I’m betting an awful lot of kids out there received some fancy gadget or another under the Christmas tree. If you’re looking for suggestions about what apps to put on them, Commonsense Media has posted this helpful list of educational apps, listed by device (iPad, iPhone, Android Tablet, Android Phone, Kindle Fire) and then by age.
In our house we’re marking our first anniversary of iPhone / iPad fun. We’ve done a few of the blockbuster competitive games – the ones that focus on working ever upward in difficulty, unlocking new levels, earning points or virtual cash, and always trying for a new high score – but I’ve never been too keen on games that are designed to get you addictively playing them for hours on end. I love the more calming apps, ones that don’t score, don’t have a timer clicking down, and don’t whip kids into a frenzy at bedtime. (or ever)
My favourite discoveries of the past year have been the non-competitive, more creative apps. Here are a few of the ones we have enjoyed… (iPhone/iPad apps)

Toca Hair Salon

Toca Tailor Fairy Tales
There are lots of them, and they are all way cool. The design is unusual, the characters are funny and appealing, the activities are creative, gentle and non-competitive. (What a nice break from the majority of game apps!)
Some Toca Boca apps, like House, Store, and Tea Party, are designed for preschoolers, with age appropriate activities – simply moving items back and forth to accomplish simple tasks. I particularly like the House one, because it’s all about housecleaning!

Toca House

Toca Robot Lab
The Hair Salon, Tailor, Robot Lab, and others are aimed at slightly older kids, maybe 5 – 8 year olds, but they are quirky enough to appeal to even older kids and simple enough to entrance the preschoolers as well. These are All-Ages Apps!
In our house Toca Hair Salon has been a particularly enduring favourite with my six-year-old, especially now since they’ve put out a new edition (Hair Salon 2). And I am particularly thankful to this app for diverting her from those dreadful beauty salon apps in which you put makeup on glassy-eyed, Barbie-like supermodels. Oorg.
Toca Tailor also deserves a special mention because it includes the intoxicating possibilities of taking a photograph of a fabric, texture, background, or person, and using it to create your clothing designs. (My daughter became entranced with taking a photo of the girl wearing a photo of herself wearing a photo of herself wearing a… )
(Check out Toca games here.)

My Playhome
This one is not a Toca game, but also great for preschoolers: My PlayHome – A simple playhouse where you move family members and objects around a house. Simple but compelling, and again, a gentle, stress-free app.
Future posts to come: art apps, music apps, math apps, science apps… I don’t presume to review every app out there, but whenever we come across a great one, I will certainly let you know!
Related RKOB Posts
The Land of Apps
More on Gadgetry
Websites and Apps for Kids – Recommendations
The Great Screen-Time Tug-of-War
24 Jun 2013 1 Comment
by Kim in Commentary, Issues, Parenting, Technology, Television, Violence
Tug of war contested at the 1904 Summer Olympics. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The screentime tug-of-war is, I’m sure, a very very common sport in households today. Technology offers us ever more brilliant and enthralling ways to entertain and educate ourselves, and the desire for knowledge is a good thing, right? And yet, and yet, many parents harbour great anxiety about the slippery slope of screen time.*
Steve Almond has written a great piece on this for the New York Times: My Kids Are Obsessed With Technology, And It’s All My Fault. More