Our Favorite Apps for Kindle and iOS

My kids primarily use the Kindle for app play, however, we also have a family iPad that is used for schooling.  The iPad is mostly used for school work, such as Reading Eggs and Math Seeds as well as ABC Mouse (all need subscriptions), and then other things like CTC Math and Reading Kingdom (used in browser). Most apps I have listed below are available both at the Amazon Appstore and for iOS, I have not looked on Google Play, but you might be able to find them there as well.  These are just a small sample of the apps we have and use, I need to come up with a better organization method for them, we have so many that we forget about!  These are the FAVORITES, the ones they come back to time and time again and are enjoyed by more than just one child.

Favorite Apps for Preschool

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox

This app has counting, colors, shapes, beginning sounds, puzzles.  It has it all, and after so many rounds completed they get a sticker for their sticker wall.  My kids have loved this app (even the older ones find it amusing).  All my kids have loved this app and now it’s a favorite of my 2 year old! 

Endless  Alphabet

This app is great for preschool and app.  It introduces the sounds of the letters, new words and helps with spelling those words.  Not played as much these days, this was a favorite of my 5 yo (now almost 7) for sometime, he still plays it quite a bit.

Monkey Math School

A fun math game for the younger guys.  Great for PreK-K age group.  This app works on counting objects, patterns and other problems solving.  Monkey Preschool Lunchbox is a favorite of ours for the little guys, and this app is just as great!

Write My Name

This app is great and has really helped my newly turned 5 year old pick up on writing his name!  My 2 year old loves it as well!  You can take pictures to put with the names you program, as well as say the names.  The kids love writing each others names, and the dogs names too!  Lots of fun!  It also offers letter writing, and it says the name of each letter as you write it (when writing names).

We also really enjoy several of the Reading Eggs Apps, and Dr. Panda and other Toca Boca apps.

My 2 and 5 year olds LOVE animals.  These are 3 of his most favorite animal related educational apps.

Curious George Zoo

Help Curious George take care of the animals in the zoo.  Children learn about which animals live in which habitats and what they eat.  They can watch short video clips about each animal as well.  They can play games and collect stickers. They learn animal facts and how to follow directions.

(each section of the Kindle app is purchased separately, iOS app has in app purchases for further exploration, be sure to turn off in app purchases or passcode it!)

ABC Zooborns

A is for aardvark.  C is for cheetah.  Look at pictures, solve simple puzzles, learn animal facts and watch videos of cute baby animals several for each letter of the alphabet.

Wifi connection is needed for this app

Tizzy Zoo Veterinarian

Find the animals in the zoo that are in need of medical attention.  Help them by setting and casting broken bones, doctoring wounds, eliminating stomach viruses, etc.  It sounds complicated, but it’s not.  Perfect for ages 3-4 years old.

Lite version also available for FREE

Favorite apps for Science

Toca Lab

This is a fun app for all ages.  Exploring the elements, mix them and see reactions, etc.  My kids have had a ball, so much so that they don’t even realize it’s educational!!

Simple Physics

My dad use to own his own construction business when I was a kid, and he thought this was a cool app.  You have to build things to withstand the circumstances and try to do so for the least cost.  My 6yo and 9yo both enjoy this one, we are also fans of Simple Rockets and Simple Planes (newly added to our collection)

Bridge Constructor Medieval

Much like Simple Physics, this game has a bit of a historical twist.  The main point, however, is to build bridges.

Favorite Apps for Math

Madagascar Math Ops

Do you have an Angry Birds fan?  My 9yo is Angry Birds crazed, and could spend hours of mindless play of the game, which I refuse to allow.  Then I found this game!  Similar in concept to Angry Birds you have to launch penguins to free the animals, but FIRST you must solve some math problems!  They have problems geared towards 1st – 4th graders.  Parents can also go in and get report cards of their child’s progress in the math department.  Loads of fun!

*lite version also available

Math Slicer

Fruit Ninja fan?  Math slicer is a fun way to to practice those math facts!  It has addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  Slice through the correct answer, slice any eggs that pop up, get points and ‘buy’ prizes.

*lite version also available

Math Run

Another fun math game!

Favorite Apps for History and Geography

President’s vs Aliens

This game asks multiple choice trivia questions about the President’s of the United States throughout history, you earn rewards and use them to defeat the aliens that are attacking Washington.  Okay, it’s silly…but they are learning!  I have to admit I have learned as well, my son asks me the questions he doesn’t know, and we learn together!  It’s amazing how many president’s I had never even heard of!!

*Lite version also available

Stack the States

Another great quiz game!  Learn to identify shapes by states, location, what their capital is, etc.  Then try to stack the shapes on top of each other to reach past the indicated line!  My 7yo has a blast with this game!

*lite version also available

Brain Pop and Brain Pop Jr

You can access one free video a day (or week for JR version) without a subscription, as well as a handful of other free videos.  My kids really like these videos, and we have had subscriptions before (I think it’s well worth the cost and you can get them at discount through the Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op).  They have sort of tired of them, so have taken a break for now.
 

News O Matic

Current events for kids, there are 3 options choose by grade (1-2, 3-4, & 5+).  This is a great way for kids to learn about the things going on TODAY!  it’s on their level and in their language!

LDS Church Related Apps

LDS Hangman – Costs 99cents

There are 3 levels to choose from (Easy, Medium, Hard) which determines how many chance you get to guess the letters.  Another favorite of my 7yo, and the 9yo that sits in front of us also asked her mom to get this one!

LDS Articles of Faith Bubble Brains FREE  (there is also a 99cents version, not sure what the difference is)

Fun way to memorize the Articles of Faith, if you read the reviews you will see that there is one glitch, repeat words sometimes cause errors (so like more than one the, if you don’t hit the RIGHT the, it says it’s wrong), which can be too annoying for some, but we don’t mind too much.

LDS Scripture Mastery - FREE

You can add your own memory verses in to help you memorize them! 

This post is part of a TOS Round Up, see what others from the crew have to share by clicking below.  It goes live on the morning of Friday 1/22/16.