Jackson didn’t play very much with our iPads when he was younger, but ever since he hit two years old he has started to show a serious interest in all electronics! He loves to play around on my iPad and is learning how to access the few different apps that we have on it, but because we haven’t been doing the whole app thing for very long, we’re all still learning how to pick the best apps for his ability level. It can be tricky to find “toddler” apps that aren’t geared more towards preschoolers, so I’ve been doing some research on different apps that are appropriate for the younger crowd.
We haven’t personally tried every app on this list, but I’ve done a lot of research on all of them and all of the ones here that we haven’t tried yet are high on my list of apps to try with Jackson! The skill level varies from app to app, but I tried to find only apps that I felt would be appropriate and fun for Jackson right now at 27 months!
Animal Zoo Interactive Flash Cards
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free
Notes: Tons of animals, and a great way to learn new ones!
Fun Bubbles Lite
Available on: Apple
Cost: Free
Notes: Who doesn’t love popping bubbles? This doesn’t hold Jackson’s attention long, but I could see it being really entertaining for a younger kid!
Busy Shapes
Available on: Apple
Cost: $2.99
Notes: This is a slightly higher-level app but one that I think would be fun to play with your toddler! Jackson is all about puzzles, and we haven’t tried this one yet but I think he’d be all over it.
Cookie Calls
Available on: Apple
Cost: $1.99
Notes: Jackson just about loses his mind for a call from Cookie Monster. This is a favorite in our house!
Daniel Tiger’s Grr-iffic Feelings
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: $2.99
Notes: Jackson is just now starting to get into Daniel Tiger, and I’m seriously tempted by this app! It looks like it has a lot of fun features and different games that aren’t like ones we already have, and I like Daniel Tiger so I don’t mind encouraging his interest!
Dinosaur Train A to Z
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: $1.99
Notes: Jack is infatuated with Dinosaur Train, so this would be a guaranteed win for us. The skill level on this one is a bit higher than the others, so this would be one you would definitely need to do together!
Elmo Calls
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: $1.99
Notes: We have both this and the Cookie Calls app, and Jackson uses them both all the time. I think they were well worth the $2 each, because the joy on his face at “talking” to Elmo is priceless!
Endless Alphabet
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: $4.99 on Android, $6.99 on Apple
Notes: This one is a bit pricey but the illustrations are so adorable and it’s a great alphabet teaching app! It gets fantastic reviews, and is a more free-form app so it’s great for all ages.
Endless Reader
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free with in-app purchases on Apple, $4.99 on Android
Notes: Another from the same line as above – I can’t get over the illustrations on these apps, and the reviews are consistently great. I’m definitely going to be trying one of these out for Jackson.
Fisher Price Baby Color, Paint, Create!
Available on: Apple
Cost: Free
Notes: We love all of the Fisher-Price apps, and so does Jackson! We haven’t tried this one yet (I just discovered it when researching for this post), but it’s getting downloaded as soon as I get a chance!
Fisher Price Baby Giggle Gang
Available on: Apple
Cost: Free
Notes: Jackson plays with this one all the time! There are two different “games” – one is much simpler and the giggling guys pop up and roll around on the screen when you touch it (I find that this one is sometimes glitchy for me), and on the other “game” you can click on the guys to have them sing a little song.
Fisher Price See ‘n Say
Available on: Apple
Cost: Free
Notes: This app is just like the See ‘n Says we used to play with when we were little! This is another one I didn’t know about, but I can’t wait to try it out with Jackson!
Fisher Price Baby Shapes & Colors
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost:
Notes: This is far and away Jackson’s favorite app we’ve ever downloaded. It’s the same as the Giggle Gang one, just with shapes and different songs. He will listen to the songs over and over and over for forever! It drives me a bit nutty after a while, but it’s a great way to keep him occupied when I need a few minutes, and he’s learned lots of shapes from it!
Funny Animals
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free
Notes: This app is very simple, fun, and entertaining. Jackson loves this one!
Furry Friend
Available on: Apple
Cost: Free
Notes: I haven’t tried this one with Jackson yet but it looks like so much fun, and I can see him giggling at this one for a long time. And it’s pretty dang cute!
Goodnight Safari
Available on: Apple
Cost: Free
Notes: This is a fun one to add into the nighttime routine, and it has a variety of activities that range from more simple to complex. It’s a great one to grow with your toddler!
Lego Duplo Train
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free
Notes: Jackson loves trains, and this one is a fun one! He hasn’t played with it as much as some of his other apps, but I can see him getting more interested in it over the next couple of months.
Look & Find Elmo
Available on: Apple
Cost: $1.99
Notes: We usually have to play this one with Jackson right now because he’s still learning how to use it, but I can see him getting independent with it pretty soon! It’s a really cute way to practice observational skills, and I think it’s a lot of fun!
LumiKids Park
Available on: Apple
Cost: Free
Notes: This is another one I like because it has a broad variety of simpler and more complex games. And the style of it is very cute!
Mickey Mouse Club House Color & Play
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: $2.99
Notes: This is a really fun creative app and we love Mickey around here, so it’s a win-win. Jack hasn’t tried this one yet but I think it would be a fun one to play together!
Monkey Preschool Lunchbox
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: $1.99
Notes: This one has a variety of games within it – some are intended for older kids but there are several that would be great for two-year olds!
Nighty Night
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free
Notes: This would be a sweet app to add to your bedtime routine some nights!
PBS Kids
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free
Notes: Great way to watch favorite PBS shows, and the controls are very toddler-friendly.
Peekaboo Barn Lite
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free
Notes: There’s a paid version too (it’s $1.99), but the free one is enough for younger kiddos who will be entertained by just a few animals! It’s a cute game and a fun way to learn animals and animal sounds.
Sago Mini Forest Flyer
Available on: Apple
Cost: Free
Notes: All of the Sago apps have incredibly adorable illustrations and don’t have a lot of parameters, so you are free to explore at your own pace and check things out. They’re so cute!
Sago Mini Friends
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free
Notes: Another adorable app that is pretty free-form, so it’s easy to interact with and stay engaged!
Sago Mini Monsters
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: $2.99
Notes: Jackson is a huge fan of monsters, and these are so, so cute! You can create your own monster, dress it, feed it, and even brush its teeth! The cuteness factor here is very high.
Scribbaloo Train
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: $2.99
Notes: This app is nice and simple, and the train theme is basically guaranteed to be a hit with the two-and-under crowd. We haven’t downloaded this one yet, but it’s one I want to try very soon!
Sesame Books
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free, with in-app purchases
Notes: Anything Sesame Street is always a hit in our house, and I love the added educational benefit of it being reading-based! The books are really cute and engaging.
Starfall ABCs
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free
Notes: As a teacher who has worked with elementary school students, I can’t say enough good things about Starfall! This is a great app for introducing some alphabet skills and learning letters and letter sounds!
Talking Ben
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free
Notes: This line of apps is so silly and kids are completely and utterly enthralled with it. I will never understand the fascination, but it’s one that will probably keep even the littlest ones entertained for at least a few minutes!
Talking Tom
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free
Notes: Another app that pretty much guarantees giggles!
Tozzle
Available on: Apple
Cost: $2.99
Notes: These simple puzzles are easy enough for younger kids but still very engaging and lots of fun! There’s a free version too, if you just want to try it out.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Play & Explore
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free (in-app purchases & full version available)
Notes: This book is always a hit in our house, and the full version of this seems to have lots of different games that cover a pretty wide range of skills!
YouTube Kids
Available on: Apple, Android
Cost: Free
Notes: This app is a great kid-friendly way to find stuff to watch on YouTube! You can make your own playlists, and you don’t have to worry about them clicking around and ending up somewhere they shouldn’t!
. . . . .
What are your toddler’s favorite apps?
guest
With number 2 arriving any moment, this is so timely! I’ve had a hard time finding a list of good apps–thank you!
pomelo / 5628 posts
Your have to add Storybots! It’s the best and really the only app we use. Silly songs about the letters, numbers, emotions, animals, even vegetables. And each song is super short so it’s good for short bursts of time.
honeydew / 7504 posts
There is also Peekaboo Vehicles. Not the same app developer as Peekaboo Barn, but same idea – guess the vehicle based on the sound. D loves it almost as much as the barn!
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
My kids love sago mini!
pomelo / 5621 posts
Perfect, I’m loading up a couple of these free ones for our travels tomorrow.
We’ve used a couple of the fisher price ones since about 1.5. Lately a favourite has been endless numbers. I basically stick to free apps so I haven’t got endless alphabet.
grapefruit / 4988 posts
Great list! My 2.5 year old’s favorite right now is probably Nighty Night, but she also loves the Endless ones and Sago mini friends.
GOLD / apricot / 341 posts
Toca Boca are fabulous for small children. We love Kitchen, Tea Party, Store, Train, Salon… My five year old likes the ones for moder children like Robot Lab. Tova Boca tries to be more like “free play” so there isn’t a start and finish and points etc, which i think is refreshing. Highly recommend!
guest
I accept that technology is part of life and is here to stay, but can someone please explain to me why it is necessary for a toddler to be occupied and engaged by a screen? At this age they are such sponges…ready for rich conversations and experiences with parents that teach them about the world around them. Why are they not sitting in their strollers with books, or in the car talking with parents and siblings about what they see around them, or looking at the printed word in a book where they can look at pictures have exposure to letters and words and use their imaginations instead of being fed by technology. Spending too much time looking at a screen has actually been proven to change the way young brains develop and function. Talking with your child, spending time outdoors and really paying attention to them is what enriches their brains, bodies and souls. Is there a place for apps, certainly. But from what I’m observing, they are taking the place of good, attentive parenting. After all, that’s why we have children right? To connect and nurture and spend our time with them.
blogger / apricot / 378 posts
I agree with you that there are so many other important things that should be happening throughout a toddler’s day! I just also happen to believe that it won’t harm my kid to spend 15 or 20 minutes playing around with the iPad a few times a week.
pomelo / 5866 posts
@Mrs Green Grass: We loved Storybots.
Another good one is Dr. Panda (any of them) at this age.
@Littlebugs: Kids can get all that and a bag of (ipad) chips. It’s a both/and not an either/or situation at our home.
nectarine / 2210 posts
So I just downloaded fisher price shapes and colors. My 16 month old seemed to have a blast playing it! Although I might wind up regretting it the next time I have to fight her for my iPad. Ha!
guest
I totally agree that using technology a few times a week is ok. However, it seems that it’s being used a lot more than that. Take a look around next time you’re at a restaurant or in line with folks with little ones in strollers, or even on T.V. where they are now marketing new vehicles with kids and their technology in mind. Like everything else it’s about balance.
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
Thanks for posting this!! I’ve been curious about apps for my lil boy. He’s stuck on watching Planes and Cars and I’m not a fan. I’d love for something interactive/educational so thank you!!