On the iPhone/iPad I really like Numbers League. And when they are ready for algebra-lite Dragon Box is fantastic.
On the reading side, I recommend getting your kid a kindle and loading it up with books. The “paperwhite” model has a touch screen, and then word lookup in the dictionary is just a click away.
Only found this thread about apps for kids, so let’s revive it.
I am currently weighing my options, so I am curious about other parents’ approach to this.
I want our toddler (3.5 years now) be outside and active as much as possible, but smart devices are reality and you cannot pretend they don’t exist when you use them yourself. So, he is asking for the phone, so far only to play some Qiaohu games and play children songs. I did a bit of search about recommended educational apps, and downloaded the Khan Kids app, which is well made, is free, has no ads in it… [where’s the catch?]. The problem is how addictive apps can be and how bad they probably are for posture and the eyes, and how they might diminish interest in what soon become boring real-world activities.
So how do you handle or have handled this? Strict rules for screen time? Certain times of the day only? Only educational apps? Do you have any apps you would recommend?
I plan to set the rules like this: iPad only after taking his daily bath (that hopefully will reduce the time we spend in the bath… ha ha, always takes ages to get him out of there), only 20 minutes a day total. Have already done the setting on the iPad, “it’s official, can’t do anything about it”. Only educational stuff that is worth spending time there. No garbage cartoons or stuff like that. Anything else?