kiddos favorite apps

I have a tablet for work purposes that the kiddos can use occasionally, I don't think we will ever buy them their own tablet just for playing games, that's just not how we do. I have taught them that playing games on my work tablet is a privilege, it is not something that they get to do whenever they feel like it, and that this tablet is to be treated properly, they need to be calm, patient, and respectful with others peoples things. That's how it should be, don't ya think??

Time on the tablet is a once in awhile thing, just like having a chocolate chip cookie once in awhile is fine. Would you eat a chocolate chip cookie everyday and expect to be healthy? No! So take that same way of thinking and apply it to tablet time. It's really that simple.

Over the years we have found some fun apps, some not so great apps, and others that were a one time to check it out and it ended up being a dud. They are now 6 and 4 and I think we have a pretty great selection of fun AND educational apps for them to play on. I stress educational because I want them to learn to use technology as one of the educational tools in their belt. I believe that technology is good and can be a great learning tool but it needs to be incorporated with other learning tools, it is not the end all be all of our lives! It is not the only thing that you should concern yourself with and it makes me sick when I hear our older nephews only talk about video games!! I don't care if it's a computer game, XBox, or Nintendo Switch, if that is the only thing a kid talks about, there is something wrong and I think a major break from technology is needed!! No more, "well they are teenagers" or "that's what kids are into these days". I call bullshit!

My first and foremost favorite app we found for the kiddos is the PBS Parents Play app, it has games with letters, numbers, shapes, problem solving in a variety of ways ... it is all around fantastic! To piggy back on that the Cookie Monster Alphabet Kitchen if great too! They also like a character that is near and dear to my heart, and the artwork is spot on, The Very Hungry Caterpillar app by Story Toys is cute and the kids get to help the caterpillar along his adventure. I mention the app creator because there are a few different ones with that character.

There are a couple racing games that S likes, but he is really into Hot Wheels Race Off and he cars in the game are the ones that are sold in stores, so we have a few of the cars! He gets so excited when a car that he has pops up in the game, which is great because he then goes and gets that car and starts building tracks to race in the playroom! Sometimes its disappointing when he doesn't have the same moving parts or explosions like the game does {LOL!} but whatcha gonna do about that ... a teaching moment about real life versus pretend like movies, tv shows, and games I guess! Another one that he wants to play all the time is Lep's World, a knock off of Super Mario Bros with a leprechaun. It's so funny how much like Mario this one is, same imagery, same concept of things to maneuver through, same fun feeling when you accomplish a level! 

Both of my kids like the building games that I found, one is Thomas the Train. Even though we never watched the show, the idea of building your own little town with tracks and passages is great! A few tasks and challenges are thrown in to unlock different things and they really enjoy it. Another favorite along that line is Love Balls, a game designed to bring two spheres together by drawing lines in which they can roll down toward each other and each level is more difficult. There are a handful of games along this line, but the rolling balls are my kiddos favorite!

Tetris, Block! Hexa, and Flow are all shape fitting and sorting games that are a bit more difficult but fun none the less! The spacial thinking really gets them involved and I can see the wheels turning in their little heads trying to find the solution!

One of Z's favorite is Bubble Witch, where the different colored ball form together and she has to aim and shoot to pop the same color in time so they don't reach the bottom. She also likes Robots by iAbu22, it's one we stumbled upon somehow and its pretty cute! She gets to create her own robot and it flies thru a maze to find it's friend and she catches stars in the process!

A few calming, just let the mind wander apps we like are Glow Draw, Magic Fluids, and Particle Flow. I found these on Andriod after my sister showed me iZen. They are all just cool colors flowing on the screen and you can swipe in any direction to move the mass, just a vegging-out kinda thing!

Last but not least is one we all like to play and it really does do your brain some good, Luminosity. It's designed by scientists and designers, which features games to improve your memory, cognitive abilities, and problem-solving skills, through a daily mental training program. The kiddos love it, I love it, it trips us up and keeps us sharp! It's really fun and I highly recommend it!

I DON'T GET OLDER, I LEVEL UP

xo