Must Have Apps for iPad {Toddlers and Preschoolers}

iPad apps are all the rage in today’s day and age, and I’ve rounded up a list of the top must have apps for ipad when it comes to the little ones.  The teacher in me hates to see kids sitting all day long on an iPad.  I hate that those kids aren’t running outside and playing or that they aren’t interacting with other kids.  That being said, I’ve found the iPad a great learning time that I can share with my daughter.  

Don’t get me wrong, there are times that I put that iPad on her lap, plant her on the couch and let her have at it {a girl’s GOT TO get crap done every now and then!}  However, for the times that we are learning together on the iPad, I’ve found some really great learning games that I can highly recommend as both a teacher and a mom! Choosing an iPad is more complicated than it needs to be, but we’re here to help with our complete guide to all of Apple’s tablets .

{Beck and Bo}  This game is built as an interactive word story.  You start with a scene of your choice.  

One by one, a new object is placed in the story.  

Once you place the object in the story, you’ll get a new object.  Once the scene is complete, it comes to life.  It’s super darling!

{Toca House}   is an app full of chores!  It’s genius!

 The kids get to hang the clothes, mop the floor, sort the groceries….

Seriously good practice for taking over for me!

Toca Boca is the maker of this app and ALL of the Toca games are totally rad!  

{Monkey Preschool Lunchbox} Is a great game for counting and matching…

and the little monkey is so stinking cute when you get something right!

{Bugs and Buttons} is both creepy and kick ass – all at the same time!  

In what other app can you do roach racing and tarantula sorting?  

It’s super cool even though I can’t stand bugs…

{Puzzingo} is a very simple game – just drag the puzzle piece into the correct silhouette in the puzzle board.

My daughter used to ask for help all the time, and now she whips right through them…so it’s definitely helping her get better at puzzles!

{Trucks}  This app is a dream if you’re into trucks and mud – or if you are my daughter who loves all things that her daddy loves!  

You get to change the tires on the cars, sort the trash into the right trash bins, and take the car through the car wash!  

All apps from Duck Duck Moose are great!

{Toca Tea Party}  Remember earlier, when I said Toca Boca…rocks my socks….this is another awesome example!

 Toca Tea Party lets you set the table, choose the dishes, choose food for each person at the party, fill their cups, refill their plates, and clean up spills.

 It even plays old time 40’s music on the radio while you’re feasting and has you wash the dishes before you finish.  

Genius!

{Puzzle Magic} This is another place the piece puzzle…and you have to match the silhouettes –

and after you complete the puzzle, you get to play in the scene you’ve built!

{Handy Manny} Pretty self-explanatory if you know the show.  The “Find It” game is Sami’s favorite.  All the tools hide and you have to look hard to find them.

The puzzles are also great – sami is a puzzle fanatic!  The sing it section is fun too!

{Scouts Shapes and Colors Farm}  Sami has so much fun matching the shapes in this game.

 It also has an area to trace shapes and “whack a mole”.  

It’s good basic Preschool/ Toddler Math skills.

I am recommending a wide variety of apps – all of which Sami girl {almost 3} loves to interact with – and they are all *mom approved* for learning of some kind!

Here are screenshots of Sami’s three game folders that are currently on the iPad…so you can take a peek at other apps she’s loving right now!

{ignore the folder names…they don’t really apply anymore…my organization was short lived!}

Now, if you’re looking for mindless entertainment….for those moments that you want everyone to just leave you alone….you HAVE to let the kids play:  FIREWORKS, Toca Train, Minnie’s Bow Maker, and Toca Kitchen.  

These are just a few apps that my Sami girl loves – This is NOT a sponsored post – just sharing the apps we love in our house!

What apps do your kids love?  How about mom apps?  Share your app love below!