educational

Last year, we raved about the quality and design of the nabi 2 Tablet , one that we dubbed as one of the very best for offering high-quality design and content in one. We still stand by this recommendation for a full-fledged kid-to-tween…

With my son learning the drums and my daughter the piano, I always joke that I should pick up the guitar again so we can start a band. I used to play, but this hobby somehow fell by the wayside after the kids were born (gee, wonder why).…

Dropping, smashing, stacking, painting-- Toca Boca 's newest app for kids, just out today, encourages kids to do them all, and I'm excited as much as my kids are. Really. Our actual playroom walls could use a break. While all Toca Boca a…

Poking around one of my favorite online shops, Fat Brain Toys , I was looking to see what's new and geeky and cool for kids now that school is close to letting out around here. That's when I came across this robot. But it's no ordinary r…

I like bright colors, moving objects and intense battles as much as the next guy, but my favorite incarnation of the virtual world is when it's used for education. Particularly if bright colors and moving objects are part of the learning…

My kids' love of electronics is not going away just because the grass is green again, which is why I really like a new educational iPad app that gets kids excited about the great outdoors---and even asks them to put down the iPad and go …

Can you recommend any preschool foreign language apps for Android for my kids? -Kathy Hi Kathy, thanks for your question! You didn't mention if there's a specific language you're interested in, but here are a few picks that offer great a…

What kid hasn't dreamed of rocketing off into outer space to see what is out there? The problem is, that cardboard box in the living room isn't going anywhere so fast. Junior Astronaut - Breaking through the space barrier is a standout e…

Finding nifty little apps of merit for the kids can be a chore all on its own. Every so often though we come across sweet and simple apps that not only entertain them but that also impress us. Color Genius for iOS does just that. It's re…

I had moved three times by the time I was eight, so I totally understand how it feels to be a strange kid in a strange land, a topic that is explored in a lovely new app for both iOS and Android users. Even kids like my own who have neve…

If you've got an alphabet-hungry kid and are craving some awesome ABC apps for your iPad, I understand completely. When my son little, he was so obsessed with the alphabet that he saw letters in everything: a scotch tape dispenser was a …

For the last few months, my oldest daughter has been designing a website and online game in her paper journal. But now she's decided that she's ready to bring it to life, which presents a bit of a technical challenge, and a possibly expe…

When my son was younger, one of our favorite activities together was his Snap Circuits set. It gave him an opportunity to explore his creative side and gave me a chance to think that I was a whiz at electricity and physics. It's these ty…

I review a lot of apps for kids and thus, am inundated with spinning, whirling, jumping, and shrieking characters/animals/aliens on my iPad. But once in a while, an app comes along that makes me breathe a sigh of "well, finally." Such is…

I have 12-year-old and 3-year-old daughters who I'd like to find some good educational websites for. Any suggestions? - Michelle Thanks for your question, Michelle! There are a huge number of educational websites out there geared towards…

Over on our sister site, Cool Mom Picks , we've shared our favorite picks for Black History Month which include important figures in the civil rights movement, in the arts, and in politics. But there are many other African American heroe…

It is a known fact that getting kids started early in foreign language study enhances their chances of having success in mastering a second, or even third or fourth language. Having struggled in my own youth with this subject, I have bee…

I get excited watching my kids begin to understand the basics of music composition and creation -- which doesn't mean karaoke to Call Me Maybe in our living room. Okay, it does, but I don't want it to stop there either. If you've got a k…

If you're looking for a way to get the kids up close and personal with the presidents this Presidents' Day, check out a new app that will have them learning while they play. In fact, in just a short time, they'll probably be teaching you…

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of my iPhone camera. In fact, my lovely DSLR has been collecting dust for years now and I haven't really missed it. But as much as I've learned how to take great iPhone photos on my own, I know there's …

If you could see how bananas my grade-school-age kids just went over an "alphabet app," you might think they were watching some ridiculous YouTube video. Surely an eight and ten year old couldn't be hysterically laughing while playing an…

Today's Inauguration gives us a great opportunity to talk to the kids about the role of our President and some of the more interesting and colorful figures to have graced the Oval Office. But, if you slept through history class as much a…

When it comes to my iPhone, I use it for three main purposes: 1) as a phone, 2) as a computer, 3) as a camera. But with this latest iPhone accessory I came across, I can add scientific experiments to my list of iPhone uses. This crazy li…

Like most kids, my preschooler likes action. Especially when it comes to apps. Surprisingly, she now counts a mellow octopus among her favorite digital friends, and goes back to his animated storybook time and time again. Less a narrativ…