Best Educational Apps for Toddlers
I’d like to say I’m the perfect Mom. That I don’t let my kids watch TV before the age of 3, and I never let my toddler play on my iPhone or iPad. But I can’t. Going to the grocery store with a toddler and a newborn is not easy, and when a meltdown is coming on from the older one, sometimes handing over the iPhone is my only way of getting out of the store with actual groceries in hand! I also work from home, so I do use these devices as ways to buy some time to work. If I ever want to get anything done, sometimes the TV or smartphone is a great distraction. But in my defense, I do limit the use and time allowed since they could easily become a crutch for both me and her!
Over the past few years I have found which apps are educational, but are also fun and engage my toddler on a continual basis. Here is my roundup of the best apps for toddlers! And if you have any other apps or games I should add, let me know in the comments section below.
Happy apping!
Free (6 words free to try with additional word packs available for purchase)
Kids will have a blast learning sight words and their context and usage with the adorable Endless monsters. Each word features an interactive word puzzle with letters that come alive, and then a sentence puzzle with words that become what they describe. See the word “dog” as a barking dog, and the word “up” reach for the sky!
$1.99
An award-winning original tribute to a childhood classic, Itsy Bitsy Spider offers children a fun, interactive and educational experience. Follow the spider to learn about the environment and animals. AGES: 2-6.
$2.99
Hat Monkey is a lovable character who will be your child´s best new friend.
Award-winning picture book author Chris Haughton designed „Hat Monkey" for children under 5 years old, exclusively for mobile.
$1.99
An award-winning tribute to a childhood classic, Wheels on the Bus, is a fun, interactive experience encouraging motor, language and cognitive skills through fresh illustrations, creative interaction and music. AGES: 2-6.
$1.99
An award-winning interactive experience that asks children to identify different animals who dance, eat, wag their tails, wear sunglasses, sleep and more. Children will learn about animals, emotions, actions and sounds. AGES 2-5.
Petting Zoo - Animal Animations
$2.99
From acclaimed author and illustrator Christoph Niemann comes this interactive picture book. Swipe and tap the 21 animals and be surprised at how they react. This app combines the charm of hand made animations and Niemann's wry humor with state of the art technology. What would an elephant in your bathroom do? Can a dog breakdance? A storybook app unlike all others!
$0.99
Kids too young to color can Uncolor! A simply beautiful app for babies and small children. By rubbing their finger across the screen, babies enjoy uncovering the pictures beneath. When finished, there is a surprise to make little ones giggle.
$0.99
Kids too young to color can Uncolor! The original Uncolor has been a hit with babies and young children around the world:Ranked the #1 educational game in 29 countries in 2010. Uncolor Dogs is a new edition of Uncolor which pays homage to everyones best friends, dogs. By rubbing their finger across the screen, babies enjoy uncovering the pictures beneath. When finished, there is a surprise to make little ones giggle.
Rumble In The Jungle – An Interactive Book
$2.99
Take a trip through the jungle and meet all your favourite animals in this exciting app with animation, sound effects and music. Choose to read the rollicking jungle romp yourself, or hear it read aloud. Guaranteed to provide hours of entertainment! Little ones will love joining in with the animal sound effects and finding the touch-activated animation on each screen. This app comes complete with a simple puzzle game that reinforces learning.
$1.99
Work with your child to learn the names of animals and hear the sounds they make. Younger children will love opening the barn doors to find a new animal animation, as they learn about cause and effect and become familiar with animal names and sounds. Older children will enjoy guessing animals by sound, then seeing the animal names, which helps develop early literacy skills.
$0.99
Picture book for toddlers is a fun and educational app for children between the ages 0-4 years. Through sight and sound there are 75 different words and items to get acquainted with. Your child will easily progress through the action by dragging on the screen. When you click on an animal, a vehicle or another item it gets animated and its special sound is played, for example a dog barking. A voice will reveal the name of the item displayed.
Phone for Kids – All In One Activity Center for Children
Free
Come enjoy the beloved Phone for Kids app with brand new beautiful graphics and exciting new features! Everybody's favorite app is now better than ever! With 30 exciting games and a new beautiful colorful piano your little one is guaranteed hours of fun. Phone for kids includes intuitive and child friendly educational materials about: Colors, Numbers, Letters, Shapes, Directions, Days of the week, Animals, Drawings and much more. The perfect app for your little one’s learning and playing experience. Now with a special Christmas mode to welcome in the holiday season!
Winnie the Pooh Wonder and Wander
Free
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 and sharing whimsical discoveries. Wander through Winnie the Pooh’s world – that is full of bright colors, sounds and smackerels of action-reaction elements.
Free
WATCH Disney Junior is a free app that allows kids to watch full episodes, clips and more of their favorite Disney Junior shows on a tablet, phone or computer!
Free
Pet pals forever! Join 4 adorable kittens & 4 puppies in 6 crazy fun games & adventures! Care for these puppy & kitten BFFs when you feed, clean, and groom them for all sorts of fun!
Free
Get ready for a caring-and-sharing good time with the Care Bears! Explore 9 fun-filled Care Bears play centers with over 50 different activities in Care-a-lot! Enjoy arts and crafts, bake cakes in the kitchen, make music, grow a garden, and more with your favorite Care Bears!
$1.99
This cheerful collection includes six fun and friendly games for kids aged 2-5 years. It focuses on supporting healthy habits and developing creativity, as well as solving some of the challenges of childhood.
Working on the Railroad: Train Your Toddler
$1.99
Does your little one love trains and music? Working on The Railroad: Train Your Toddleris an adorable toddler's rendition of the popular song, “I've been Working on the Railroad.” This fully interactive children’s app explores immersive scenes across the railway throughout several exciting learning games and adventures.
Kids Puzzles Puzzingo - Learning Puzzle Games for Toddler
Free
Kids love Puzzingo! Its puzzles are full of interactivity, animations, and sounds for many repeat plays. In addition, there is a daily preview of new puzzles that your child can look forward to everyday. Besides being entertained, your kid will build vocabulary, memory, and cognitive skills while playing. This tactile game also appeals to young kids and children with special needs. It helps kids develop spatial recognition, matching, tactile, and fine-motor skills. As for you parents, this game is designed to be playable by you and your child together, so you can participate and bond with your child.
$0.99
Red In Bed is an original story about the colors of the rainbow who on this particular day cover for Red who stays in bed, sick. It is written, illustrated and developed by Josh On, an interaction designer who wanted to keep the simplicity of a classic children’s book while adding a layer of gentle interactivity to help involve the child in the narrative directly.
Free
GazziliWords places your child into a learning playground. With 24 different learning topics, your child will have all sorts of fun learning experiences while combining the touch screen interaction and basic reading. Watch GazziliWords challenge Preschoolers with important words that can otherwise be difficult to define and describe—like fingerprint, internet, and blood—in a fun, kid-friendly way!