We have a 3 year old son and a 1 year old daughter and they each have a tablet.  I don’t simply use them as babysitters, I assure you.  I have posted before about the skills my son seems to be picking up from playing Bad Piggies and I am amazed at his letter and shape and animal recognition, among other things.  Yes, I work with him myself in most of these areas too, but there is no denying that technology, when designed to encourage learning, can be an asset in educating young minds.

Don’t believe me?  Check this out:

Given Tablets but No Teachers, Ethiopian Children Teach Themselves

Regardless, finding quality apps can be a daunting task.  Mostly, this is because there are SO many apps out there.  It is also challenging because I despise paying for apps.  Some end up being worth it, but more often than not, I find that I regret spending the money, even if it is pennies…

As a result, I’ve decided to share with you some of our favorite apps!

My son had figured out how to access the settings on his tablet.  He was turning wifi and gps on and off, bluetooth, etc.  More importantly, he discovered Google Play.  Uh oh.  He was attempting to purchase apps all by himself.  Despite turning off purchase capability, he could still download free apps, and not all of them were acceptable for a 3 year old.  Additionally, he was able to go into YouTube and view videos without assistance.  I keep an eye on him, but he’s fast and he’s smart.  I was complaining to my husband that an app needed to be designed to allow a parent to create a custom home screen that limited what the kid had access to and kept them from making purchases and accessing other apps.  Then… I found this.

Kids’ Place – Parental Control

Kids Place : Click to View on Amazon

Parents can create a 4 digit pin and customize a home screen just for their child.  The parent can name the tablet and change the background to personalize it as well.  Choosing apps to allow a child to access is simple and entering the pin allows full access to the tablet as it was before.  Parents can choose to lock the program down, so that even on a restart, the child only has access to the customized screen.  I love it!!!

Additionally, my complaints about the Nabi Jr’s home screens and app-adding and mommy-mode are all resolved because this app works on the Nabi!!! Better still, the orientation of the home screen is in portrait instead of landscape, so it actually is consistent with the orientation of most of the other apps.

Fisher Price : Storybook Rhymes Volumes 1 & 2

Storybook Rhymes Vol 1 : Click to View on Amazon

This app was actually a hit with BOTH of my kids!  There are cute interactive books that can be read or sung along with.  The images on the screen can be tapped on to initiate different interactions.  My daughter was actually interested – this is a challenge for sure – and my son wanted it installed on his tablet too.  He actually sat in his bed and played with it while I got ready for naps.  BIG HIT!!! And… FREE!  It might be one of the cutest Baby/Toddler apps that I have seen so far!

Shapes : Toddler / Preschool

Shapes : Click to view on Google Play

This game has been a great addition on our son’s tablet.  Unfortunately, it is available on Google Play but not on Amazon.  This is only an issue on our daughter’s Nabi Jr.  The app has many different types of challenges that test a child’s recognition of shapes.  When a task is completed, the child gets a reward.  Our son loves it.  And… he’s a pro now.  We are thrilled with the content in this app!

Super Why : ABC Adventures

Super Why : ABC Adventures – Click to view on Google Play

This one isn’t a free app, unfortunately.  However, it is a fun one and I think it has earned it’s $3.99 price by now.  The app has a selection of challenges with different characters from the PBS show.  When a task is completed, the child gets a badge – we call them stickers… and they can be played with in a sort of sticker book.  Our 3 year old son LOVES this app, and although parts of it are challenging for him, he seems interested nonetheless.  Also, our 1 year old daughter enjoys playing with the sticker book, so it’s a bonus there too.  One day, when she is older, she’ll likely have it as well.

In addition to not being free… it is only available on Amazon for the Kindle.  However, Google Play has it for most android apps, so check it out!

Kid Connect

Kid Connect – Click to view in Google Play

This one is a free app available from Google Play.  The dots in the connect-the-dots games are numbered and are read aloud as the child clicks through them.  My three year old really loves it.  The image doesn’t appear until all of the dots are connected.  Very cool!

There is also another free Kid Connect – Animals version.  I haven’t installed it yet, but I plan to!

Toddler Coloring Book Free

Toddler Coloring Book – Click to Google Play

This coloring book is not the prettiest, but it is easy to use and both of my children seem to enjoy it thoroughly.  With  simple pictures and many color choices, it is simple to navigate and best of all – it is FREE!

Fruit Ninja- Free

Fruit Ninja Free – Click to go to Amazon

Okay, I’m a pretty non-violent person, and I don’t like to encourage kids with violent stuff… but this one was introduced to my son before I saw it.  In the little bit that I have played with it, I found the menu to be confusing, but the game play fun.  Basically, you use your finger to slice the fruit as it falls from the sky.  My son, and I, enjoy it a lot!

Frozen Bubble

Frozen Bubble : Click to view on Google Play

This game is an old favorite of my mine (and my husband.)  Our 3 year old likes it too!  That said, he doesn’t understand the point of the game.  He doesn’t’ even attempt to match up the colors or “win.”  He loves the sound effects and the reactions of the penguins.  Fun game!

  To read more about the “Toddler Tablets” that we love, Click Here.