Smart Apps For Kids

New Top Pick Loopskool Chinese teaches tweens and teens to say ni hao and more

 

 

Bottom Line: A great introduction to Mandarin Chinese for kids age 9+. Simple, easy to follow, informative and effective, Loopskool Chinese by developer Yeddo is a wonderful starting point for kids (and adults) interested in pursuing further language studies, or just learning a few key phrases.

Review: Explorium — Ocean for Kids introduces little ones to fun under-the-sea facts

 

 

Bottom Line: An ocean education app that will introduce your kiddos to more than 50 facts about the ocean and its inhabitants. Recommended for ages 6-8, but probably more appropriate for younger kids in many ways.  Check out the free lite version before buying!

 

From Smart Apps For Android: Smart Microscope (best educational Android apps for kids) — this app will give your kids a whole new perspective on the world!

This is an amazing app! Constantly pestered with the question, "What's inside x" by my eldest daughter when she was 4 or 5, this would have answered a lot of her questions. Smart Microscope has over 70 slides to examine, covering objects such as a bee sting, pine cones, a chicken feather, blood and more. Smart Microscope has a free lite version you can try, as well as a web version you can access by subscription (see demo via link below). Fascinating for older children, and very useful for educators, this app is a must download.

 

Review: Take a magic ride with Rom and the Whale of Dreams

 

 

Bottom Line: Rom and the Whale of Dreams tells the story of a gypsy prince who dreams of a magic whale.  The story is told in one language (English, Spanish, or Chinese), with translation to an additional language being provided in text along the bottom.

Review — Learn opposites in a fun, interactive way with Cricket Kids: Opposites

 

 

Bottom Line: An interactive app to learn twelve opposite pairs in six different languages. Uses creative interactions, including shaking the device and “waking up” the characters with the microphone. More opposite pairs and more variety in the current pairs would make it a Top Pick, but it’s still a solid app for toddlers and preschoolers to learn opposites.