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The Best Apps for Toddlers on the iPhone – May 2017

The Best Apps for Toddlers on the iPhone - May 2017

Technology has not only changed how teens and adults live, but also has changed the world for children and toddlers. While most of us think of iPhones and other devices for us, they can also be beneficial to children and toddlers in small doses. Of course, they can’t read or write yet, so how can an iPhone be good for them?

The answer is in the apps. Over the last few years, hundreds of different apps aimed at children and toddlers have popped up. These have a wide variety of different goals and uses including teaching shapes, teaching them words, entertaining them, challenging them and more. Being proactive and teaching your toddlers things at an early age is a great way to make sure they develop well and grow up to be bright and talented individuals. However, with so many apps available that claim to be appropriate and helpful for toddlers, it’s hard to figure out which ones actually are.

This article will go over some of the best and most helpful apps for your toddlers. These apps will teach them things and entertain them, as well as do many other things. While these apps are great and can help your child develop and learn, your child shouldn’t be in front of a screen all day, you should definitely look to limit their time on electronic devices. They really shouldn’t spend more than an hour or so in front of a screen each day, so use these apps in moderation.

Winner - Endless Learning Academy
Winner - Endless Learning Academy

Compatible With

IOS

With so many options and the category being quite varied, there were a lot of potential choices to come in at the number one spot and be named the best iPhone app for toddlers.  Some are all about having fun, some are about educating or teaching children something. However, there are also some on this list that checks off both of those things, and that is exactly what our winner does. The winner of this battle of the best apps for toddlers is Endless Learning Academy.

Endless Learning Acadamy is an app that offers you a wide curriculum of educational and fun things for your children. If you want to prepare your children for preschool, for kindergarten or just want to teach them a variety of different and helpful things, this is the app for you. The content of this app is also based on classroom-proven learning techniques and is used by tens of millions of children all around the world.

Also, in addition to this app, the team behind it also have a variety of other “Endless” apps for children such as Endless Reader, Endless Numbers, and Endless Wordplay. These all have the same goal of helping children learn new things while still having a great time. This app will make sure that your children have a head start in school and are prepared, without boring them too much! The app is full of thousands of different interactive learning activities in dozens of subjects including reading, vocabulary, ABCs, spelling, math, music and more. The content is suitable for ages 2-6, so a wide range of different children and toddlers can user and enjoy this app with their parents or siblings.

IMG_6702

Now that you know a little bit about the app itself and its goals, let’s take a look at some of the various features and options within the app. As mentioned in the last paragraph, Endless Learning Academy is full of thousands of interactive learning activities in dozens of subjects. This means that no matter what areas you want to work on with your child, this app will be able to help you out.

However, in addition to text and games based activities, this app also includes hours and hours of video lessons in a wide range of subjects. The subject matter covered in these videos is extremely plentiful and will help your child have a deeper understanding of numerous things like geography, plants and animals, anatomy, colors and shapes and so many more. Videos are a great way for children to learn and in combination with the activities in this app, will give your child a complete learning experience, while still being fun.

Another cool feature included in this the fact that it uses thousands and thousands of animations that will reinforce concepts and give children a deeper understanding of the things they are learning about.  There are also a ton of great puzzles within the app that will challenge children, entertain them and also help visualize and see information in a different way. The app also uses the iPhone 3D Touch feature to make things work and react in a special way, that adds more depth to the app and provides the child even more value.

As mentioned earlier in this section of the article, this app uses classroom-proven learning techniques, which will ensure your children are actually learning and improving, and not just wasting time. So many apps out there might seem educational, but that really isn’t based on anything and the questions and activities don’t have the same thought and care put into them as the activities in this app do.

Another feature that is extremely useful in the app is an offline mode. Even when you are not within the range of a wifi connection and don’t have any data, you can still go through activities with your child and help them learn. This is very helpful when you are camping, during power outages or just when you don’t have access to a connection.

Another extremely cool thing about this app is that it was designed with children in mind. Within this app, there are no “failures”, no high scores, or other possibly stressful things present that could possibly irritate your children. This allows you and your children to work together at their own pace, without them feeling like they are going to slow or are behind.

The design of this app colorful and fun, which is exactly what you want out of an app aimed at children. So while there are lots happening on the screen most of the time, the app is actually quite simple for adults to maneuver around as well to help your children out. It is this simplicity, the colors, and the fun characters within the app that helped it get this top spot.

IMG_6703

The app is also ad-free and doesn’t push any products or offers on you, which help the design of the app be even more clear and free of distractions. Children can get distracted very easily, so this app helps make sure your children stay on topic and have the most success with the app.

While this app can be downloaded for free, the entire app won’t be available for you for free. When you download and use the app for the first time, you get a 7-day free trial of the fully-featured app to try it out. However, once those 7 days expire, you will be required to subscribe for $6.99 a month, or a one-time fee for a lifetime membership, at a discounted cost. This subscription will get you full access to the app and all it’s features, lessons, games and activities. Also, new things are getting added to this app all the time, and you will get access to those with your subscription of course.There is a limited version of the app available for people who choose not to subscribe, but the paid version is far superior in every way. While there will be some free options in this article, we feel that paying well under $10 a month for something that does as many great things as this app is a small price to pay.

All things considered, this is a great choice for any parent who wants to give their child a head start on education, while still having the activities be fun for them. The app offers thousands upon thousands of activities, and with new ones being added frequently, it is unlikely you will ever run out of things to do. Also, being that this app is for a wide age range (about 2-6 years old), you will likely be able to use it for years with your children.

App Details iOS

  • Category Education
  • Rating 915
  • Rating out of 5 4.2
  • Last Updated Date 8 March 2022
  • App Developer Originator Inc.
  • Download Size 728.6 MB
  • Compatibility Requires iOS 13.0 or later.
  • Price Free
Winner - Endless Learning Academy

Runner-up - YouTube Kids
Runner-up - YouTube Kids

Compatible With

IOS, Android

Just like it was fairly difficult to choose a winner for this battle of the toddler apps, it was equally as hard to choose a runner-up. So many of these apps have a lot to offer children and their parents alike, so many different apps could have realistically been given this spot. However, one had to be chosen and that was YouTube Kids.

Youtube Kids is designed for kids to explore their curiosity, learn and be entertained through videos of all different kinds. The app is incredibly simple to use and children can easily explore the app themselves to discover videos and challenges that they love. Everyone who doesn’t live under a rock knows what YouTube is, as the site receives billions of views every day.

However, there is also some content on YouTube that can be inappropriate and unfit for children, this makes YouTube Kids the perfect place for children and worried parents alike. It lets them search the app themselves, but the content is monitored very closely to ensure nothing inappropriate gets in. However, no automated monitoring system is perfect, and some things may get through. If you notice something you don’ think should be included in the app, you can easily flag it to help notify the team behind the app and make YouTube Kids a better place for everyone.

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This app makes exploring videos incredibly easy for children. The app splits videos within the app into one of four categories, which are: Shows, Music, Learning and Explore. The app also features big buttons, easy scrolling, instant full screen and more. Basically, the team looked to make the YouTube experience as kid and toddler-friendly as possible.

Whatever your child’s interests or passions in life, there will sure to be plenty of content on it. Whether they want to be educated, watch cool videos about sports, check out videos about gaming or a wide variety other things, this app will have them covered.

YouTube Kids also allows for parents and guardians to have full control of a hidden settings menu that will let you decide what they can and can’t watch and also set a timer to let them know how long they can watch for. While you don’t need to use this settings menu, it is good for the family that wants to have a bit of control over what their child or toddler is doing on the app.

Best of all, the app is completely free. That’s right, you can get access to thousands and thousands of hours of content without paying a cent. While the app doesn’t include ads to be able to offer the app for free, you can rest assured the ads will be child-appropriate. The app is also constantly being reloaded with new content, so you never have to worry about having great, educational and fun videos for your toddlers to watch.

While this app may not do as many different things as Endless Learning Academy or other apps on this list, the things that it does do, it does incredibly well. There is no better app or service out there for your children to watch videos to entertain, educate and inform them. All in all, this app is a must-have and should be on the iPhone or iPad of every parent with a toddler or child. However, it is also good to remember to limit your children’s time in front of screens.

App Details Android

  • Category Entertainment
  • Installs 100,000,000+
  • Rating out of 5 4.3
  • Last Updated Date 23 May 2022
  • App Developer Google LLC
  • Download Size Varies with device
  • Compatibility Android Varies with device
  • Price free

App Details iOS

  • Category Entertainment
  • Category Ranking 18
  • Rating 106.2K
  • Rating out of 5 4.6
  • Last Updated Date 25 April 2022
  • App Developer Google LLC
  • Download Size 186.9 MB
  • Compatibility Requires iOS 12.0 or later.
  • Price Free
Runner-up - YouTube Kids

Lego Duplo Train
Lego Duplo Train

Compatible With

IOS, Android

While the first few apps in this article were largely about education, this one is all fun for your toddler or child. In addition to being a world famous manufacturer of toys, LEGO also has created a pretty fun and impressive app. LEGO DUPLO Train is an app that lets you child play the role of a train driver. They will load cargo into the train, build bridges and tracks, help passengers and more.

This is a simple, yet creative, app that will surely keep your children entertained and engaged. The animations and colors are bright and attractive, which is sure to make your toddler happy. In addition to the fun that can be had with this app, it also can help your child learn about shapes, colors, and more.

This app is completely free, with no in-app purchases and no third party advertising! In addition to that, it is a great way to keep your child entertained on the go or let them have some fun. While it doesn’t offer as much as some of the apps on this list, it is just plain fun to play, which is more than enough for most kids and toddlers.

App Details Android

  • Category Tools
  • Installs 1,000,000+
  • Rating out of 5 4.2
  • Last Updated Date 25 April 2022
  • App Developer LEGO System A/S
  • Download Size 33M
  • Compatibility Android 5.0 and up
  • Price free
Dr. Seuss Treasury
Dr. Seuss Treasury

Compatible With

IOS, Android

Many of us at a child remember reading Dr. Seuss books and loving them. Dr. Seuss was a prolific author who penciled some of the best and most unique children’s books in history. But while most of us read them on paper, kid’s nowadays can read them on a screen thanks to this app. That’s right, the Dr. Seuss Treasury app takes each and every Dr. Seuss masterpiece and lets you read it right on your phone.

However, there are many other things the app can do in addition to just letting you read Dr. Seuss. The app provides an interactive experience that keeps track of how many pages your child reads, how long the read for, and any words they tap on to reveal more information. You can easily sort and search books and this app is sure to both entertain and educate your children.

While the app can be downloaded for free, it only comes with a free 7-day trial. If you want to keep using the fully-featured app, you would have to pay for it. So while the app may cost you some coin here and there, you get all 50+ Dr. Seuss books on your device and that is pretty cool.

App Details iOS

  • Category Books
  • Category Ranking 181
  • Rating 11.9K
  • Rating out of 5 4.7
  • Last Updated Date 22 January 2022
  • App Developer Oceanhouse Media, Inc.
  • Download Size 119.7 MB
  • Compatibility Requires iOS 9.0 or later.
  • Price Free
Peekaboo Barn
Peekaboo Barn

Compatible With

IOS, Android

Like many of these apps that will be included in this article, Peekaboo Barn looks to both help your child learn and also have fun in the process. This app is all about learning different kinds of animals and the sounds they make, all while children have fun playing with the colorful and vibrant interface.

This app was also created by educators, not marketers. As a result, you have an app that actually holds some real value when it comes to education. There are also a number of other Peekaboo apps out there that can all offer you and your child a different experience.

While the app is not free to download and use, it comes in at a low cost of $1.99. In the grand scheme of things, that is an extremely tiny investment for something that will likely give your child hours and hours of entertainment, while also teaching them about animals, sounds and more. If you can get past the fact it isn’t a free app, Peekaboo Barn is one of the best apps on this list.

App Details iOS

  • Category Education
  • Category Ranking 24
  • Rating 261
  • Rating out of 5 3.2
  • Last Updated Date 22 March 2021
  • App Developer Night & Day Studios, Inc.
  • Download Size 263.2 MB
  • Compatibility Requires iOS 10.0 or later.
  • Price $1.99
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Animal Sounds
Animal Sounds

Compatible With

IOS

Like the last app in this article, this app (as you could likely tell by its name), is all about animal sounds. The app is great for children and toddlers of all ages and will help them not only learn about animals, but also the sounds that they make. The app is incredibly simple to use, that your toddler will likely be able to use it without any assistance from you!

The app includes more than 300 different animal photos, and the same amount of customized animal sounds. While it may not quite be as detailed, colorful or in-depth as Peekaboo Barn, it is a completely free app, with no ads. So if you don’t want to pay for an animal sounds app, this is a great substitute and will definitely help your child learn more about animals, while also entertaining them at the same time.

Animal Sounds

Laugh and Learn Shapes and Colors
Laugh and Learn Shapes and Colors

Compatible With

IOS, Android

This is one app that is great for babies and toddlers alike. As you can see from the title of the app, this Fisher-Price created app is all about helping children learn shapes, colors and more. These are among the first things a child will learn and this app can help speed the process up.

Children can easily tap on or tilt the screen to interact with the different shapes on the screen, meaning they have full control over the app and don’t need parents to help them if they don’t want. The app also allows the app to grow with the children who play it as it features two separate levels of play. Level 1 lets you tap the screen to hear the name of a color or shape, and allows the shapes bounce and move around the screen. Level 2 adds the ability to play a little piano on the bottom of the screen, to help them create and listen to some great tunes!

You can get this great app for free, so there is no excuse to not give it a try. Your child will not only have fun playing and interacting with the app, but they will also learn a thing or two without being bored by dull apps or lessons.

App Details Android

  • Category Educational
  • Installs 5,000,000+
  • Rating out of 5 3.4
  • Last Updated Date 23 September 2021
  • App Developer Homer Learning
  • Download Size 63M
  • Compatibility Android 5.0 and up
  • Price free
Laugh and Learn Shapes and Colors

PBS Kids
PBS Kids

Compatible With

IOS, Android

If your child loves watching TV, but doesn’t seem to like what is on at your house, this app can be a lifesaver. This app is loaded with thousands of hours of videos and also some live TV. Also, you can rest assured that all of the videos within the app will be kid-friendly, so you don’t have to be constantly looking over your child’s shoulder to make sure what they are viewing is appropriate.

However, there is indeed a few options that parents can control within the Grownups tab. While the app is more about entertainment than education, your child can still learn a lot with a number of the different programming options in the app. The content is quite varied and there will be something your child will enjoy, no matter their interests or passions.

The app is also absolutely free to download and use, which is quite impressive due to the sheer amount of content included in the app. Your child will never run out of things to watch and do with this app downloaded to your phone.

App Details Android

  • Category Education
  • Installs 10,000,000+
  • Rating out of 5 4.3
  • Last Updated Date 26 April 2022
  • App Developer PBS KIDS
  • Download Size Varies with device
  • Compatibility Android 5.1 and up
  • Price free

App Details iOS

  • Category Education
  • Category Ranking 79
  • Rating 64.8K
  • Rating out of 5 4.3
  • Last Updated Date 1 April 2022
  • App Developer PBS Kids
  • Download Size 32.8 MB
  • Compatibility Requires iOS 12.1 or later.
  • Price Free
Chalk Pad
Chalk Pad

Compatible With

IOS, Android

The Chalk Pad app can turn your iPad or iPhone into a fully functional chalkboard. The app is loaded with various different options and has great graphics and is great with mimicking a real life chalkboard, right down to the app making the dreaded “nails on a chalkboard” sound.

Chalkboards are a great way for a child to express themselves in a number of ways, but a physical chalkboard can be hard to move around and kids can make quite a mess with it. This app solves that problem and makes having a chalkboard easy. This app is great for drawing, playing games, writing notes and more. All you need to do it use your finger to easily draw on the chalkboard and can even change the thickness and colors of the chalk.

In addition to being functional, the app also has quite a few different options too. There is an option to use spray paint, an option to input text, various different backgrounds and the ability to send and share the creations of your child. This app is also available for free, which is a great deal as it can potentially give your children hours and hours of mess-free entertainment.

App Details iOS

  • Category Education
  • Rating 16
  • Rating out of 5 4.3
  • Last Updated Date 27 January 2014
  • App Developer Brandon Abbott
  • Download Size 7.2 MB
  • Compatibility Requires iPadOS 6.0 or later.
  • Price Free
Baby's Musical Hands
Baby's Musical Hands

Compatible With

IOS, Android

Being able to learn about, appreciate and create music is very important for children and can be a ton of fun for them. This app is all about babies being able to take control of the app and play with it, without the need of their parents to help.

This app features a number of colorful squares and each note will play a different note and create a different sound. Red squares are drums, blue squares are drums and yellow squares will play the piano notes. The iPad version of the app has 15 squares for children to play with and the iPhone version has 10. Every time your baby or toddler touches the screen, explosions of color and sound will be created, giving them both some visual and audio feedback at the same time.

The app will cost you under a dollar and is one of the simplest, yet most fun, apps on this list for toddlers or babies. It was created by a father who wanted a fun and easy game for his baby to play, and he knocked it out of the park with this one. A dollar is a small price to pay for the hours of simple and easy entertainment that your child is likely to get out of this game.

App Details iOS

  • Category Games
  • Category Ranking 13
  • Rating 16
  • Rating out of 5 4.2
  • Last Updated Date 26 June 2017
  • App Developer Streaming Colour Studios
  • Download Size 53.2 MB
  • Compatibility Requires iOS 8.0 or later.
  • Price $0.99
Baby's Musical Hands

Potty Training Time
Potty Training Time

Compatible With

IOS, Android

Something that all parents and toddlers must go through at one time or another is potty training. Your child can’t wear diapers forever, so they will eventually need to learn how to use the bathroom like everybody else. In the past, this was often a tedious task and one that could take a lot of time, but now, technology has made it quite a bit easier.

This app is not only about keeping track of your child’s potty training, but also about making sure you are motivating and encouraging them to keep it up. This new app has 8 different ways to celebrate the success of your child on the potty. In addition to rewarding stickers, games and such, the app can easily chart your child’s potty schedule and make sure everything is going well for them.

Best of all, the app is completely free and you will not need to pay a single dime to help your child succeed in their potty training goals. The app is very simple, but also quite effective at helping your child stay encouraged while potty training. While you don’t need an app to potty train your child for the most part, it can make the whole ordeal a little bit easier.

App Details Android

  • Category Education
  • Installs 100,000+
  • Rating out of 5 2.5
  • Last Updated Date 29 August 2019
  • App Developer Two Little Hands Productions
  • Download Size 89M
  • Compatibility Android 4.4 and up
  • Price free

App Details iOS

  • Category Education
  • Rating 2
  • Rating out of 5 5.0
  • Last Updated Date 29 August 2019
  • App Developer Two Little Hands Productions
  • Download Size 100.5 MB
  • Compatibility Requires iOS 11.0 or later.
  • Price Free
Sago Mini Friends
Sago Mini Friends

Compatible With

IOS, Android

This app is all about going on different playdates with many different friends. There are many other games in the Sago brand, but this is one of the best. This app offers you many different things to do and explore throughout the app. While the app is incredibly fun for children and toddlers, it can also teach them some valuable life lessons at the same time as well.

Playtime and learning to play with others are incredibly important and this app can help your children learn that. The app promotes sharing, empathy and will encourage your child to be creative as well. The app can also be played with without having wifi or being connected to the internet in any capacity.

This app is also completely distraction-free as there are no ads and no third party advertising. This ensures you and your child can use the app without being interrupted or prompted. This free app is among the best in the Sago suite of apps, but there are also a number of other ones that are worth checking out too.

App Details Android

  • Category Education
  • Installs 5,000,000+
  • Rating out of 5 4.0
  • Last Updated Date 2 May 2022
  • App Developer Sago Mini
  • Download Size 453M
  • Compatibility Android 4.4 and up
  • Price $0.99 - $59.99 per item

App Details iOS

  • Category Education
  • Category Ranking 52
  • Rating 23.6K
  • Rating out of 5 4.4
  • Last Updated Date 3 November 2021
  • App Developer Sago Sago Toys Inc.
  • Download Size 548.5 MB
  • Compatibility Requires iOS 10.0 or later.
  • Price Free
Magic Kinder
Magic Kinder

Compatible With

IOS, Android

This is another “do it all” app that will surely be a hit for your child. Magic Kinder is an app that contains exclusive content in the form of videos, games, stories, coloring books, quizzes and much more. All of this content is not only meant to entertain your child and help them have fun, it is also meant to educate them and teach them important things.

The app is also for parents too! Magic Kinder provides some content for parents to make the most out of their time with their children. Despite this, children are definitely capable of using this app without parents watching over their shoulder. And because you can set the timer for how long they can play for, you need not worry that they will play for hours and hours at a time.

The app is also completely free and will not show any advertisements, which allows for a distraction free experience. The app is also a completely safe place for your children and also allows for a variety of parental controls to make sure your children are safe and only doing things they should be doing. You can easily set time limits and set limits on how much content your child can download. All in all, this is a very underrated app for toddlers and is definitely worth a download.

Kale Havervold

May 22, 2017

I have been a writer for a few years now and look to inform, educate and entertain with my writing.

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