You’ve finally done it.
After months of dreaming of a new, shiny iPad, you’ve gone ahead and purchased one for yourself. Have you figured out the bad news yet? Turns out, you weren’t the only one waiting to take the plunge. Your kids were too, and they’re even more excited than you about your new purchase.Your iPad is quickly going to become a family iPad, filled with as many family friendly app as your living room is filled with toys.
The good news, if it can be called that, is that there are thousands of amazing apps geared towards kids. Apps that are not only fun, but are great learning tools. Trust me, knowing that your new iPad is actually a wonderful educational resource will make the sticky finger marks on that shiny screen easier to accept.
The Monkey Preschool Lunchbox App by Thup Games is wonderful for two and three year-olds. It teaches shapes, colors, and basic computer skills. Kids love the happy little monkey and can play it easily on their own. For $0.99, you can keep your toddler entertained through many restaurant dinners that run too long.
All kids love to color, and the iPad lets them get creative without crayons or markers. The Truck Modz Build and Drive app ($1.99) is fun for boys who’ll enjoy creating and coloring their own dump trucks and cement mixers. Girls will have more fun with the Dora the Explorer Coloring Adventure ($1.99).
Bob Books taught kids how to read long before the first iPad was shipped out, but the app version (Bob Books Reading Magic Lite) is even better than the physical Bob Books, and there’s even a free version. If you’re familiar with Bob Books, you’ll recognize the characters and the stories, but you will appreciate the new level of interactivity. The app will take your child from recognizing their letters to reading simple stories.
Once you start downloading these wonderful kiddie apps, you might be tempted to keep on downloading more and more. My advice is to limit yourself to three to begin. You can always download more later. After all, it is your iPad, and not your child’s, or at least, it was supposed to be.