With the ever-increasing popularity of smartphones and tablets, parents are turning to technology to educate and entertain their children. The following 12 family friendly apps cover a wide range of topics and are sure to come in handy.
Fitness
Gainesville Health & Fitness
Compatible with: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later. App is optimized for iPhone 5.
Summary: Allows users to view class schedules and class changes, in addition to adding a class to your calendar. It also posts current announcements, promotions, coupons and membership incentives.
Cost: Free
Reading
Green Eggs & Ham – Dr. Seuss
Recommended Ages: 2-6.
Compatible with: iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 or later.
Summary: This interactive storybook app can record your child’s voice as he or she reads along with the Dr. Seuss classic. It’s perfect for bedtime, travel, school or shopping. Parents Magazine, among many others, has extolled its virtues.
Cost: $3.99
Math
Sums Stacker
Recommended Ages: 7 and older.
Compatible with: iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later
Summary: Sums Stacker inserts a little fun into learning math facts. Each screen has three blocks with a number value in each block. On top of each block are stacks of random numbers in the form of money, numerals, dice, etc. The player’s job is to move the numbers around until each stack is correct.
Cost: $1.99
Science
Frog Dissection
Recommended Ages: 11-14.
Compatible with: iPad. Requires iOS 3.2 or later
Summary: This app is designed to be an “ethical and educative alternative to live-animal dissections.” It’s also less icky. Frog Dissection enables students to virtually dissect a 3D frog using tools such as scalpels and forceps. It provides detailed labels, info on frog classification and organ functions. It’s even got an endorsement from PETA.
Cost: $2.99-$4.99
History
Ansel & Claire Ride with Paul Revere
Recommended Ages: 5-11.
Compatible with: iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later
Summary: Ansel & Claire, a couple of aliens, go on an adventure with Paul Revere, learning about the original colonies and the American Revolution while answering quiz questions disguised as secret messages. Kids don’t even know they’re learning, but are. Paul Revere is one in a series interactive apps for Ansel & Claire.
Cost: $4.99
Creative
Toca Band
Recommended Ages: 2-9.
Compatible with: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 or later. App is optimized for iPhone 5.
Summary: The premise is Toca Band is getting ready for a concert and needs help mixing beats and sounds together. Users can choose from 16 characters, each of whom has his own sounds and musical rhythms. Among the characters are Stikk Figga (rapper); Bang Bang Chef (drums); and Balooney (balloon). The app comes with 48 sound loops, background music, animation and sound effects.
Cost: $2.99
Study Aid
SAT® Vocab Challenge Vol. 1, by The Princeton Review
Recommended Ages: 12 and older.
Compatible with: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 2.2.1 or later
Summary: This app helps you master 250 of the most-frequently used vocab words on the SAT. The program presents four timed challenges that test you for each word’s positive or negative connotation, synonym, antonym and definition.
Cost: $4.99
Food
Krispy Kreme Hot Light
Compatible with: Android 2.2 and up; iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 or later.
Summary: Krispy Kreme’s app sends you alerts when the hot light is on, and the doughnuts are coming fresh out of the fryer. For those who need a doughnut fix while on the road, it also lets you check if there’s a hot light in your area.
Cost: Free
Travel
Google Earth
Compatible with: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later; Android.
Summary: Google Earth enables you to take a virtual tour of the planet, from your childhood home to hiking trails to planes in flight. Google Earth 7 guides you through flights over cities, famous landmarks and natural wonders in 3D.
Cost: Free
Food Network on the Road
Compatible with: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 or later. App is optimized for iPhone 5.
Summary: This app tells you the locations of restaurants that have appeared on the Food Network. You can search by city, chef, show or cuisine. Search Jacksonville, for instance, and it will tell you Diners, Drive-ins and Dives has been to Metro Diner and 13 Gypsies. Choose one of those restaurants, and it gives a short description of the location, plus photos and directions.
Cost: Free
Family
The Game of Life
Compatible with: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5. Android 2.0.
Summary: Modeled after the board game, the newest version of this app allows up to six players, has enhanced graphics and enables you to customize classic characters. You can even listen to and control music from iTunes while you play.
Cost: $.99
Stack the States
Recommended Ages: 4 and up.
Compatible with: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later. App is optimized for iPhone 5.
Summary: This is a fun way for children (and adults) to learn U.S. geography. You will learn state capitals, nicknames, shapes, flags, geographic locations and more by answering questions. If you’ve answered the question correctly, drop the state onto a platform. Once you’ve stacked enough states to reach the checker line, you move onto the next round.
Cost: $.99