With the dizzying amount of apps out there , it can be hard to find ones that are both fun and educational for your child . Here are a few guilt free iPhone and iPad apps that keep children ’ s minds active and prepared for the classroom :

For Toddlers :

Green Eggs & Ham by Dr . Seuss Join Sam-I-Am in this interactive eBook as he offers his friend green eggs and ham here , there , and everywhere ! As the narrator reads the story , the words are highlighted for your child to follow along . Touching the objects featured on each brightly colored page brings up their associated word . Your young reader will learn new vocabulary as they interact with the story . Kids can even personalize the eBook by recording their own voice narrating the story . This rich and immersive book is a great way to get young readers excited about reading .

ABCmouse . com Visit the Zoo Interactive Series This zoo app is an amazing new way for kids to learn about animals and their habitats . Toddlers can explore realistic animal exhibits with photorealistic animals that make sounds true to life . This app features illustrated facts about animals , read by the app ’ s animated zoo guide . After each session , children can test their knowledge on the set of animals they just learned about with a multiple choice quiz feature . There are also a variety of Easter eggs hidden throughout the app that your child can discover . When your children have learned everything in this app , they can advance to the next set in the ABCmouse . com series .

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Animatch With its supercute animal graphics and funny animal sounds , Animatch is perfect for kids of all ages . This simple electronic matching game featuring 30 farm and safari animal cards will keep your kids educationally entertained , all while developing their concentration , memory , and cognitive skills . When kids succeed at a match , they ’ re rewarded with happy animal sounds and the animal does a cute jiggle . Its simple and engaging design works for children as young as 11 months old . Even adults love playing Animatch and parents will have fun taking turns playing the game with their kids .

For Preschoolers :

Magic School Bus :

Oceans by Scholastic Go on a wild ride with Ms . Frizzle and her class to explore ocean life on the iPad ! Based on the book The Magic School Bus : On the Ocean Floor , this interactive storybook app is teeming with science facts , videos , photos , and games . Your kids will be encouraged to take chances , make mistakes , and get messy as they discover plant and animal life , coral reefs , and the ocean floor . The book takes more advanced facts and brings them to life so that kids can see cause and effect in action . It ’ s an interactive and exciting reading adventure that any kid will love !

TeachMe : Kindergarten Teaches kids age appropriate sight words , addition , subtraction , spelling , and writing letters and numbers . An animated teacher , Mimi Mouse , guides your child with verbal instructions and feedback . Kids stay engaged as they earn a coin for every three correct answers . They can use their coins to buy virtual stickers to place onto fun backdrops or to buy fish for a virtual aquarium . The sticker scenes can be saved as wallpapers or emailed to family and friends so that everyone can enjoy the fun . To encourage your child ’ s progress , you can select what subjects you want and set the difficulty levels to best suit your child .

The Monster at the End of This Book Sesame Street fans will love this interactive 12 page rendition of the best-selling classic storybook from the 1970s . Join Grover as he tries his very hardest to tie down pages and build brick walls to keep readers away from the monster at the end of this book . As the book ’ s words appear on each page , various characters say them out loud and reveal hints that help kids interact with the book . This story is a humorous way to open up a dialogue between parents and children about emotional expression and any fears they may have . While they learn early reading skills , they ’ ll be laughing and having a great time .

Sources : Parenting . com • iTunes • Amazon . com

G M H T O D A Y M A G A Z I N E MARCH / APRIL 2015 gmhtoday . com

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