Best IPAD apps for toddler

[Harmony83]

Looking for some recommendations for educational apps for a 3 year old.
Not very tech savvy so don't want ones that DC can run up a huge bill on, preferably free but don't mind paying a one off if it's a really good one.
I keep downloading apps that seem to be free but then want you to pay to get past the first level.

An iPad is not a suitable learning device for a toddler. Read books together, play simple games (Orchard Toys are excellent). For screentime (in small doses), CBeebies offer some fantastic educational programmes to help learning.

This has some suggestions:

www.google.com/amp/s/www.care.com/c/stories/4078/20-free-toddler-apps-without-hidden-in-app-pu/amp/

Tozzle lite or you can pay for the full version

Please don't give your toddler an iPad

Why would you want to do this?

Oh jog on technology haters. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of downtime playing an app or watching TV! 🙄 it’s 2020! Yes, obviously don’t leave them solely with an iPad all day & never interact with them but after my DD wakes up at 6am, we read stories, do jigsaws, play with her toys, probably pop to the park or softplay.. I’ll allow her 20/30 mins crashed on the sofa with my iPad while I go do a job or god forbid, have a breather myself. What exactly do you think an iPad is doing that is worse than watching CBeebies?! In fact, an app can be quite educational & keep their little minds ticking over. TV is just something to zone out too.

My 2.5 year old loves the following:

CBeebies NumberBlocks - there are 2x apps. It’s all about counting & adding up with songs & it’s all very colourful. (The TV show is great too)
CBeebies Hey Duggee - various games, building a sandcastle, dancing to the raindance song, counting sheep..
Lego DUPLO Trains - you make a train move along a track with little activities as you go
Dr Panda Restaurant - pretending to make food and then feeding it to the character. My little one loves this one!

My children have never watched cbeebies either. Toddlers are stimulated enough by their environment, by their toys by watching their parents do things. They don't need screens of any kind.

There weren't any ipads when I was small, do you think I couldn't use one when they were invented?

Thank you for your responses, will definitely check out those recommendations.

@Bol87 I am a teacher and you can spot a mile off the kids who are exposed to screen time. There are endless endless articles. It's not my job to show it to you but here are a few that google quickly brought up.

Spoiler alert There is EVERYTHING wrong with it

www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/behind-online-behavior/201604/what-screen-time-can-really-do-kids-brains

www.healthline.com/health-news/how-does-screen-time-affect-kids-brains

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170504083141.htm

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170504083141.htm

www.speechandlanguagekids.com/screen-time-and-language-development/

www.nytimes.com/2019/11/04/well/family/screen-use-tied-to-childrens-brain-development.html

www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/behind-online-behavior/201604/what-screen-time-can-really-do-kids-brains

Bollocks to all the supposed teachers who think an iPad will fry little brains. Used carefully they can be fantastic tools.

OP, absolutely Toca Boca apps. They're awesome. (Not quite GTA but still.)

tweedler
It's only a problem if it's the only activity and done in excess.
Research actually shows that in moderation technology can enhance learning.

When their brains are still developing, actually no. There is actually a huge backlash against it in the early years department because it is very clear what damage is being done.

But, I am just a 'supppsed' teacher, as are my colleagues.
It's not my job to convince anyone on Mumsnet, I shall save my energies to help the kids when then get to school.

*they

Goodnight all

Yeah and I'm just as academic teaching on early years courses....someone who looks at this research regularly.
If you'd actually read those links you posted you would see that the vast majority are discussing the issues with excessive screen time.

@tweedler - I’m an ex teacher.. early years. Sure, you could tell kids abandoned on iPads or the telly all day. But equally, those kids had other issues going on in their lives too. But not those who spend a max of 30-60 minutes a day & the rest of the time engaged with their parents playing, doing fun things etc! All those articles are reporting on excessive screen time. Which I agree is bad. But 30-60 minutes a day isn’t going to damage them for life!

I watched loads of TV as a child, I’d be glued from 3.30-5.30pm after school & an hour of cartoons before school .. I’m doing pretty well. I have 2 degrees. I got straight A’s in my GCSEs & A-Levels bar blooming Chemistry, missed an A by 4 marks! I taught for several years until I decided I was fed up of the ridiculous hours & stress. I switched careers & I now work successfully in publishing. Don’t think the screen time has done me too much damage

haha @some of these responses.

OP mine has an iPad (he's 4). He has learned so much from it. He also is quite ahead with speech and is very active at home and school. Oh and guess what, he looooves to read. He memorised most of the Dr Seuss books after a few nights each, and is making progress with his phonics. He also loves to play with lego. I'm sure he'll be fine, despite what some here will say. Don't let the iPad become life for your child and I'm sure you will be fine. Even my teacher friends, who definitely won't give their DS's an iPad yet, allow my son to teach their kids how to navigate it and play some games and are quite impressed.

Some of the better educational apps are Homer, Khan Academy, Cbeebies etc and teach your monster how to read. My son enjoys Sago world because it's fun to explore the cute different worlds and he enjoys the Noddy app because it's all about investigating mysteries.

Oh, and hide/limit the Apple store from day one

Yes and @Bol87 I am a teacher too and not only my 3yo uses an iPad but we do a lot of research at work on how to use iPads as a learning tool particularly for SEND

Someone said they can spot the ones that use screens? This is a bad thing? My DC has extensive vocabulary, speaks two languages actually and if you ask the nursery teachers they will tell you how much he knows.
We spend a lot of time outdoors.
I feel zero guilt for screen time.

Screens are not good when used instead of time outdoors or interaction. But we are in 2020 and they will use screens throughout their life.

I don’t put him on the iPad and expect him to learn, he learns with us. The iPad is for playing.
I use the same apps as @Bol87 apart from the Lego which I don’t know

And I too watched a lot of TV (80s child) and have a degree, two postgraduates and I am fluent in two languages.

Dramatic much 😀
It's not my job to convince anyone on Mumsnet, I shall save my energies to help the kids when then get to school.

Teach your monster to read is brilliant and teaches phonics much better than I ever could.

I'm strict on screen time and even I think these replies are ridiculous! My DS is in early years at school (the nursery class, age 3-4, half day only) and this term they will actually be starting to use an educational app to help with letters and sounds. So the TEACHERS obviously approve. FGS.

My daughter has a kindle fire OP and she loves number/letter tracing, which is helping at nursery as they are practise writing.
She also loves memory games where one picture will be revealed and she needs to find the other one, also drag and drop puzzles, dragging the picture into it's correct place

timeforawine do you know the names of the memory games she likes?

I do wonder. If research largely concluded that 0-4 hours on tablets can be beneficial to the development of young minds, I still feel there would be the same kick back from the same people. I am not saying I believe that amount of time is beneficial, but I question the attitude of those who are dead against other people's children having access to iPads and such.

Do these people feel that it's too easy, or neglectful parenting? I just don't understand attitudes like:
My children have never watched cbeebies either. Toddlers are stimulated enough by their environment, by their toys by watching their parents do things. They don't need screens of any kind.
Well, I believe my toddler is stimulated more by the introduction of an iPad. Is that too controversial to say? I feel so.

As someone mentioned above, schools are increasingly using screens to assist with teaching. My friend who is in early years uses YouTube videos, and my son's school introduce tablets from reception for learning. I think it's perfectly acceptable that some people don't wish to introduce technology to their kids at early ages, but I do wonder what these same parents would do if the research said otherwise. Or, if research became more explicit about 'excessive' use and also the type of screens.

A note: when I say "stimulated more" I mean a different form of stimulation from the toys, watching parents, etc.

And I'd like to add that I do believe too much screen time can lead to unhealthy and addictive habits/behaviour. But responsible parents will always monitor their children and take action where necessary.