Best Kid-Friendly Apps for Road Trips and Beyond!
Let’s get real, our kids are more technologically savvy than us. Well, my kids are to me at least. My littlest dude figured out how to swipe before he could hold a spoon.
When the kids tire of staring out the window and watching the scenery blur past, or when mom's bag of tricks gets boring (how many games of Car BINGO can we play?!), then it's time to pull out the heavy artillery! I keep screen time to a minimum, but when we’re in the car, you know I’ve got both iPads running like it’s the Microsoft Data Center. All kidding aside, my two year old can watch Monster’s Inc. and Minions on loop, but my almost six-year-old needs diversity, and this is where I am one step ahead of him! Apps!
Make sure you follow our blog if you’re new here, and bookmark this page as I will continue updating this list as I find more busy apps for my kiddos. We have a huge road trip coming up next month, and as much I would like for my children to just look out the window the majority of the drive, I know it’s the “way” kids today operate. Their brains are already wired with technology, and since tablets and iPads were already introduced it’s what they expect for the car ride. When they’re not fiddling with an app, they’re watching a movie or their favorite show.
Check out these amazing apps below - some are free and some are not, but you’ll find with the free ones you have to purchase in-app perks anyway. When you buy an app outright, you can enjoy unlimited downloads of items and content in the app. If we're connected to Wi-Fi, then my kids use the DisneyNOW, PBS Kids, and Nick Jr apps for games and to watch their favorite shows. However, you do need a cable subscription with DisneyNOW and Nick Jr to use the full features. Also, many of the apps below are offline apps, so kids don’t even need to be connected to the internet.
Cosmic Cubs' collection of apps is full of out of this world fun for kids ages four and up! There are three apps to choose from this series that will test your child's puzzle skills, and promote pretend play on the go. Apps like Cosmic Cubs Dress Up, Cosmic Cubs Eco Puzzles, and Cosmic Cubs Space Puzzles are just $1.99 each app. By purchasing the apps in full, you can have full access to these apps that teach about space, recycling, and will keep kids busy. Each app presents fun things to do for kids like changing outfits for the Cosmic Cubs.
Cosmic Cubs Dress Up, change their costumes and scenes for the Cosmic Cubs by adding fun accessories, outfits, and adding details to the scene. You can use this app for free, but you’re limited with what you can add. My son has played both and actually gravitates toward the Cosmic Cubs that are free. Marcello loves giving the Cosmic Cubs silly make-overs.
Cosmic Cubs Recycle is a fun puzzle app that teaches the importance of recycling! Kids can piece together the puzzles to discover an important message about recycling and how they can help!
Cosmic Cubs Space Puzzle includes puzzles that teach kids the planets and different words related to the science of space. I just wish there was an option to hear the long definitions that explain each word. All three apps are $1.99 each and are iOS and Android compatible.
Kiddopia is an amazing education app with lots of fun games for kids! Last year we reviewed Kiddopia and this app has been a staple in my son’s app library. Kiddopia is constantly being updated with new content most recently with the newest addition of Kiddopia Town, which now makes this app even more interactive than before. Kids can learn good hygiene by brushing a shark’s teeth, practice their writing skills, math, reading, and more. All around this app is a fun, educational tool. The price tag to take advantage of all of the features is very high, but I have to say that it is truly one of the top three apps we use, so you get your money’s worth. If you download your apps to one email then more than child can be hooked up to that email can use the app. A little tip to justify app costs. There is a monthly subscription service of you can purchase it outright for about $45. Download for Android or iOS devices. Kiddopia is a KidSafe app.
Sago Mini World We love Sago Mini World. I love playing it too. The animals are funny and cute and do silly things. Kids don’t even realize they are learning because they’re too busy playing, building towns, matching, sorting, and more. This app is a subscription and it’s about $35 per way. We’re now in our third year of subscription and it’s truly the best money I spend. Sago Mini World is the winner of over five awards and is also deemed KidSafe. There are also a huge collection of toys and goods related to Sago Mini World - children will love seeing their favorite Sago Mini characters as figures, and even pretend play sets! Many of the toys are by Spin Master.
Codespark Academy is the #1 coding app for kids. This monthly subscription is $9.99 and is actually widely popular with teachers. If you’re a teacher, see if you qualify for any discounts. There is a week-long free trial with this app, but just remember to delete the app before the trial ends. The perks of this app are that kids don’t need to be readers with this computer programming style app that teaches kids the power of coding through clever puzzle-solving and with the help of these cute little rascals, The Foos. Plus more than one child can play with the app, so app sharing is okay and a money saver.
Super Why! Phonics Fair is still a family favorite and is geared for children ages three to six. Mix the wonder of the carnival with phonics, and you get a lot of fun. For new fans of Super Why! and even old ones, kids will love "winning" tickets to trade in for "prizes" that they can use in the game. The app is an oldie, but goodie as it hones kids' reading and spelling skills. I honestly cannot recall if this was a free app because there is a collection of other Super Why! apps that are also education and they are $3.99 each in the iOs App Store.
Toy Story Drop is a new Disney Pixar app featuring the whole world’s favorite Toy Story characters! This is a casual game and is rated for "everyone." Toy Story Drop features mini puzzle games and a map where you have to solve each board to advance to different levels or scenes. Woody looks on in suspense as you try to swipe and match the items to make sets. You have to do this within a certain of moves. This app is free and you don’t need to pay as you can earn in-app rewards and “coins” to “purchase” extra moves. The only thing that may frustrate your kids is when they’re out of moves, but they can play another app while their hearts regenerate. This app is always updated with cool perks like the latest update was the addition of Alien’s voice, and they can comedically root you on in the game. The alternative is Woody!
You can download these apps on your iOS or Android devices. What are some apps that you suggest for your kids? What other activities do you include for long car rides to steer the kids away from the screen? Let me know your answers in the comments section.
Remember to keep checking back by bookmarking this page or following my blog to get notified of new blog posts! You can also see some of these apps at work on our YouTube channel! ‘Appy Travels!
No comments:
Post a Comment