1. iPlay&Sing
Category: Learning Music
User Ratings : 4 stars out of 5
iPhone App, Free
Developer: Penrillian
Description: App uses an onscreen piano with keys highlighted in sequence for the child to tap out familiar nursery tunes. It is kind of like a really slow-paced Guitar Hero, with a piano, and no scoring.
2. Baa Baa
Category: Learning about Shapes, Colours and Words
User Ratings: 4 stars out of 5
iPhone App, $1.99
Developer: Duck Duck Moose
Description: Child can drag and drop various shapes into their matching slots. Most of us probably have come across these shape toys, usually made out of wood. Now we don’t have to find them strewn everywhere with this app.
3. SingSing ABC
Category: Animated Flash Cards
User Ratings: 3 stars out of 5
iPhone App, $0.99
Developer: Ninewheels Co Ltd
This category of apps is the ‘low hanging fruit’ of educational apps for toddlers. Relatively easy to develop because the concept is straightforward – take the traditional flash card-based learning system, add in snazzy graphics (sometimes animated but not in this app), put up on the appstore, repeat.
Again, another useful app that will save parents time and effort from picking up cards strewn all over the floor.
4. Word Magic
Category: Learning 1st Words
User Ratings: 4 stars out of 5
Universal App, $0.99
Developer: Anusen Inc
Description: This is Hangman for toddlers with only 1 or 2 missing alphabets. And since it is for toddlers, you get the picture clue as well. Toddlers are really excited about this one.
5. Bob Books Reading Magic #2, Bob Books Reading Magic #2 HD
Category: Learning 1st Words
User Ratings: 4 stars out of 5
iPhone, $1.99; iPad, $3.99.
Developer: Closure Associates
Description: This is tougher than Word Magic. The kid will have to assemble whole words from the jumbled-up alphabets. Parents will be pretty excited when their kids unexpectedly complete their first difficult word, words like 'iphone'.
6. Shape Builder
Category: Learning about Shapes
User Ratings: 4 stars out of 5
iPhone, $0.99.
Developer: Darren Murtha Design
Description: Drag and drop shapes into matching slots. This is one of the early educational apps that have been in the appstore since 2009. Probably one of the first apps that kids would be interested in.
7. I Write Words
Category: Tracing Alphabets
User Ratings: 4 stars out of 5
Universal App, $2.99.
Developer: gdiplus
Description: Tracing alphabets and numbers onscreen is another concept that is tailor-made for iPhones and iPads. Also available in Spanish and French.
8. Teach Me 1st Grade or Teach Me Kindergarten or Teach Me Toddler
Category: Learning about Addition, Subtraction and Spelling.
User Ratings: 4 stars out of 5
Universal App, $0.99.
Developer: 24x7 DigitalLLC
Description: This app allows several kids to create their own accounts within the same app so that they can complete the lessons at their own pace. It is in the Question-Answer learning format and covers Addition, Subtraction and Spelling. For older preschoolers who can read.
9. Fish School
Category: Animated Flash Cards for Alphabet, Numbers, Shapes and Colours.
User Ratings: 3.5 stars out of 5
iPhone or iPad, $1.99
Developer: Duck Duck Moose
Description: Schools of fish swim in tight formations that look like Alphabets, Numbers, Shapes. Sometimes all of them have the same colour. You get the idea.
10. 123 Kids Fun Games
Category: Animated Flash Cards for Alphabet, Sounds, Numbers, Animals.
User Ratings: 3 stars out of 5
Universal App, $2.99.
Developer: RosMedia
Description: Another app that uses animated flash cards for learning. Probably needs a better app name rather than one that is made for search engines.
