We have had our iPad for about 8 months now and while I love it to surf the Internet, check email or chat on Twitter, my kids love it for none other than the endless amounts of apps and games. My 4 year old has gotten pretty good at going into the app store and searching through the games, thank goodness for the password lock or else I would probably have one hefty bill. I do splurge every now and then on games for both the kids and I and here is a list of the 10 best apps for kids that I have found over the past few months. All of these games are compatible for both the iPhone and iPad.
1. Angry Birds Space
This is a game that both kids and adults alike will love to play. We will normally sit down as a family and take turns with each level. There are free versions of Angry Birds but this game is priced at .99cents for the normal version and HD version is $2.99. Try out the free versions of Angry Birds first and see if you like it, chances are you will, then upgrade to the paid version of Angry Birds Space.
2. Where’s My Water?
This is also a game that has both a free version and an upgraded one for .99 cents. We just recently added this game to our growing collection and I have to admit it is REALLY fun! We started with the free version but as soon as we pass all of those levels we will definitely be purchasing the upgrade. In the game water you have to figure out how to get the water through the pipes in order to fill up the alligators bathtub. The first few levels are pretty easy but then it becomes a little tricky. My kids were actually the ones that found this game and I’m glad they did because I really like it too.
3. Order Up!! To Go
Kids can practice their kitchen skills by creating dishes in their own restaurant. Your able to chop, cook, slice, dice and roll different types of food to complete your customers order. There is only a certain amount of time to cook things and you have to do it right or your order will not go through. The first few levels give you plenty of time to practice so that your a pro in no time. This game is free.
4. Bugs & Buttons
If your looking for an app that is both educational and fun, this is it! It’s a little pricey at $2.99 but well worth the money in my opinion. My preschooler loves this game and it has so many different challenges that she is learning counting, sorting, matching, letter training, connect the dots and so much more. The graphics on the game or so adorable and perfect for little ones. This is by far one of my favorite preschool educational apps.
5. Curious George at the Zoo
I try and look for apps that are free first but sometimes these just aren’t available with some apps. Curious Zoo is one of those games but at .99 cents you will definitely get your money’s worth. Curious George at the Zoo is fun, engaging and a very entertaining app for preschoolers. If your child is curious about animals this is the perfect educational game for them. Throughout the game your child will help George wake, clean and feed the animals in the zoo. As you go through the zoo you will learn about the different animals and what they like to eat and what they don’t like. There are also games, video and sticker albums that your child can personalize.
6. Smurf’s Village
In the Smurf’s Village you will create your own Smurf world. You will build your huts, complete challenges, grow crops and more. This game is free but you can buy additional in-app content to build bigger huts, etc. Although my 4 year old likes this game I think it’s geared more towards and older child.
7.Real Fireworks Artwork 4-in-1 HD
Does your child love fireworks? Well there in luck because in this app you can create your own firework masterpieces and even see them in action. The colors are beautiful and it’s fun to see what types of creations you can come up with. This is a free app.
8. Kids Song Machine
If there is one thing that almost all kids love, it’s singing silly songs. With this app preschoolers can watch sing along to their favorite songs. The screen will show animation while the words of the song display at the top. Aubrey LOVES this app and can spend a good length of time sitting and singing along. There is a free version of Kids Song Machine that has one song, if you like it you can upgrade to the full version with 10 songs for $1.99.
9. Lego Creationary
Calling all Lego fanatics! This is a great game for kids who love to build things with Lego’s. You will roll the dice to find out which 4 randomly selected categories you will be guessing from. The game starts to build a creation out of Lego blocks and you have to guess which of the 4 possible answers is right by tapping on the illustration you think is right. The faster you guess the more points you earn. This game is a free app.
10. Crayola Ruckus Reader
Love this app because it combines both coloring and reading. You can listen to the story already made or you can create your own and customize what each of the animals will wear. There are several Crayola apps and most of them are free including this one.
That’s my list of the top 10 kids apps for both the iPad and iPhone. What’s your favorite app?