We are finally in the final stretch of sports classes, practices, and extra curricular activities and I can say that throughout this year I’ve become quite adept at entertaining a toddler/preschooler while the big kids have activities. Snacks, toys, and people watching are great ways to keep the littlest one occupied for the long stretches of time but they only go so far.
There is no shame in my game when I say that I also have kid-friendly apps loaded on my phone and tablet to keep my kids entertained and to prevent the otherwise inevitable meltdowns of boredom. Some of these apps are simply entertainment while others have educational factors thrown in, but all of them are favorites of my preschooler and frequently have his 8 & 10 year old sisters joining in on the fun.
1. Archaeologist Ice Age Dinosaur :: kids will not get very far in the free version of this app but the $2.99 version is well worth the purchase. After digging up dinosaur bones in the ice, kids assemble the puzzle of their discoveries and then learn about the dinosaur they excavated.
2. DUPLO Trains
:: this FREE app became an instant favorite the moment I added it to my devices. My little guy is most definitely a DUPLO blocks fan and is completely fascinated by trains, so it was no wonder that this app where he builds a DUPLO train and then drives it across the countryside will keep him entertained for pretty large chunks of time.
3.Endless Alphabet :: watch a group of adorable monsters come and scatter the letters for a word across the screen. Your job is to puzzle the letters back to the correct spaces as they say their own sounds. Once the word puzzle is completely filled in the app says the word and then plays a cute video to show what the word means. There is also Endless Numbers, Endless Reader, Endless Wordplay, and even Endless Spanish. (Offers in-app purchases for expanded word sets)
5. Ebook apps :: while I know that this isn’t a specific app my kids are just as fascinated to be able to read a ebook on my phone as they are to play a game. If you want free downloads check out your local public library to see if they offer free loans of books on apps such as OverDrive or Hoopla.
We are always on the lookout for new great apps to add to our rotation as old favorites stop being available for download/purchase and are stop being compatible with new software updates. What are your family’s favorite electronic entertainments for kiddos?
