Best Kid’s Apps

Over the past few years I’ve reviewed some really awesome iPad and iPhone apps for kids. I thought I’d compile them into a list so you could find them all in the same location. Feel free to add your favorite app in the comment section if you don’t see it listed here! I would appreciate it if you could share the list with your friends and family members as well.

Helpful Information About Apps in General:

– If someone recommends a specific app and you can’t find it, Google it first, then click on the link which will take you to the App Store. It is often extremely challenging to find apps searching in the iTunes App Store by name.

– Browse all of the settings areas in each app, there may be ways to make the screens less touchy or the skills more basic or advanced to meet the needs of your child.

-Some apps are initially free, but beware of in-app purchases that will be required for you to gain full access to all of the included content

In no particular order, here are some favorites. If you see a link, then it most likely will re-direct you to review information completed on ToyQueen.com or About.com toys.

Angry Birds Go! – using popular Angry Birds characters kids can experience a fun racetrack. Toy sets from Hasbro can also be purchased and the characters will teleport into the app.

Tiggly – Aside from a suite of free apps for young children that focus on colors, shapes, drawing and animals, Tiggly includes 4 shapes that can be placed directly on top of the iPad that enhance the experience.

Barbie iPad Make-Up Mirror – place your iPad in to the stand and using the special wand, virtually apply make-up to yourself right on the screen

Speakaboos– this subscription based app provides a ton of educational content for children learning how to read

Little Pim Spanish Colors – Little Pim has designed a whole host of language learning apps for kids ages 0-6 who are learning foreign languages like Spanish and French.

Endless ABC! – Kids love this app. Using fun vocabulary words like Belch, Gargle, Demolish, and recycle, kids match the letters in each word, while simultaneously learning about individual letter sounds. After the letters are matched, there are adorable monsters that act out what the word means while a vocabulary definition is provided. It’s got a hefty price tag for an app of $6.99, but it’s completely worth the purchase.

Endless Reader- this app is the follow-up to Endless ABC! It allows children to learn sight words which are required for reading. It’s free in iTunes, but you will need to make an in-app purchase to receive all of the content.

Barefoot Books Atlas – utilizing this interactive world map, children can learn about animals, countries, industry, agriculture, languages and locate landmarks. Pictures are provided as bright illustrations with links to actual photographs.

Pepi Bath – This was a recommendation from fellow blogger when we were chatting one day about potty training. This is the only app I know where a child can actually make farting noises and pooping sounds while sitting on the potty. Great for kids working on potty training and learning routines at home related to taking a bath, washing clothes, and brushing their teeth.

Artsee Studio – the iPad stores inside this easel. Using additional tools, children can stamp, automate and personalize their own drawing creations

Scribblenauts Remix – Great for elementary school kids learning vocabulary and spelling. The game poses a question like “Cut the tree down and grab the real startite.” A child would type in something they think would chop the tree down (i.e. ax, saw, knife). The item appears on screen and they use their person to pick it up and try the action. If they chose the correct item, they will advance to the next level.

Beep! Boop! – Perfect reward system app that keeps track of your child’s good and bad behavior. Good behavior gets a beep, bad behavior gets a boop.

iWrite Words – Unbelievable app for kids learning uppercase and lowercase alphabet letters. Kids are prompted to trace the letters with proper formation.

KidQuoter – Using your child’s picture this free app allows you to type in your child’s favorite sayings and post them to your accounts on Facebook and Twitter.

PBS Kids – Aside from the free PBS Kids app that allows kids to watch clips and full episodes of PBS content, there are dozens of  apps, some paid, some free that include amazing educational content from the Wild Kratts, Super Why!, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Peg+Cat, Dinosaur Train and Peep and the Big Wide World. Here’s more information on free PBS games. Also visit pbskidslag.org for more information.

Kids Writing Pad– This app includes all different types of paper (dotted lined primary paper, yellow paper, wide ruled paper, blank paper, etc.). Using their finger a child can then write directly on the iPad. Great for  drawing pictures, practicing letters and formulating sentences. It can also be emailed when completed.

Letters with Pooh – Educational app from Disney that teaches kids about writing letters, tracing letters, and includes pre-literacy skills with Winnie the Pooh.

Paper Port Note – Using your camera on the iPad, take a picture of a worksheet, then insert text boxes for typing or verbal dictation. Finished documents can then be emailed. Great homework alternative for kids who dislike pencil/paper tasks, perfect for elementary, middle-school and high school aged kids.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood – new animated PBS Kids show based on Mr. Rogers featuring Daniel Tiger. Kids can develop daily routines by exploring his bathroom and bedroom. They can also pretend to be  a doctor.

Disney Junior Mickey Mouse Clubhouse – FREE interactive episode encourages kids to help Mickey and the gang using simple swipes and voice activation cues.

Disney Junior – Watch Disney Junior shows free on your iPad or iPhone. Log in with your Comcast cable account to access even more shows. This app is a fan favorite in our house.

Various free Disney apps – there are dozens of free Disney games and e-books available in iTunes featuring favorite movie and television characters. Though the original app may be free, beware of in-app purchases for additional content.

Disney Junior Jake and the Neverland Pirates Pirate School – play various games that teach simple counting and use of the iPad featuring popular Jake and the Neverland Pirates characters to graduate from Pirate school.

Toca Boca Kitchen Monsters – Feed people and monsters food that you can slice, microwave, boil, and grill, then watch to see whether they love it enough to eat or spit it out of their mouth in disgust.

Toca Boca Hair Salon / Hair Salon 2 – Wash, cut, blow dry and design all sorts of silly hair styles.

Toca Boca Store – Pick items from a menu and sell them to your friend or parent in your virtual store. Great cooperative app for families with multiple teachers, or for classrooms to use together.

Toca Boca Toca House – Your kids will have fun mowing the lawn, washing windows, sweeping the floor and doing all sorts of daily house hold chores.

Monster At End of This Book – This is an interactive e-book where kids can participate in challenges with Elmo and Grover to see who the monster at the end of the book is!

Lots to Spot – utilizing various pictures that fill the screen, children are prompted to search and scan to find the item building vocabulary. Recommended for ages 2-4.

Lots to Spot Mini School – similar to Lots to Spot, this app includes numbers, as well as upper case and lowercase letters that children will visually search for. Recommended for ages 4 and up.

Dr. Panda – With Dr. Panda preschool aged children will complete simple puzzles and matching games.

iStory Books – This includes a library of storybooks where kids can listen to the story and turn the pages.

Chuck and Friends – This app from Ruckus Media features favorite Hasbro characters Chuck the Truck as kids partake in reading a book and playing interactive letter and comprehension games.

Create a Monster – children can design very creative and unique monsters.

Game of Life zAPPed – Hasbro’s Game of Life has a new version that allows children to use the iPad as a means to spin their character around the board.

A Present for Milo – an interactive e-book, children will enjoy activating various items on the page as Milo the cat teaches about prepositions like in, on, and under.

Stella & Sam – Stella and Sam go on backyard adventures. Children will enjoy touching dots for constellations, searching for hidden bugs,

ALEX Moody Monster – through fun games and adorable monsters children can learn about emotions, moods, and practice color matching

Griffin Lightboard Trace App – Place the iPad inside this case. Place paper over the screen, and children can trace various pictures.

Sound Shaker – perfect app for a baby or children new to an iPad that uses simple touch activation. Also check out Forest Flyer for older toddlers and preschool aged children.

ABC Song Piano Kiboomu– app for toddlers who love Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, where children can also learn the keys to play the song on their own.

Sassy Non-Sters –This is a cause and effect app for babies using 6 adorable monsters that will react to a child’s interaction with the screen by making silly noises.

Related information:

– How to Deal with Temper Tantrums with the iPad

Netflix Vs. Hulu Plus – looking for a streaming video service, both Netflix and Hulu Plus offer kids television programming and include apps for iPad/iPhone to watch these shows as well

Some of these apps are free, and some were not. If there is a cost associated with any of these apps, I received a free promotional code for the purpose of reviews. Any opinions stated are my own.