I know, I know….the kids should simply “look out the window at the scenery” on trips….like we did, right?
(Did you cringe the first time that phrase came out of your mouth as a parent? Did you think, OMG what Old Geezer thing will I say next – “We walked five miles to school through the snow, barefoot, going uphill.”)
As usual, I digress….
Many parents of young children are finding that games and apps (applications) on their iPhone or new iPad are ideal for keeping certain squirmy family members quiet and amused, especially during long trips.
I’ve found a marvelous resource for you: while participating in the This Week in Travel podcast (go here for our episode – Spirit Air and Ryanair compete to suck the most) I chatted with co-host Jen Leo about her experiences traveling with her first child, daughter Cora.
Jen told me about a site that she runs with Jamie Pearson, called Best Kids Apps - “we play all the iPhone games so you don’t have to.” Yay!
App games are broken out by age group and by type (Educational, Creative, Just for Fun, etc.) There’s just a ton of helpful info there for you app-collectors.
More good news: they have a post up on the best iPad apps for kids, AND they’re giving away an iPad for Mother’s Day (details to follow.)
Want to see a how a kid who has grown up in a touchscreen world reacts to the iPad? Pretty interesting stuff in the video below from Todd Lapin on Laughing Squid; here’s his blog post about this “UI (User Interface) experiment” – A 2.5 Year-Old Uses an iPad for the First Time
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iPads & apps are great tools rather than a distraction for children (depending on what they are using). I got my toddler a $2 app today & it has gone a longer way than a $20 toy.
the toddler app i spent $2 for:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/early-apps-first-english-words/id369700938?mt=8#
the toy we spent $20 on:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4054634
I think educational iphone/ipad apps for kids are useful. Our favorite app as of now is My Numbers (English) for the ipad. This cute app will teach kids to learn counting from 1-10. Here’s the link: http://punflay.com/my-numbers-appstore.html
Check out ABC Numbers for the ipad. This cute app is colorful and my little one loves it. http://punflay.com/abc-numbers-appstore.html
My app, “The Wishing Well Popup Movie and Game” just went live yesterday! It includes my children’s film “The Wishing Well” along with its very own Wishing Well game. The app is presented in a friendly interactive mini popup book! I’m hoping that my film and app help inspire kids to read. I taught myself how to create the film as well as the entire iPad app, all by reading. Kids can see how the film was made with the included “Making off”. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Rod Maxwell
I would also recommend parents to pay attention to such an educational iPhone app for their kids as Kinder Hangman – http://sharkfuel.com/kinderhangman.html it is an interesting iPhone game that is helpful for child development and allows kids to learn new words quickly and effectively. Learning process is organized as an interesting game with graphical themes and animations. This game is recommended for kids of 5-10 years. Great app!
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