Educational Apps

Believe it or not, summer brain drain is a real phenomenon. Bill Nye the Science Guy even said so recently on Kids Place Live (yes, the de facto radio station on in my car) and he mentioned that math and science are the first subjects to…

I am a serious Oz fanatic. As in, I read every one of the L. Frank Baum books as a child and now I'm introducing them to my girls. Not that there's anything wrong with MGM's technicolor version--should you be okay with the silver shoes b…

Missing ear. Posthumously famous. Misunderstood misanthrope. Obviously I'm talking about Vincent van Gogh (and hopefully no one you actually know). If you want to bring the brilliant painter to life (you know, again) I've found a wonderf…

Fairy tales and fables with days-of-yore sentimentality are getting a modern reboot lately, and I'm so excited to discover the amazing iBook app from Brainy Fables, which is all about it, too. The Brainy Fables iBook app redux takes on a…

If you have one at home, you know it's real. A rabbit and mouse friend named Pip and Posy know it, too, which is probably why more than 200,000 copies of the Pip and Posy picture books have sold in twelve languages worldwide. Andnow ther…

My kids are at the age now when piggy banks are more than big rattles and loose change is no longer a choking hazard. Money is starting to take on new meaning--like when my son recently asked for new Bey Blades and I said he could save u…

My girls are too young to remember the Girlhood Journeys series of historical fiction that was published years ago. But, given how much they've gobbled up the American Girl books, I knew this newly reissued series might be right up their…

My kids, like many, fall into the "Quasimodo trance" as I call it when they are alone with my iPad and play mindless games. They sit, hunched over and when asked a question, simply respond with grunts and indiscernible noises. Not so whe…

If you're a traditionalist who doesn't like people messing with classics like "The Three Little Pigs" on their iPad apps, then you might as well not read this post. Jekolab, an Italian app developer has recently released a slightly less …

My three-year-old is a newly minted Peter Pan groupie. I assume she's not the only one, which is why this new Peter Pan app has her absolutely, well, hooked, and I have to admit, I'm pretty into this e-book/app hybrid too. The Peter Pan:…

If you want to know the best of Hollywood, you watch the Academy Awards. If you want to know the best of the Internet, you follow the Webby Awards . These accolades recognize the best websites, interactive ads, online film and videos, an…

Even though I managed to pull a strong B+ in my college Art Appreciation class, my art history is a little rusty all these years later. And Van Gogh? Beyond the usual "ear incident" and the iconic sunflowers and starry night, my wealth o…

Have you ever sat down to color with your kids? Not just doodle, but really dig in with the crayons, the markers, the familiar smell of construction paper...it's really quite soothing, actually. I'd never want to give up the essential ma…

Farm animals, banjo music, red and white gingham--it's the stuff of knee-slapping, toe-tapping hoedowns. I know, I rolled my eyes a bit initially, too, until I realized that the Barnyard Dance app is an adaptation of one of Sandra Boynto…

With two kids under the age of six running around the house, the importance of keeping tops and tails fresh and relatively clean comes up a lot. A lot. Personal hygiene is still in work in progress for both of them, but I'm pretty confid…

Bigfoot. Sasquatch. Bumble. And now, Nedi. As in, Nedi the Yeti. He's friendly, furry, likes hide and seek, and stars in an app for kids ages two and up. Designed especially for the iPad in HD (that's fancy talk for really sharp resoluti…

I'm a big fan of technology that gives people an opportunity to learn things they wouldn't normally have access to. We've previously raved about the universally beloved Khan Academy , and now I'm thrilled that they've just released a mob…

I have always been a huge Beatrix Potter fan, so I find it thrilling that my own kids are just as enthralled with the artwork and easy prose. And now they've got an extra reason to enjoy her works: One of my favorite tales now comes to l…

The other night, I dragged my kids outside in their pajamas to show them Jupiter and Venus and felt so smart, considering that the only thing I can reliably find on my own in the cosmos is the moon. But thanks to one cool app, I already …

If you like the idea of your kids playing with iPhone or iPad apps in the back seat to keep them occupied, but feel better when the apps are educational instead of--oh, say, Angry Birds, we completely feel you. Whether you've got day tri…

Even with all their toys, my kids have always been fascinated by the no-frills blue-and-green globe they can spin around and look at countries with hard-to-say names like Azerbaijan. So you can imagine how neat they are finding a brand n…

Like so many of us, Judy Blume's books hold a prominent place in my memories and in my heart. They took me from slightly confused tween to slightly more confident teen, and the themes in her work still resonate with kids today. So why ca…

Dick Bruna's Miffy has been a longtime favorite around here--you know, cute little bunny from Holland? X for a mouth? So of course my kids were happy to get to play with Miffy's brand new iPad app. Along the lines of Mo Willems' Pigeon A…

Board books are a staple in every new parents' library, even if we know that they end up mostly as chew toys. So I love that DADA Company came up with a virtual version of the board book that's equal parts interactive story, animated ill…