It is with no small sense of shame that I bring up the newest Amazement in our home: the iPhone. Shame because even as I try desperately to limit our ‘screen time’, both my daughter and I are drawn to the iPhone like moths to a flame. And shame because I do not want to turn this blog into some kind of plug for Apple products.
I am NOT telling you to buy one of these!
However… I know there are a lot of people out there getting these thingy-gadgets and I found this useful: a list of highly rated and mostly educational apps for little ones, c/o Savvy Mom.
As long as I set time limits (for both of us!), I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a little fun time on the computer/tablet/phone. And I can see how a smart phone could really save the day in the case of delayed flights, long car rides, or endless waiting room waits.
If you’d rather not open the Pandora’s Box that is the App Store, remember that even the free basics you get with the phone can be highly entertaining for preschoolers. The Calculator is fun for kids intrigued and awed by numbers, and the Compass is perfect for treasure hunts! The Camera and Voice Memos are good for hours of giddy enjoyment! The Clock has a stopwatch feature, and Weather allows you to look up conditions anywhere in the world!
I can see the exclamation points sneaking in so it’s time to stop. Don’t worry, this blog is not about to turn into a tech geek blog – there are many, many, many others more knowledgeable than I about these matters, but I will pass along any useful lists or tips I come across.
Rarest Kind of Best 