Best iPhone Apps For Kids

We gave you a list of apps for parents — now how about for your children? We’ve compiled 25 of the best kid-friendly apps to help them learn to read, do arithmetic, sing in the car, or just entertain themselves while you enjoy some quiet time. The best part? None of them cost more than $2.99.
— Sierra Black, Elina Furman and Brett Singer

Top 5 Apps for Stimulating Development

1

Topple | Free ($1.99 paid version
eliminates ads)


Yes, it's a game, but it's a Tetris-like game where you have to fit shapes together as they fall from the top of the screen. Spatial abstraction and fine motor skills are developed as your child takes two fingers to your iPhone screen and rotates the colorful and emotionally expressive shapes into a tower. Lots of levels equals hours of fun.
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  • Age level: 4 years and up

2

Chess Puzzles Easy Pack 1 | Free

Before you say "but my kids are too young to play chess," remember that a lot of schools start chess lessons as early as kindergarten. This free app is a good way for the little tykes to apply some of that knowledge at home. Children of reading age can try the free Learn Chess ebook, an app that is also good for parents who need help keeping up with their little chess masters.
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  • Age level: 6 years and up

3

Hangman Classic | .99c

Like Tic Tac Toe, you could technically play this on paper, but your kids will enjoy it so much more on an iPhone. The graphics are very basic and thankfully have no depiction of a hanging. Another nice touch (pun intended) is how the letters are laid out on the screen and disappear as they are selected, helping to avoid "Did I pick 'A' yet?" syndrome.
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  • Age level: 6 years and up

4

TonePad | Free (.99c for Pro version)

TonePad isn't a one man band, but it’s the easiest way for people of any age to make music. Just brush your finger across the screen and TonePad will play tones in a loop based on which bits of the screen were touched. It also makes a colorful light show. Sound complicated? It isn't; give it a try and see. The Pro version is the same but allows you to save your creations as cellphone ringtones. (Our opinion? Don’t bother.)
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  • Age level: 4 years and up

5

Tap Tap Revenge 3 | Free (.99c for Pro version)

Tap Tap Revenge is basically a Guitar Hero/Rock Band-style rhythm game; in this case you tap on the screen in time with patterns created by music. The latest version of this popular app adds new moves (you can now shake as well as tap), a more advanced avatar, and a connection to Facebook. The basic version is free, but if you want to play songs that you recognize, you’ll have to pay up. The pricing isn't horrible, however — usually less than 99¢ per track. Popular choices include Lady Gaga (99¢ for 2 songs), Fall Out Boy ($2.99 for 6 songs), The Jackson 5 ($2.99 for 6 songs), and so on. Age range depends on what songs you want your precious bundle's ears to absorb. One caveat for parents: Offers to download songs pop up frequently, and there is no age-range setting. That doesn't mean the songs are problematic, but you should know what you are getting into.
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  • Age level: 12 years and up

Do you have a favorite iPhone app for your kids? Share it in the comments below.

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Hannah S Aug 24, 3:22 PM

Juicebox Software just launched Animal Coloring Book for Android mobile devices. This simple, digital coloring book offers an array of themed pages to color. Choose Farm, Jungle, Marine or Insect themed pages, color and save to the Gallery for printing or fine-tuning at a later time. Animal Coloring Book will entertain children with its simplicity and endless possibilities of creations. android_apps@juiceboxsoftware.com

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hihecat Aug 24, 1:46 AM

Epeler is the newest iPhone / iPad word spelling game. Kids at all ages will enjoy the excitement from its arcade game design, as well as the environmental theme where the mission is to clean up the polluted world with their spelling knowledge! If you love our world and word puzzle games, Epeler is the game for you -- and your kids! iTune link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/epeler/id386969408?mt=8

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Fume Blanc Mom Jul 24, 7:28 PM

love, love an educational app...SMARTYSHORTZ we just purchased yesterday on some advice from one of your other lists and we are sooo glad we did! Quick lessons with reviews in a game format!

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John Jul 23, 1:10 PM

Space Crayons is a fun animated art maker for kids to make moving robot art. We love it at home. www.nanoschoolkids.com

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Serge Jul 17, 4:19 AM

The newest iPhone & iPad app for kids is Quintura Kids. It is a visual-based search engine with a tag cloud. It can be downloaded from iTunes at: http://itunes.apple.com/app/quintura-kids/id381470557?mt=8#

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Chris Schroeder Jul 13, 10:55 AM

Another great iPhone app for kids is Schoolhouse, which can be found at http://schoolhouse.mobi. It's great for on the go practice of math facts, spelling, time and other subjects when you have that 10 minute wait in line or the half hour drive downtown. It can be downloaded from iTunes at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/schoolhouse/id347109316

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digital dad Jun 16, 6:32 PM

Another great kids iPhone game called Pre-k Safari The magnificent plains of the Serengeti come to life in this entertainingly educational interactive game. Pre-K Safari sends little preschool explorers on their way to fun and learning with this exciting game for children ages 2-5. Touch the screen and animals come to life with the sounds and sights of the grasslands. Features: - Learn Shapes, Colors, Numbers, and ABCs with both drill and test modes. - Meet 28 fun animated animals including zebras, elephants, and lions! The Hyena host encourages your child as they play with a variety of positive feedback. - Easy to learn! The intuitive style of play means that your child can dive right in to the rugged wilds! - Keep track of your youngster’s achievements/skill level with a simple 5-star system. http://www.preksafari.com

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Chicago mom Jun 9, 9:15 AM

I'd love to see BlackBerry Apps for Kids and Parents.

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Anna Jun 1, 12:52 AM

Jungle Time - very easy and fun app that has taught my kids (6&7) how to tell time. Reading analog clocks is hard for kids but this has had them engaged and both love using it.

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Sally May 5, 7:25 AM

My kids use the Snow Globe Maker apps to send snow globes to their Grammy and friends. Easy way to get them to send thank yous and keep in touch. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/snow-globe-maker-spring/id367266119?mt=8

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Tomas Apr 30, 7:24 PM

One of the nicest looking games for children at the AppStore is Amazing Animals: Savanna. It is aimed to the youngest kids (1-4). See for yourself: http://www.tapitu.com

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oscaroxy Apr 30, 6:38 AM

good article, I want say you that exist a game that teach to children to use the iPhone: tap, move, drag and drop! http://itunes.apple.com/it/app/baby-click/id367593538?mt=8

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lindalang2007 Apr 29, 1:10 AM

YES, PLEASE BE CAREFUL LETTING YOUR CHILD USE YOUR PHONE. MY DAUGHTER RAN OUR CELL BILL UP WITH AN EXTRA $200 IN CHARGES, DOWNLOADING RINGTONES, TEXTING, AND GAME SUBSCRIPTIONS. SOME TIPS? AT&T GAVE ME A FREE CODE TO USE IN ORDER TO PURCHASE ANYTHING ON MY LINE. ASK FOR BUYING RESTRICTION CODE FOR YOUR PHONE; IT IS FREE. I JUST BOUGHT AN IPHONE, HOWEVER, SO ON TOP OF HAVING THE RESTRICTION CODE FOR PURCHASES, AN IPHONE OFFERS A LITTLE SECURITY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SIGN IN TO ITUNES BEFORE YOU BUY, SO MAKE SURE YOUR LITTLE ONE DOES NOT HAVE YOUR SIGN-IN INFO. IF YOU HAVE AN IPHONE. ALSO, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ANY NEW CHARGES, JUST INCASE YOUR CHILD ACCIDENTALLY PURCHASES SOMETHING WITHOUT KNOWING HE/SHE PUSHED A BUTTON! CALL YOUR PROVIDER TO HAVE CHARGES REMOVED, AS SOON AS YOU SEE ANYTHING YOU DIDN'T PURCHASE YOURSELF. IT'S BEEN A HEADACHE FOR ME, BUT NOW I'M IN CONTROL. ALSO, TO THE PERSON WHO SAID SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOUR CHILD INSTEAD OF ELECTRONICS. I DO. I'M A STAY AT HOME MOM, SO I SPEND TIME WITH THEM ALL DAY. THE CELL PHONE COMES IN HANDY IF PARENTS ARE ON THE ROAD, WAITING AT THE DOC'S OFFICE, STANDING IN LINE, ETC. AND SOMETIMES I'D RATHER HAVE THEM USING THE PHONE THAN WATCHING T.V., IMO. ALSO, KIDS LOVE ELECTRONICS. AS LONG AS THE ELECTRONICS DO NOT TAKE ALL OF THE TIME AWAY FROM YOU AND YOUR KIDS, THEY ARE OKAY.

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ABC ZOO Apr 19, 10:43 AM

we have developed new fun app for kids! ABC zoo is a teaching and developing iPhone and iPod touch application for your kids. Easy-to-use on a trip or whenever you are out with your children to amuse or keep them busy. A useful and funny app that lets your kid get used to reading. Your kids will learn alphabet while playing. available here: http://www.xoxol.net

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2Dad Mar 26, 7:08 PM

My children love LittleFish. It's an app for iPhone or iPod touch, and you control a clown fish by tilting the device. Different levels. Try it out, it's great!

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CubCal Mar 21, 6:42 PM

Cub-Cal Baby Tracker is an app for Android phones that helps parents plan and record their baby's routine. You can log activities as they happen or schedule recurring activities in advance. Quickly check items off as they happen and enter times only if they vary from what was scheduled. After a few days of logging you can review your baby's routine with the timeline. Cub-Cal was designed with efficiency in mind and comes with pre-defined activities in order to minimize typing. Log sleep, nursing, bottles, meals, diapers, baths, vitamins, medicine, reflux, walks, books, playtime and more. You can also set alerts and email your schedule. Cub-Cal is a simple application built for the Google Android platform. It runs on devices such as the Nexus One, Droid, Cliq, G1, Hero, MyTouch and many more. Cub-Cal is currently $2.99 and can be downloaded through the Android Market. Visit http://www.cub-cal.com to learn more about the app and to see a slide show of key screens and features. The app is being updated regularly with improvements and new features. Keep your eyes on Cub-Cal!

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Marie Thacker Mar 20, 4:05 AM

I'm a mom of a toddler, and was inspired to make my own iPhone app - Animal Hide & Seek Adventure. Cute animal seek & find game, and a bonus... the music isn't annoying to parents! Would love to hear what you think, thanks. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/animal-hide-seek-adventure/id360032701?mt=8

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Helen Dainton Mar 7, 10:12 PM

what happened to books? :(

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anony Feb 22, 9:14 AM

this article is great

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Feb 18, 8:52 PM

Hey there! Just wanted to let you know about our kids educational app -- StoryPlease (http://bit.ly/STORYPLEASE) -- It's a great and fun way for kids to learn to read and stay occupied on the iPhone or iPod Touch. We've noticed that in testing our app for a few months and playing with it that kids love adlibbing their own stories. We think this is awesome-- We never imagined that kids could have so much fun creating their own stories for the illustrations that we provide and then listen to them later or share them with their friends/siblings. Check it out, we'd love your feedback and support :) We just reduces our price and created a new version that you'll automatically get the update to! Homepage: http://bit.ly/STORYPLEASE Link to App in iTunes store http://bit.ly/getStoryPlease

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Feb 17, 9:16 PM

Oooo, do not miss Tales2Go . . . it offers 1,000+ GREAT kids audio books & stories, for ages 3-11. Young ones will love Henry and Mudge, Froggy, and Aesop fables, whereas big kids might like popular favorites such as Judy Moody, Junie B. Jones, Encyclopedia Brown, Clementine, and classics such as stories from The Jungle Book, The Secret Garden, and Alice in Wonderland. Other classics include Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Aladdin & the Enchanted Lamp, Stone Soup, Make Way for Ducklings and Misty of Chincoteague. Older kids might spend hours listening to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, American Girl stories, The Odyssey and Black Beauty. The length of stories range from 1 minute to 5 /2 hours, which can be played during short car rides about town, while waiting at the doctors office, or on longer road trips to grandma’s house. Hours of listening fun for the entire family!

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Feb 9, 9:51 AM

We released two story books for iPhone:" Molly and the Magic Lolly" and "The Terrible Triplets". Idea was to create a new form of story telling for kids in merging different narrations technics from book, TV and interactive. You can interact (touch, slide, sake ...) with characters to make the story happen. Also no rush, you can stay on a screen and replay animations or move along to find out more.   Everything is original story, illustration, design.    Please have a try and let us know what you think.   Molly and the magic Lolly http://www.youtube.com/unit9apps#p/a/u/1/rzFrUy6EPU0   The Terrible Triplets http://www.youtube.com/unit9apps#p/a/u/0/_5d6EVC7ICw

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Feb 9, 9:51 AM

We released two story books for iPhone: "Molly and the Magic Lolly" and "The Terrible Triplets". Idea was to create a new form of story telling for kids in merging different narrations technics from book, TV and interactive. You can interact (touch, slide, sake ...) with characters to make the story happen. Also no rush, you can stay on a screen and replay animations or move along to find out more. Everything is original story, illustration, design.  http://itunes.com/apps/theterribletriplets http://itunes.com/apps/MollyAndTheMagicLolly

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Feb 9, 9:51 AM

We released two story books for iPhone:" Molly and the Magic Lolly" and "The Terrible Triplets". Idea was to create a new form of story telling for kids in merging different narrations technics from book, TV and interactive. You can interact (touch, slide, sake ...) with characters to make the story happen. Also no rush, you can stay on a screen and replay animations or move along to find out more.   Everything is original story, illustration, design.    Please have a try and let us know what you think.   Molly and the magic Lolly http://www.youtube.com/unit9apps#p/a/u/1/rzFrUy6EPU0   The Terrible Triplets http://www.youtube.com/unit9apps#p/a/u/0/_5d6EVC7ICw

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Feb 9, 9:49 AM

We released two story books for iPhone: "Molly and the Magic Lolly" and "The Terrible Triplets". Idea was to create a new form of story telling for kids in merging different narrations technics from book, TV and interactive. You can interact (touch, slide, sake ...) with characters to make the story happen. Also no rush, you can stay on a screen and replay animations or move along to find out more. Everything is original story, illustration, design.  http://itunes.com/apps/theterribletriplets http://itunes.com/apps/MollyAndTheMagicLolly


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