kids probably find and download these apps while dad is trying to set the clock.
Here are three of our favorites:
KID ART
This drawing app for kids is dedicated to all the children who love to draw on their parents iPhone but would appreciate a simpler app. The creators of the app noticed their niece loved to draw on their dad’s iPhone, but the controls were we noticed that the controls a bit too complicated, and she always had to ask daddy for help. So they thought “Wouldn’t it be great if we made an app that had super-simple controls for kids? And what if we made it were it was impossible for the kid to go into a screen where they couldn’t get out (barring that they didn’t hit the home button)?”
Features:
1. Super simple controls that are friendly to kids.
2. Bright and lively colors.
3. Ability to toggle between black and white backgrounds for cooler drawings.
4. Easily save your drawing by touching the giraffe (saves to Photo Library).
5. Erase drawing simply by shaking the phone.
Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Often, the best ideas are the ones that seem the most obvious. This app is essentially an audiobook for
kids, called a “Talkie Book.” It has been carefully designed to reflect the original ‘old world’ styling and help this generation of kids enjoy classic children’s literature anew, on their medium of choice
So instead of putting on a DVD in the car, or having to re-read (and re-re-read….) their favorite books, let honey-voiced Grandma Janice do it, while they scroll across the illustrations and follow along with the text.
Also available:
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter
The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
TODDLERPHONE NUMBERS
ToddlerPhone Numbers is a set of three educational games designed for preschool-age children. They contain lots of animation and interactivity to hold young kids’ attention while teaching counting skills at the same time. A fun and interactive way to teach child the numbers one through twelve.
Features
- Different levels of difficulty
- Counts out loud and visually on the screen
- Speaks in both English and Spanish - great for multilingual practice
- Animated reward sequences to help hold attention longer
