preschoolers and little kids

Creative, quirky, playful, rule free and devoid of in-app pop ups (hooray!)--all reasons why Toca Boca is one of our most favorite app developers for kids. So lets rejoice for the new Toca Cars app! Taking a cue from more complex games l…

Forcing my kids to write thank you notes has always been a battle, but now my own Southern mom can rest easy--we'll be sending out our gratitude on time and in style, thanks to an awesome new app just for kids. The Toonia Cardcreator app…

I have found there tends to be extra excitement around toys for kids that light up or glow- even with simple items like a plain old hardware store flashlight or a glow stick from the auto shop. Something about turning off the lights and …

School season is here, no getting around it, and that means independent reading time, kiddie book clubs and classroom reading groups. We've offered up the best math apps for kids , the best science apps for kids , the best preschool apps…

Back-to-school is in the air and even young preschoolers can benefit from a little extra help at home with the help of fun educational apps, the latest feature in our Back to School Tech Guide . Some little kids' apps are more educationa…

I can't tell you how frustrating it used to be to check in on our family's communal Netflix account and see nothing but conspiracy theory documentaries and adult animation series. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But where were…

My five-year-old son heads to kindergarten in two weeks. (Cue sobbing.) While he talks a blue streak and wields a glue stick like a lightsaber, we're still working on his reading skills. So I was absolutely tickled by how quickly he beca…

At a time that babies are just as likely to learn that I is for iPad as Ice Cream, it makes perfect sense that parents would decorate their kids' rooms to prime them for tech mastery. The techie baby art prints from Niko + Lily are beyon…

Last year, we raved about the quality and design of the nabi 2 Tablet , one that we dubbed as one of the very best for offering high-quality design and content in one. We still stand by this recommendation for a full-fledged kid-to-tween…

Apps are awesome, but you want your kids to get exercise, right? Well, imagine if Angry Birds Star Wars jumped off your screen and the birds were ping-pong balls. Sound better? [don't miss ac hance to win your own after the jump!] We tri…

There are a few app developers who we know will turn out something great, before we really even test it out. Not a lot, but a few. That's the way we feel about developer Nosy Crow , but of course, we had to take a look at this new app re…

During those moments when you let your preschoolers have a little screen time or app time, my favorite word has always been "educational." If they are going to make my iPad sticky with their little fingers, they might as well being learn…

I like bright colors, moving objects and intense battles as much as the next guy, but my favorite incarnation of the virtual world is when it's used for education. Particularly if bright colors and moving objects are part of the learning…

I have shared custody of my phone... with my daughter. Basically it's mine pretty much everywhere but the car. When I am driving on long trips, I know don't need the tempation of checking mail I know is waiting for me, so I am a-okay to …

Free clip art is always one of the hardest things to find online--at least if you're picky about your clip art. But we found a really amazing clip art search engine that you're going to want to bookmark stat. Check out Hippo Paint and yo…

Can you recommend any preschool foreign language apps for Android for my kids? -Kathy Hi Kathy, thanks for your question! You didn't mention if there's a specific language you're interested in, but here are a few picks that offer great a…

Finding nifty little apps of merit for the kids can be a chore all on its own. Every so often though we come across sweet and simple apps that not only entertain them but that also impress us. Color Genius for iOS does just that. It's re…

If you've got an alphabet-hungry kid and are craving some awesome ABC apps for your iPad, I understand completely. When my son little, he was so obsessed with the alphabet that he saw letters in everything: a scotch tape dispenser was a …

Don't pet the strange dog. Don't poke the sleeping cat. Don't touch the dead bug behind the grocery store toilet. I can't imagine how frustrating it is to be a child and have your exploration curtailed due to pesky things like hygiene an…

Preschoolers, listen up! The robotic, cartoony Storybots have joined forces with catchy songwriter (and CMP favorite) Parry Gripp to create 26 little video ditties about the letters of the alphabet. And each one is totally free, so scrol…

If you could see how bananas my grade-school-age kids just went over an "alphabet app," you might think they were watching some ridiculous YouTube video. Surely an eight and ten year old couldn't be hysterically laughing while playing an…

If it has sparkles, hearts, fairies, crowns and cupcakes, my preschool princess is all over it. Me: not so much. Which is why I was really surprised to fall in love with Princess Fairy Tale Maker app from app developer Duck Duck Moose al…

Is there a safe kids' browser that I can put on my iPad or phone for my son? Or do I have to just find a way to block sites on Safari somehow? Thanks! -Ellen K Ellen, we get the need for a safe kids browser for your devices! We also unde…

When you hand your precious iPhone or iPad over to someone who still eats Play-Doh, it's a fair bet that he may delete your favorite game or take 100 photos by accident--unless you give him something he can play with on his own. We all k…