Wednesday, February 9, 2011

FREE iphone - ipod Apps for Kids

Want to add some apps to your iPhone or iPod? Here are some of our favorites.

Doodle Buddy

FREE – This is a simple and free App.  You can paint, chalk, glitter, or smudge to create drawings.  You can change your background with the small library included or use a photo from your camera roll.  Stamps are the real hit for preschooler users.  Each stamp is colorful and fun and plays a cute noise every time its stamped.  This app is used almost every day and best of all its FREE!

Preschool Memory Match

FREE – There are a lot of free matching games available but this is one of my favorites.  There are 3 levels; Easy(3×4), Medium(5×4), and Hard(6×5).  The icons are cute and easy to identify.  The cards stay facing up until the next turn starts giving any toddler as much time as they want to remember the cards.

Toddler Teasers Shapes

FREE – Toddler Teasers make this shape quizzing app.  The front screen is easy for toddlers to use.  One large play button to start the game.  If you want to go to the menu you have to triple tap the screen.  There are no ads trying to trick Thing 1 into purchasing their other apps.  The menu has some personalization options.  You can choose how many right answers earns a sticker as well as how many will move them on to higher levels.  If a given answer is wrong the game announces what shape you did push and then disappears.  Once the correct answer is chosen there are cheers.  Thing 1 loves the sticker page.  After four correct answers Thing 1 gets to choose a sticker and place it on his sticker page.  If you like Toddler Teasers Shapes then you may want to check out their paid apps too.  They make an app for Letters, Colors and more.

iWriteWords Lite

FREE –  This is a lite version of the iWriteWords app.  This App has the best tracing interface I have seen.  I have tried numerous tracing apps and even I get frustrated with how impossible they seem and I have been able to draw capital letters for over 20 years!  The downside to the lite version is that you can only do letters A to C in both capital and lower case letters.  The app also provides numbers 1 through 9.  However unlike simpler tracing apps they also provide a few 3 letter words such as cat, cup and owl.  The paid app is a bit pricey at $2.99 so I would wait until your toddler has mastered the provided free letters before upgrading.

AlphaBaby Free

FREE – This app will please even the youngest of users.  In the menu you have options to show letters, numbers, shapes, pictures, and colors.  The menu also lets you determine how many objects can be shown at once from 1 to 20.  AlphaBaby also allows you to record your own voice announcing the letters, numbers and shapes.  The game has no rules and no objectives.  If you tap the screen a letter, number or shape appears.  You can zoom, twist, or flick the objects.  Shake to erase or tap to add or replace.  Its easy and fun to manipulate.

Want a library of paid apps that cost you nothing?  The price of an app can fluctuate.  Some apps are FREE when they first come out.  Others are dropped to FREE for a day, week, or month to get some exposure.  During these times is when you can really score some nice apps for both you and your kids.

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