apps for kids

Recently a smart reader recommended the Unblock Me app when I was looking for something new to play around with, and boy was she right. What I didn't realize however is the educational value for kids. Unblock Me is a series of outrageous…

As a huge Colorforms fan as a kid (really, who wasn't?) I squealed when I learned they had turned that clever little design and creativity toy into an iPad app. And what an app it is. The Colorforms Revolution App (wow, mighty big promis…

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…

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…

Finding great apps for kids on iTunes or Google Play can sometimes feel like the search for the Holy Grail. Meandering through the thousands of apps to find the good ones can take a lot of time--as if we have so much of it to spare. Of c…

Sometimes you just have to color outside the lines. This awesome coloring app for kids just requires a few squiggles from your kiddo to get animated--getting him animated too. The aptly named Squiggles! has 14 different pre-set pages (in…

Who would've guessed that drawing would become a social media sensation? We've talked about popular apps like Draw Something and What Should I Draw . And now I'm having fun exploring a new-- and free--app on the market that can hopefully…

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 older sons are well-versed in the world of iPhone games -- they're lifesaving when I need them to be quiet in in waiting rooms and during long flights -- but my two and half year old usually gets left behind. It's fine by me, because …

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…

We love everything about Press Here, the amazing "interactive" children's book by French artist Herve Tullet. So we are thrilled to see that it's now an app. And honestly, there's no better book to make the transition from page to iPad (…

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…

Pat the Bunny is a baby book staple in most households, including mine, where I got at least three copies at my baby shower. After all, it's one of the very first interactive books. So not surprisingly he's finally gone digital with a fu…

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…

Birds! In! Spaaaaaace! So will you like Angry Birds Space? I guess that's a "duh" sort of a question--consider the fact that Angry Birds developer Rovio is so gaming-savvy, they're now valued at more than Jet Blue. Clearly they know a li…

My kids may be too young to go to a PG-13 movie on their own, but that doesn't mean they aren't as obsessed with The Hunger Games as the rest of the world these days. And while they're already reenacting their favorite scenes from the bo…

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…