Top 3 FREE Favorite Smartphone Apps for Toddlers (for iPhone and Android)

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Question: What is the fastest selling product in the infant/toddler demographic?

A) Television & Movies

B) Books

C) Smartphone Apps

If you chose A or B, then you clearly didn’t read the title of this blog post. There are literally millions of apps being sold on a regular basis, many of which are currently targeting the hearts and minds of our youngest inhabitants.

There has been somewhat of a controversy on whether kids actually learn from these apps, which you can read about here, or here. With your own research, you can make your own informed decision, but I make it no secret as to which side of the fence I stand:


Most anything in this world can be harmful, if used in excess. That philosophy can also apply to the usage of smartphone apps:

Is it okay to have your child use a fun/educational app within earshot of you while you fix dinner or get some cleaning done? Maybe.

Is it okay to turn your phone into super nanny while you run to the store real quick to buy cigarettes? Eh…probably not.

 It’s also a great way to avert potential meltdowns by keeping them responsibly preoccupied while you are driving, buying groceries, or waiting for a table at a local restaurant and those cheesy activity worksheets with the little crayons just don’t cut it.

 What I look for when searching for apps  are both educational value yet at the same time, is engaging enough to keep my child interested for more than five minutes. The other component that I believe is important as well is the cost . A lot of the time, you do get what you pay for. But I’m here to say that there are a few that exist where you can get quality at a great price (aka free).

Here are a few of our favorite apps that can be downloaded from iPhone and Android and won’t cost you a thing:

1. Zoodles (Kid Mode)
   

   This app is probably the most versatile of the bunch. Once you create an account for your child, the app is programmed to engineer a virtual conveyor belt of activities tailored to their age. These activities include YouTube sing along videos, interactive games, finger painting, storybooks and the list goes on. Another cool feature is the video storybook. I can take a video of myself or another family memeber reading one of the books listed from my son to play whenever he wants. He loves it because he can navigate though the options with ease. I love it because I can give him my phone with the comfort that it comes with a child safety lock, so he won’t be able to contact Japan and run up my cell phone bill. I also like that the app comes with a Parent Dashboard that allows me to monitor and filter the content that is fed.

   
   

   The free version gives your child a large amount of content to explore, but there you can also purchase the premium package, which makes even more options available, for a reasonable $3.99 a month. Here's a YouTube video of the app in action.


2.   Toddler Teasers(Shapes)
   
   

   The Toddler Teasers Shapes App is a learning tool that has figured out a simple, yet unique and effective way to teach your child a wide variety of shapes. As the parent, you can control the difficulty of shapes your toddler will encounter (2-D vs 3-D). They accomplish this through three basic menu options. The first is a kind of multiple-choice mode where your child has to connect the pictures of shapes with the questions being asked. Once they complete the round, they are rewarded with their choice of stickers.  My son enjoys being able to build and look at his sticker collection. Also, If the parent is interest, this app also allows them to track their child’s progress.

   
   

   The second mode works like basic flashcards that your child can go over either by themselves or with an adult or even a friend.  The third mode is called “Toy Box”. It is a random set of  3-4 games that center around shapes. All of this costs you nothing.

   
   

   This is where they get you through:  While the shapes category is free, the developers also have a variety of other subjects, ranging from letters, to animals, to even transportation that you can purchase at your leisure for $0.99 for 4 categories.
3. iStoryBooks
   
   

   For a FREE app, it really doesn’t get much better than this. With a library of over 25 story books ranging from the familiar (Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, The Little Red Hen) to lesser known tales from countries like Gambia and Iceland, the iStoryBook app is littered with modest yet colorful artwork on each that is enjoyable to both the child as well as the parent.  The main narrator for the stories (Mya) is engaging and has a pleasant voice to listen to.  Some of the stories can also be downloaded in Spanish as well. What’s also useful is the auto-read option, which allows you to simply sit back and enjoy the story.  Here is a YouTube link of one of their stories.

Honerable Mentions

The following are also great free apps that didnt make the top 3 cut, but are still worth checking out:

• Kids Piano Lite-A great way to nurture a love of music in your child. This app allows you to play free hand or with the notes automatically highlighted to make it easy learn the songs on their playlist. The piano key sounds are also customizable. While the full version does provide some extras, the free version is still a stand alone awesome product. Here's  a YouTube link if you want to see it in action.
• Kids Finger Painting Art Game- This app provides you with tons of pictures to paint. It also has different paint brush settings which adds to the experience. The paid version comes ad free.
• The Laurie Bernker Band Mobile App- I talked about this app in a previous post: You can access their database and listen to most of their songs and music videos. There is also an option to view info regarding tours and other cool updates.
  
  

Question: What other apps do your children enjoy? Is cost a major factor for you?


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Lessons From a Sick Child

I'll set the scene:

It was 3am and my sleep was disturbed by a vaguely familiar sound that is coming from my son's bedroom. Still half asleep, I groggily walk down the hallway to his bedroom to make sure he's okay.

My poor little guy was hunched over a bucket, dry heaving while his mother is rubbing his back and consoling him.

Apparently this was going on since midnight but somehow I missed it and was just waking up (Father fail, face palm). We later discovered there was a pandemic spreading at his daycare (thanks guys for the heads up) that eventually claimed my son as a victim. I discussed how kids passing on germs to one another was one of the cons associated with daycare in an earlier article.

Considering he was hurling his little brains out for most of the night, he was such a trooper. As I was getting ready for work (mom stayed home), I asked him how he was doing.

He replies enthusiastically, "I have a bucket that I can puke in and I go 'hurrrrr!' in it."

I don't know about you, but I've had a couple of stomach bugs and my attitude could be described as less than thrilled. Okay, I'm usually a big baby. It just goes to show the the resiliancy of children. It's a quality that I admire and we should all try to emulate when faced with tough situations.

Unfortunately, his day eventually lead us to the emergency room where he was given something to help the vomiting (followed by an awesome Monsters Inc sticker and a popsicle). However, he still  isn't 100%, so it'll be my turn to be home with the little guy and take care of him. Hopefully, he'll be well enough for us to get out of the house so we can enjoy the beautiful weather. Either way, I have a feeling he'll be okay.

Chillaxing under a bunch of blankets watching Elmo

I'm looking for suggestions! What types of activities to you do with your child when they are home sick? Arts and crafts? Movie marathon? Comment with your ideas below!




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Addressing A Common Fatherhood Fear (Part 3): Will I Ever Have A Social Life Again?

(This is the third part of a series that addresses common fears that new fathers typically encounter)

Part 1

Part 2

About a few days after I discovered that I was going to be a dad, I did what most guys who find themselves at a crossroad in life often do: I headed to a bar.

I should probably explain: When I told my best buddies the news, I think that they were about as shocked as I was.  They then decided the best thing for me to do was to talk about it over a few beers. As we sat there, each with a Corona in hand discussing what the hell I was going to do next, one of them half-joking said something along the lines of, "Whelp, enjoy that beer, since that'll be the last one you'll have for a while".

I kind of just shrugged in agreement, because that's basically what my, -and I imagine most people’s-, perception of fatherhood is: Trendy clothes are traded in for loose-fitting, puke and drool stained khakis. Weekends that used to consist of random, impromptu trips to wherever, will be replaced by daily feeding and sleep schedules. After all, everyone knows that once you become a dad, you can kiss your social life goodbye... right?

The epitome of cool

Well honestly, that's not too far from the truth. Once you become a father, your entire mindset changes and your priorities will almost instantly shift from whatever they were before, to what's best for the baby. Because of that, it is really easy to lose touch with life you used to revel in during what I call the "B.C." era (Before Child) and that includes your friends. This was especially true in my case; due to my younger age, most of my friends were and still are childless and as a result, I found it increasingly difficult to stay connected with them.  There are a couple of reasons for this:

1.   The more time we spent figuring out how to be parents, not only were we too preoccupied to consider going out for drinks much; we were often flat out too tired to even think about doing anything but sleep whenever we were able to find a sliver of free time (which wasn't often).

       2.      As a parent, you'll appreciate the need for structure for you and your family. So, when you get a last minute text at 9pm     telling you that everyone is getting together at the bar in 30 minutes, more than likely, you won’t be able to make it. That also goes for spontaneous dates with your lady as well. Even random visits from your friends that never bothered you in the past will be unwelcome; especially if that visit causes the baby to wake up. This can result in friction and feelings of neglect from your friend's point of view.

Technically, I guess you dont have to kiss your social life "goodbye"; you’re just going to have to hold it by the hand and let it know that they just aren’t the priority anymore. Make sure you tell it that it’s you, not them that’s the problem.

Please know however, that while you will definitely have to make some life adjustments, you don't have to completely give up your social life. With a little hard work and open communication, you can still be an awesome dad, all while maintaining friendships and enjoying something resembling a social life. I've listed some steps below that I've learned that worked for me:

· Scheduling. Learn it. Love it

One of the simplest and most useful tools that I use to keep my social life on track is a calendar. It’s pretty straight forward:  by putting the effort to map out future events, it will make it easier to be there for your friends’ special occasions and you have that special alone time with your significant other. For best results, try to stay ahead of the curve by doing your planning as early as possible.

•  Be Open Minded

This may be hard to accept, but the inevitable lifestyle change is too difficult for some friends to endure and as a result, you’ll probably lose a few.  That’s okay because you are also going to make new ones.  With that being said however, a good friendship is still a two-way street and effort on your end is still required in order for it to stay strong, baby or not.

•  Be available

Every once in a while your lady may get invited to a girl’s night out. Unfortunately, this may occur on the same day you had that really crazy day at work and all you wanted to do was come home and take some time to yourself. Despite this, it will be in your best interest to be as supportive as possible and allow her to have a guilt free night out.  

• Be quiet

This part is more difficult than it sounds. When you do make it out with your friends, of course you’re expected to talk a little bit about your baby, however don’t overdo it- as interesting as it is to you, most people won’t be as enthralled with the story of how  your child’s poop changed multiple colors today. Actually, it’s kind of a buzz kill. As they say on Jersey Shore, you don’t want to be “that guy”.

Question: Do you find it a challenge to balance your family and social life? If so, what ways do you manage them?

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