Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Mrs. Lampshade's Top 15 Toddler Apps (iPod Touch)











ODE TO AN iPOD
When we first thought to buy you, we said, “I don’t know,
A $200+ electronic seems only for show.
Our child is but 3 and we never had one -
Our parents expected us to read books to have fun.”
So we hmm’d and we haw’d and we weighed con & pro
We finally concurred it was THE way to go.

The unit arrived and we fawned and we sorted.
We uploaded apps and had music imported.
Our munchkin took to it like bird takes to flight
That’s when we knew our decision was right.

We took iPod out for a night on the town
And, I assure you, it did not let us down.
We ate our whole meal with nary a peep
From our disgruntled grump toddler without enough sleep.

So whether we travel by car, plane or sea
The iPod will always be close by to me
‘Cause this mommy’s learned that heck or high water
I always can count on it to distract my sweet daughter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mrs. Lampshade's Top 15 Awesome Toddler Apps

1. Story Chimes (Free w/ads or $.99 w/o) – Who says iPods are only for games?  Find your child’s favorites like “Cinderella” & “The 3 Pigs.”

2. FirstWords: Deluxe ($4.99) – a bit pricey, but one that my toddler plays with over & over & over & over….

3. StoryBoy – (Free w/ads or $.99 - $1.99 w/o) – “All About Dragons” is a fan favorite in our house.

4. Angry Birds – (Free/Lite or $.99/Full) – Personally, I haven’t invested the $.99 for the full version.  So far the “Lite” has been enough to satiate my toddler’s lust for avian revenge.  My husband, on the other hand…

5. Balloonimals – (Free/Lite or $1.99/Full) – Blow up “balloons” then shake them into shapes.  Interact with balloons then show them who’s boss…POP!  If you have an older generation iPod, this app is less fun since it requires a mic for balloon inflation. 

6. Disney Fairies Fly (Free/Lite or $4.99/Full) – Tinkerbell, her friends & many adventures.  Not sure it would be a hit w/ boys, but my girl thinks it’s “Flitterific!”

7. Elmo’s Monster Maker ($3.99) – Pick hats, eyes, noses & mouths for Elmo’s friends.  Then interact with Elmo – dance, take pictures, be silly.  If you can tolerate the sound of Elmo’s voice (this is a borderline issue for me), it’s worth it.  So far we’ve had this app for two seasons – Winter & Spring.  Updates are pushed that provide new accessories to decorate your monster. 

8. Giraffe’s Preschool Playground ($.99 – currently on sale) – This app is a non-stop player in our house.  Just enough annoying animal sounds that are easily repeated over and over.  A toddler’s dream!

9. Little Dialers (Free!) – Simplistic in execution, Little Dialers teaches your child your phone number.  Truthfully, I haven’t tried it with my toddler yet, but I used it and it helped me learn my overseas cell phone number – for the first time in a year. 

10. Make A Martian($.99) – This app was free when I uploaded it, but I would still pay the $.99 for it.  Choose from a wide array of Martian options to create a “cute” little buddy that’s all your own.  After my toddler’s initial fear subsided, she decided she really liked this app.

11. Talking Rex/Roby the Robot/Tomcat – (Each - Free/Lite or $.99/Full) – These apps also require a mic for interactive play – they will repeat anything that is said.  Fun for kids AND adults who still get kick out of 6th grade humor. 

12. Tozzle (Free/Lite or $1.99/Full) – Multitude of puzzles & number play.  Really well-done app.

13. Waterslide Extreme (Free) – My toddler never fails to school me on this app.  She is the master.  I am the student.

14. Fisher-Price: BIGFOOT the Monster (Free) – A marketing tool from Fisher Price, this free app is one of the best.   You can interact with Bigfoot, work labyrinth-like mazes & watch short videos. 

15. KidsSong Machine by Genera Kids – (Free/Lite or $1.99) – A mixture of traditional children songs and seasonal updates keep kids singing even when they don’t have their iPod in their hands.

Of course this is 15 of thousands - what apps have I forgotten/not heard of/neglected?  

And let's not forget the OtterBox!!! Surely it was invented by parents because this little, rubberized lifesaver is a must-have for iPods.  Seriously. 

2 comments:

  1. Awesome! Thanks for the list! We just got an ipad and I have done NOTHING with it other than use it for FaceTime and Internet. I'll have to check out these apps!

    ReplyDelete
  2. YAY - now I have the list I needed for TJ's iPod. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

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