4 apps for kids

Do you do the app thing with your kids or not? Is playing with an app on an ipad better than watching television... worse.... or pretty much the same thing? I don't really know but what I do know is that our kids want to use our ipad.... it makes sense – I want to use it too! Everything in moderation, eh?

There seems to be about a trillion apps available for kids – and it can be hard to sort the good from the bad... and that is where word of mouth can come in handy. I would love to know what apps your kids love to use. And, in turn here are the popular ones in our house. (Now would be the time to apologise to android users... the apps below are all available from the itunes store for ipad.)

1. SquiggleFish

Available in the itunes store here (£1.99)

This app combines good old fashioned drawing on paper with the technical fun of an app. The kids draw sea creatures on white paper with a black outline and whatever colour they like. Once the drawing is complete you can take a picture of the sea create within the app. Then watch as your mermaid or fish or submarine comes to life and swims in the sea. When I first tried to get this app to work I got frustrated until I read the instructions. There might be a lesson in that.

2. The Human Body

Available in the itunes store here ($2.99)
This is an amazingly detailed app of - you guessed it - the human body. You can watch blood pumping, analyse bone structure and record your own sounds. But what the kids love best is making their avatar eat and then poop. On a sidenote this app is illustrated by the amazing designer and illustrator Kelli Anderson.

3. Mystery Math Town

Available in the itunes store here ($2.99)
This is one is for my 5 year old. It is part adventure, part spooky house and part mathematics. It involves searching for fireflies and releasing them from their glass jar prisons. To get through any door or window you have to solve a maths equation – you can set the difficulty level. Try touching some of the furniture in the houses, there are some cute extras.

4. Paper by 53

Available in the itunes store here (Free but then all extra bits to make it good cost $2.99 each)
I downloaded this app for myself but the kids have taken to it. It is a simple drawing app, it works well for us as we can each have our own separate journals within the app. It is a little annoying that you end up spending a lot to add the extra functionalities. Make sure you like it before you hand over the cash. If you and your kids like this drawing app I recommend the paintbrush and the color mixer tools.

What apps do your kids like?

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