When two-year-old Sammy started kindergarten, he started exploring his mom’s iPad. And now, he loves playing with it – touching the screen, tapping it, and watching what that does to the screen. He is all smiles when he is playing a game or watching a video on the iPad screen. In this digital age, you cannot stop your kids from accessing your phones or tablets, nor can you let them do what they want with it. What you can do is decide what they see or do. MomJunction brings to you a list of the best iPad apps for kids. From educational apps to games and creative apps for the little ones, we have them all covered for you.
Free iPad Apps For Kids
It is wise to try an app before investing in it, especially if the app is for your child. There are several free child-friendly apps for iPad, and we bring some of best to you. Read on for details.
1. Endless Alphabet
Endless Alphabet is an exciting app for toddlers and preschoolers. It helps your school-going kid learn the alphabet quickly. It is one of the best educational iPad apps for kids, where the letters pop up on the screen to form a word and words pop up to form sentences. The app can also be a great tool to help older kids develop their vocabulary. The list has an impressive set of words with phonetics, and new words are added to the list now and then. Category: Educational Age: 4+ Rating: 5/5 on iTunes Size: 67.9MB Things to note: The app needs the Iinternet and a lot of storage to function adequately. The free version offers access only up to three levels. Get it now: Here
2. Despicable Me: Minion Rush
Everyone loves the cuddly, silly minions from Pixar’s Despicable Me. If your kid loves the little yellow creatures, then Minion Rush is a game you can add to your iPad games list. A free children’s games app for iPad, Minion Rush is similar to Temple Run, and needs the player to maneuver the Minion through the path and collect bananas for rewards! The colorful and exciting game has animated Minions with cute expressions and avatars. The game is available in multiple languages such as Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, French, and English, among others. Category: Games Age: 9+ Rating: 4.5/5 on iTunes Size: 147MB Things to note: The game needs the Internet and occupies a lot of space on the tablet. It can be addictive too, so you might want to keep tabs on your kid’s iPad activity. Get it now: Here
3. Tynker
Tynker is one of the best iPad coding apps for kids today. This ipad app allows your children to learn coding or programming in an easy way, enabling them to create games with the help of simple tutorials. Tynker is a great tool to keep the child’s mind engaged in a productive manner. This app is available for download initially and then through in-house purchases. Your child can register to access all the projects available on it, and also save them to the cloud. Category: Educational Age: 9-11 years Rating: 4.5/5 on iTunes Size: 161MB Things to note: The free version gives you access only to one puzzle. Get it now: Here
4. My School Avatar
Kids may not be able to dress up the way they want in real life. But in the virtual world, they can create a whole new avatar with the help of mobile or computer apps. My School Avatar is one of the many cool talking avatar apps for kids using the iPad. The app allows the kids to make 3D avatars, edit them, and even pose with the avatar. The app also allows your child to make avatar videos with their choice of videos from iTunes. Cool, isn’t it? The app is available in several languages including Chinese, German, Hindi, Swedish, Thai, and Hungarian. Category: Games Age: 9 – 11 Rating: 5/5 on iTunes Size: 62.8MB Things to note: The app is a great way to tell stories through the avatar. Can be a hit with shy kids. Get it now: Here
5. WWF Together
An amazing app with cool interactive features, WWF Together is an app that your kids will love. The educational iPad app introduces children to a variety of endangered species. The app gives the kid detailed information about the animal and highlights the areas where the animals can be found. The app also has a Face-to-Face section with a video of the animal and commentary by an expert in the background. Category: Education Age: 4+ Rating: 4.5/5 on iTunes Size: 153MB Things to note: The list of endangered animals is limited to 16, and may run out of material for someone who is a fast reader. Get it now: Here
6. Where’s My Water?
Swampy, the funny green alligator, wants to shower, but his shower is broken. So he asks, “Where’s My Water?” and you, the player, has to solve puzzles so Swampy can shower. The game by Disney has multiple levels with over 500 puzzles for you to solve. The complexity of the puzzles increases with every level, making it that much more challenging and exciting. Category: Games Age: 6+ Rating: 4.5 on iTunes Size: 90.9MB Things to note: The game can be addictive, and may require in-app purchases to keep moving up levels. Get it now: Here
7. BBC CBeebies Storytime
Storytelling apps are a hit with the younger kids. If you are looking for free iPad apps for five or six-year-old children, the BBC CBeebies Storytime app is an excellent choice. The free app gives you access to some stories and nursery rhymes for children aged five or less. The app is fun and encourages preschoolers to read more often. Category: Reading / Entertainment Age: 4+ Rating: 4.5/5 on iTunes Size: 78.4MB Things to note: The app can be sluggish at times, and the support functionality needs improvement. Get it now: Here
8. Visual Brailler
If you thought a visually impaired child cannot use a tablet, you were wrong. There are many iPad apps for visually impaired kids, and Visual Brailler is one of them. This is a free app that helps kids practice the Unified English Braille or UEB code on the iPad. The screen has a 6-dot Braille on-screen keyboard and allows the user to practice the exercises for NLS certification. Category: Education Age: 4+ Rating: 4/4 on iTunes Size: 0.8MB Things to note: Your child might need some time to get used to it. Get it now: Here
9. Kids Doodle – Movie Kids Color & Draw
The iPad can become your child’s canvas with the right apps. Kids Doodle is an iPad drawing app for kids that can transform the screen into a digital canvas, where they draw or paint using fingers as the paintbrush. The app is very easy to use and allows kids to doodle just about anything they want on the iPad screen and save it too. What’s even better is that kids can watch the video that plays back the steps involved in the drawing or the doodle. Category: Drawing Age: 6-8 years Rating: 4/5 on iTunes Size: 145MB Things to note: It’s a simple game and might not be as interesting for the older kids. Get it now: Here
10. Toca Kitchen
If your little one likes cooking, but you are not ready to let him or her into the kitchen yet, then get the Toca Kitchen app. One of the best kids’ app where they can pick any ingredient they want and cook it anyway they like – bake it, fry it, grill it, or boil it. The app is quite engaging and allows the child to explore cooking in a safe way. There’s a vegetarian mode too if your kids don’t like meat. Category: Cooking Games Age: 4+ Rating: 4/5 on iTunes Size: 61.8MB Things to note: Kids can also cook the favorite dishes of the characters in the game. Get it now: Here
11. Disney Story Central
A productive way to make use of the iPad is to turn it into a reading device for the kids. One app that lets you do this easily is Disney Story Central, which features stories about all your favorite Disney and Pixar characters. If your kid loves fairy tales and other Pixar stories, then this app is just the e-library you will need to keep him or her entertained during long trips. Category: Reading/Storytelling Age: Up to 5 years Rating: 3.5/5 on iTunes Size: 96.5MB Things to note: The stories are not new, and kids might get bored soon. Get it now: Here
12. GoNoodle Kids
A unique app for kids, GoNoodle is all about keeping your children healthy through active movement and play. The app has dance videos, activities, and games that will keep kids on the move as long as they are using the app. The app also has mindfulness and meditation activities and exercises for kids. So if you are worried that your little boy or girl is not getting enough exercise because they are hooked on to the phone or the tab, just get them this app. Category: Education Age: 6-8 years Rating: 4.5/5 on iTunes Size: 60.5MB Things to note: Kids need to register and create an account to access the videos in the app. Get it now: Here
13. DoodleMaths
Make maths fun with this cool iPad app for kids – DoodleMaths helps kids get better at math with small exercises that boost their abilities and their confidence. The app throws up activities based on the grade, level of understanding, and strengths and weaknesses of the child. The app acts as a tutor, but a fun one, teaching simple additions, subtractions, fractions, and more. Category: Education Age: 7-11-year-old kids Rating: 4/5 on iTunes Size: 233MB Things to note: You need to subscribe to the programs or exercises in the app to access them. Get it now: Here
14. World of the Wild
The World of the Wild is a top kids’ app for iPad designed to educate children about the effects of global warming, deforestation, and reduction of the planet’s green cover. The app starts off by showing a dull, lifeless, and gray land because the animals have become extinct. The app then tells the child what can be done to bring back the greenery on the planet, thereby educating and creating awareness about conservation of the ecology. This is a great app to teach your children about protecting wildlife and promoting a healthy, environmental-friendly lifestyle. Category: Games Age: 5+ Rating: 4.5/5 on iTunes Size: 354MB Things to note: The game also encourages you to support the charities working for wildlife conservation around the world. Get it now: Here
15. Lumikids Park By Lumosity
Do you remember Lumosity? Lumikids Park is a modified version of that app for kids, with a variety of puzzles, brain-teasers, and exercises. The app takes the children through a virtual park filled with intuitive activities and games that they need to work on to move to the next levels. The app allows children to explore a variety of concepts through play and also promotes their motor coordination, ability to sort or tell the differences, attention to detail, etc. Category: Education Age: 5 and under Rating: 4/5 on iTunes Size: 35.2MB Things to note: Parents can get a report on the child’s abilities and progress. Get it now: Here
16. Toca Dance
Dancing is fun, and so is Toca Dance. As the name says, Toca Dance is a dancing platform app that allows you to create your own dance and even music. The app allows the kids to pick their own characters from a selection of inbuilt characters for the dance. You can dress the characters in silly costumes, hats, goggles, and even neon clothing that makes them glow on the stage! Category: Education Age: 6-8 years old Rating: 4.5/5 on iTunes Size: 133MB Things to note: The choice of music and clothing is limited, although it is fun to create your own dance moves. Get it now: Here
17. Draw Free for iPad
Draw Free for iPad is yet another painting app for iPad, which both adults and kids can try. The app lets you draw sketches or paint something on the screen using different types of paints and palettes that the app has. You can use a pencil, sketch, paintbrush, or any other tool to paint something new, edit a photograph or any other image by uploading it to the app. Category: Drawing, Games Age: 4+ Rating: 4.5/5 on iTunes Size: 42.8MB Things to note: The images your child creates can be shared on social media websites as well. Get it now: Here
18. Cut The Rope 2
Cut the Rope 2 is the sequel to the popular Cut the Rope game. The game has new characters and new gameplay elements that make it better than the first part. The game is all about feeding the hungry frog called Om Nom by cutting the rope that holds the treat. This version also has an additional character called Roto, who helps Om Nom get his food. And how he does that is up to the player. Category: Games Age: 6+ Rating: 4/5 on Common Sense Media Size: 141MB Things to note: It is best to introduce part one to the child before trying this. Get it now: Here [ Read: Positive Effects Of Video Games On Children ]
Paid iPad Apps
Not all good apps can be accessed for free. Some of them come at a price. And spending a couple of dollars or even more, especially if it means your kids can learn something useful, is worth it!
19. Levers
Levers is an educational app that is a simple game about balancing things on a lever. There are no instructions or tutorials. A lever or balance is on the screen and items keep falling from the sky. All you need to do is hang them on either side of the lever to balance it. The trick is to guess the weight of the objects and hang them on the right side to balance the scales. There are many kids’ science apps for iPad, but this is a simple one you can start with. Category: Games Age: 7+ Rating: 4/5 on Common Sense Media Price: $0.99 Size: 6.5MB Things to note: The game is easy to play and can get monotonous after a while, even though it can be challenging. Kids could get bored of it soon. Buy now: Here [ Read: Internet Safety Tips For Kids ]
20. Dyslexia Quest
Dyslexia Quest is a game which helps children improve their learning and memory skills. There are six games that each focus and assess the child’s different learning skills including visual memory, sequencing skills, processing speed, and auditory memory. Developed by the Bristol Dyslexia Center, Dyslexia Quest is a reading app that also tells how the child can improve the learning skills. Parents, teachers, and therapists can also get the results emailed to them. Category: Education Age: 7+ Rating: 4/5 on iTunes Price: $14.99 Size: 281MB Things to note: The app is paid and might seem a tad expensive compared to other, similar apps. Buy now: Here
21. Wet-Dry-Try Handwriting Without Tears
Legible handwriting is a must, not a choice. If you want to help your kid improve the way he or she writes, Wet-Dry-Try Handwriting Without Tears is a cool app you can buy in the App Store. The app simulates a blackboard, where children can easily practice writing capital letters, lower case letters, and numbers legibly. The app teaches you simple ways to write letters and numbers efficiently, removing the need for reversals or rewriting. Category: Education, Handwriting Age: 5+ Rating: 5/5 on iTunes Price: $5.98 Size: 450MB Things to note: The app only has three rhymes, and no option to add more. Buy now: Here
22. The Earth by Tinybop
Tinybop makes geography more interesting with its app, The Earth. The app introduces the many landscapes on the earth including forests, oceans, volcanoes, glaciers, mountains, and more. In addition to images, the app also has animation and special effects such as triggering earthquakes, making volcanoes erupt, or more. With this app, children get to learn a lot about the factors that affect the planet and its atmosphere. The app is available in multiple languages including European languages, Indian, and Oriental languages, and African languages besides English. Category: Education Age: 6-8 years Rating: 4/5 on iTunes Price: $2.99 Size: 492MB Things to note: This app is worth a buy only if your kid is interested in the subject. Buy now: Here
23. Dexteria Dots 2
Targeted at younger children, Dexteria Dots 2 is an educational app that helps children refine their hand-eye coordination by improving their visual tracking, and memory and motor skills. It also helps the child with math. The app has soft colors and easy to do exercises that make it appealing for kids. Parents and therapists can also track the child’s progress through this app. Category: Medical Age: 6-8 years Rating: 5/5 on iTunes Price: $2.99 Size: 53.3MB Things to note: The app comes at a price, and cannot be tried if not purchased. Get it now: Here
24. Bloom
Bloom is an excellent ambient music app that encourages the user to be creative. The app is intuitive and uses the iPad touch technology to create simple, yet appealing, patterns and unique music compositions. While it is not like any of the drawing apps for iPad for kids, it taps the child’s artistic side. The app offers a platform to combine music with art, engaging the child in a productive way. The colors and the music in the app are also calming, which are a plus when kids use it. Category: Music Age: 4+ Rating: 5/5 on Common Sense Media Price: $3.99 Size: 18.7MB Things to note: There are no trial options in this. You need to purchase the app to download it. Buy now: Here
25. Tap-n-See Now
Another app for kids with visual impairment is Tap-n-See Now. The app is specifically designed for children with cortical visual impairment (CVI) but is equally appealing to children without CVI. The solid colors of the animals, with dark colored backdrops, makes it easier for kids to identify them, and the animals have to touched or tapped to be moved. The app is simple but manages to introduce colors without overwhelming the user. Category: Education Age: 4+ Rating: 3.5/5 on iTunes Price: $2.99 Size: 9.6MB Things to note: The app can be downloaded for free, but that gives you access to only a few animals. You can purchase additional animal bundles through the app. Buy now: Here
