Category: Technology

10 great iPhone apps for babies

1/3/2013

Cakes has been an active user of Mummy's iPhone since the age of 6 months and now at 2.5 years old is way more competent in its use than her Nanny. When Cakes was born I had decided (after much research and discussion with Daddy) that there would be no screen time until Cakes was 2 years old. By the time Cakes was a few months old I had done a complete backflip and decided she would have valuable screen time. Educational DVDs with accompanying toys (and an adult to enhance her viewing), Youtube clips with her favourite songs/books and educational iPhone apps. In an age of technology I figured why let her get behind when she is going to be exposed to it at child care and be a better user of technology than we were as kids. It is not like she was going to sit in front of hours of television like I did as a kid (not that my parents encouraged it when I was young, but as I got older I chose to watch it rather than being outside).

The following is a list of ten great apps that I found educational value in and Cakes loved (and some she still loves 2 years later). These games were played on occasions when time could be spent with her to enhance learning, quite times and during waiting times (at the shops etc.).

I hope you find as much value in these apps as we did. Keep an eye out for 10 great apps for 1 year olds.

Learning

use of technology
hand eye coordination
small muscle development
concepts
step by step processes
language development

What you need:

iPhone
iTunes account
patience

Reading Eggs

8/28/2012

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ABC Reading Eggs is a website subscription that has games, songs, stories and activities for young children to interact with on the computer that makes learning to read interesting and engaging for kids. Cakes is yet to buy herself a subscription as the target age group is four and up. However she has had two trials one when she was 18 months and again now that she 2 years old. Even though she is unable to utilise some of the functions due to impatience and misunderstanding instructions there are so many features of this online program that she enjoys and is learning from.

First of all the lessons are great! Cakes is able to competently use the first few sections of each lesson where letters (blends etc.) are introduced, their sounds and used in words. As she gets further through the lesson she struggles though with encouragement and support can get a little further. I usually go on and complete the last few sections of the lesson for her as she becomes bored of it once she finds it too difficult. As she is pretty tech savvy she can stop her lesson and click into the playroom. In the playroom there are many games she can play that introduce her to reading, counting, computer skills, allow creativity and role play. Her favourite parts of the playroom are the book shelf with simple rhymes such as Incy Wincy being sung with a video playing, the art shelf with painting, drawing and playdough and the kitchen with cooking dinner, dishing up ice cream and making pizza. Cakes has been playing Reading Eggs on Daddy's tablet computer (or Daddy's book as Cakes calls it) eliminating the need to use the mouse which can be a difficult skill. I think after this trial runs out she will purchase a subscription as she can independently use at least 50% of its functions and another 25% with support. So with only a lose of 25% of the functions I will just wait until I receive a special email with a 25% or more discount. Hopefully I still introduce her to the PC at some stage so she can extend her computer skills.