The idea of an intergalactic travel photographer from the planet Virtoos and his robot companion using their spaceship to take kids back in time to learn about dinosaurs exerts quite a pull on children. That's part of the strong appeal of this app, the way it holds a child's curiosity and attention, turning learning into a genuine adventure. Along the way, they meet paleontologist Dr. Lindy Bones, learn about archeologica...Read more

Balance Benders is a series of quick, fun, puzzle-like activities in which kids employ logic and reasoning to find solutions. It gets them thinking algebraically, so much so that by the time they are exposed to algebra it will seem strikingly familiar. Each puzzle uses either the image of a balance scale with equal weight on both sides, or multiple scales, some of which may be out of balance. The familiar symbols that mak...Read more

The goal of this app is to help prepare your child for school by focusing on their social and emotional development. One of its most powerful features is that live hosts, known as 'Explorers,' are on hand to invite kids to participate in undersea missions, reward their accomplishments, and aid them in building social skills and self esteem. Through animated stories, lessons, and mini-games, Captain McFinn's Swim and Play ...Read more

What makes this free app such a standout is the level of variety in its highly entertaining activities and the fact that they're as fun as they are educational. In each round, kids play several brief mini-games, with new challenges added each time through. The pacing is unusually well-suited to the pre-school and kindergarten audience, keeping them deeply and happily engaged. While playing along with their favorite Care B...Read more

This action-filled app lets young car aficionados scan any of Mattel's 2015 mainline diecast cars and release a virtual version of that vehicle into the digital world. There they'll use boosts, twists, turns, jumps, loops, and skids to engage in radical stunts in a multitude of lifelike track environments. The free app comes preloaded with Lightning McQueen and two virtual worlds with a total of nine different tracks to r...Read more

Watching the funny, outlandish stories in Mater's Tall Tales video shorts is plenty amusing in and of itself. This new app ratchets up the entertainment even further by injecting all kinds of interactive fun and games directly into the animated action. At the outset, kids set up their passport with a name and photo and then collect and add stickers to it as the videos progress. At various points along the way they'll take...Read more

The depth and range of creative tools in this app gives kids the power to make amazing art. Young artists can either work freehand or select favorite characters from among the pages of the app's several Disney coloring books (Frozen, Cars, Cinderella, Palace Pets, Disney Princess, Big Hero 6). In either case, they're in for a creative funfest as they paint, color, draw, use markers and chalk, apply stickers, glitter, and ...Read more

Disney Color and Play lets children turn their coloring pages into fully animated 4D fun. Kids can color in the pages of special Bendon coloring books that were designed to be paired with the app. By hovering their device's camera over the colored page with the app open, they can watch their coloring spring to life, animated by special 4D technology. Kids can also take pictures of their 4D characters in the real world, ...Read more

Disney Imagicademy Parents lets parents become part of the robust interactive learning experience kids enjoy with the Disney Imagicademy Mickey's Magical Math World and Mickey's Magical Arts World apps. The parent and kids' apps connect with one another, allowing Mom and Dad to receive real-time updates on children's progress. Parents are able to instantly offer positive reinforcement by sending digital high fives kids re...Read more

This app deftly weaves 5 magically creative workshops into the fabric of an enchanting animated town. Children scroll their way along Mickey's Main Street, entering and exiting activities in which they employ curriculum-based tools to create art. Guides Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Pluto help kids experiment with drawing, color, shape, patterns, textures, storytelling, costume design, music, tempo, pitch, rhythm, harmony ....Read more

The dazzling visuals, humorous antics, and remarkable interactivity present throughout this app keep children happily entertained while they explore and learn early math concepts. There are five distinct learning environments: Minnie's Robot Count-Along lets kids design baby robots and take them to a playground filled with magical counting activities. Mickey's Super Rocket Shapes explores geometric shapes, colors, and num...Read more

Disney Karaoke: Descendents puts an exciting blend of karaoke, dance, and video at kids' fingertips with five songs from the recently released Disney Channel's Original Movie, 'Descendants,' and four bonus songs from Descendants: Wicked World. Lyrics are displayed onscreen (as are, for three of the songs, dance moves), enabling kids to practice and record themselves either in selfie mode or in front of the camera with fri...Read more

Everyone gets a chance to be a star with this karaoke app based on the highest grossing animated film of all time. With a tap of the screen, kids can listen to, or record their own voice singing along with, any of nine songs from the hugely popular Frozen soundtrack. Far more than just an audio experience, the app presents the animated video clip of each song, with lyrics appearing onscreen with a snowflake bouncing from ...Read more

This app provides a royal treat for fans of some of the most beloved princesses of all time. Belle, Ariel, Jasmine, Rapunzel, and Merida each need help preparing for, and hosting, their parties. Kids pitch in by decorating invitations, selecting the final guest list, prettying up the party room, even picking a dress for the princess to wear. Then it's party time! Children choose which activities to engage in and when, pla...Read more

It's rare to see a digital product generate so much face-to-face social interaction and group fun, but Disney Shout! has just the right mix of ingredients. With quick rounds of play that are easy to get into and broad age-range appeal, everyone's part of the action from start to finish. In each round, one of three games - Spot!, Shout!, or Favorites! - is launched by the spin of an onscreen wheel. In Spot, one player priv...Read more

Kids are thrilled as they ride along with Doc McStuffins and help her fix a slew of toys in need of a little tender loving care. They love spending time with Doc and other favorite characters (Stuffy, Hallie, Lambie, Chilly . . .) from the Disney Junior hit animated series. There are 27 toys to heal in all. Kids use a number of onscreen tools to fix them - tweezers, paste, bandages, wet wipes, replacement parts, and most ...Read more

Kids are enthralled by Dr. Seuss, and this marvelous app for iPhone and iPad puts 55 of his books right at your fingertips. Beloved favorites like The Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who, Green Eggs and Ham, as well as dozens of fantastic Dr. Seuss tales kids may not have had the good fortune to lay eyes on until now are just a tap away. Watch each story unfold onscreen with the same glorious imagery and words found in pri...Read more

Santa needs kids' help generating Christmas Magic so that his sleigh will have the power it needs to get off the ground on Christmas Eve. By adopting a virtual reindeer pet and participating in its care, kids earn badges and give the Christmas Magic Meter a much needed boost. Through simple activities like feeding, washing, loving, and tucking their reindeer pet in for a good night's rest, kids enjoy the warm feelings an...Read more

Garden Science delivers a multitude of educational games whose five topics (Fruits, Flowers, Insects, Crops, and Birds) are rooted in our own back yards. The visuals have a distinctive flair kids find highly appealing. The games provide quick, easily navigable fun and learning. Some are new twists on popular classics such as matching pairs, bingo, flip and match, sorting, and puzzles, while others, like Pest Control, Dod...Read more

By placing this classic finger puppet on an index finger and using it to navigate the free Honey Bunny educational apps, kids experience an increased level of engagement and pleasure in the learning process. Honey Bunny Learns to Share is an animated storybook app, a genuinely charming tale that feels substantively enhanced by its digital format. The interactive features sprinkled throughout its pages have an originality ...Read more

In addition to a rich retelling of Disney and Pixar's original film, Inside Out, this app provides highly enjoyable and creative activities. These can be accessed from within the story or directly from a main menu. Kids use their own photos and videos to create memory spheres, audio-visual slices of life that convey a sense of emotion and that can be enhanced with special effects. Children also help create dream sequences...Read more

Joy Sprouts - Kids Preschool Education contains a variety of learning games and activities well-suited to the emotional, physical, and intellectual development of kids ranging from toddler through kindergarten. Each child has their own onscreen playground, and a parents dashboard lets Mom or Dad sign in and view robust, easy-to-read reports on their children's progress, including recommendations on areas that need growth....Read more