Trucks – Byron Barton is a book app for kids age 2 to 5.  It teaches kids all different types of trucks: bread truck, garbage truck, newspaper truck… With the distinctly colorful illustration, short sentences, and clear professional narration, it is a perfect book for kids who just start reading.  The realistic background sound effect is another good feature that help kids learn about the trucks. The developer of the app is one of my favorite, Oceanhouse Media.  Like all… Read more

Jolly Jingle is designed to teach kids Christmas songs.  For me, it is simply a way to carry the cheerful music with you no matter where you go.  It is FREE. When kids start the app, they are greeted by a colorful snow globe containing an assortment of cheerful Christmas icons, each representing a beloved Yuletide melody. Simply touch the snow globe to change the object inside then press the musical note at the base to bring a classic carol… Read more

Wombi Toy is a game app for kids 3 to 6 years old.  The setting of the game is a toy assembly line operated by a robot. Each time the Kids pull the lever to start the conveyor belt, they will get a broken toy.  The kids’ job is to figure out what is wrong with the toy and fix the toy. There are about 20 different toys. Each toy’s fix is considered a mini-game. It could be painting the… Read more

I found this book app from Oceanhouse Media’s news release.  This is one of the less known book from Dr.Seuss.  In the book, Dr. Seuss reminds children that no matter what their struggles may be, they should always be thankful.  It is a powerful message, delivered in classical Seuss style with rhymes and silly words. “Think of poor Ali Sard!  He has to mow grass in his uncle’s back yard, and it’s quick-growing grass, and it grows as he mows… Read more

Winnie the Pooh Wonder and Wander is from Disney. It is just launched today. It is FREE now, I am not sure how long it will be free. It is a collection of small games for young kids and toddlers.  It works on iPhone, iPod and iPAD. Introduction from App store: Enter the fantastical world of the Hundred Acre Wood where Moms, Dads and their Little Ones can interact with Winnie the Pooh and his friends – creating happy fun… Read more

Toca Boca just released a new app Toca Tailor Fairy Tale, and it is FREE.  Toca Boca is known for developing apps with open-ended free play.  I have reviewed their Toca Doctor, Toca Store, Toca Kitchen, and Toca Hair Salon.  None of them disappointed me.  In this new app Toca Tailor Fairy Tale, they bring the old-fashioned dress up play onto iPhone/iPAD, and with so much more!  For example, kids can take pictures of any objects they like and then use them as design patterns for the clothes.  I… Read more

As much as I enjoyed all the great educational apps I have been recommending, I have always hoped to find apps that can get kids outside of house and running.  Apps for star gazing, bird watching, remotely monitor helicopter, or even math games involving walking around, are all my favorite apps.  Today I am going to recommend an app that will really get kids moving.  It is called Big Cat Race. What the app does is to set up a… Read more

Hickkory Dockory Dock is a beautifully designed app teaching young kids recognize time on a clock. For each number on the clocks, kids get a small treat. It is typically $2.99 on App Store. For limited time, it is FREE. It works on iPhone, iPod, and iPAD. Introduction on the App Store: Help your children learn to read a clock while being entertained by a playful little mouse companion. There are a number of mini games designed to develop specific… Read more

Turtle Trek is the first mobile game created by SeaWorld!  It is designed for kids age 4 to 9.  Using fingers to guide the little turtle through the ocean – catch food and stars, meet friends, avoid predators, …  For each friend the turtle met, kids can learn some fun facts.  Do you know Triggerfish are bottom dwellers? It is designed as a game.  The longer distance the kids can help the turtle swim, the more stars they collect, the more friend stickers they… Read more

Albert is a collection of 20 mini games.  The first 10 games are free.  From turning off an array of alarm clocks to help Albert sleep more, to moving the slippery soap to the bathtub so Albert can have a bath, to calling the dog to stop before he steps over the cliff, … all games are creatively designed with ingenious use of the device’s functions, such as touchscreen, accelerometer, or microphone. In addition to the games, I really like… Read more

Time flies. It is only one week away from Thanksgiving. A good app for the kids is the book app The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks written by Jan and Mike Berenstain, developed by Oceanhouse Media. The key message of the book is thankfulness and family love. The Bear cubs act out the first Thanksgiving, then the family will have a full Thanksgiving feast. But Sister Bear is so attached to the pet turkey. Will the family still have the turkey as… Read more

Little Blue Jackal is a bilingual app.  In addition to an interesting story, it also teaches kids Spanish. The story starts with the little jackal trying to run away from a village after being caught of stealing food.  He fell into a bucket of blue paint and his entire body turned blue.  Looked distinct, he was asked to be the king of the jungle…. till one day the animals found out he was just a jackal. The app is designed… Read more

Country Mouse and City Mouse is another book app by McGraw Hill.  It is FREE for limited time.   It is a very cute book with just about right interactions on each page.  It is designed for kids age 3 to 8.  It is only available on iPAD. Introduction on App Store:  Country Mouse and City Mouse may live in very different worlds, but through the pages in this book, they still become friends.  With this interactive ebook, your child… Read more

Little Red Hen is a re-tell of the classic story from McGraw-Hill.  It teaches kids the value of hard work.  It is FREE for limited time.  It works on iPAD only. Introduction from the App Store:  The classic fable, retold like your child aged 3-8 has never experienced it before. In this retelling, your child not only hears the story of the industrious hen and learns about the value of hard work, but becomes a part of the action. Engaging… Read more