New Delhi: From creating interactive stories and games to painting a nature scene with your finger, the apps released in 2014 continue to engage kids in new and wondrous ways.
NewsMobile picks the top iPad apps for kids that gave children a new way to learn things.
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ScratchJr
ScratchJr is a unique and powerful app that will empower young elementary students to learn beginning concepts of computer programming while they build skills in problem-solving, sequencing, memory and more.
ScratchJr is an introductory programming language that enables young children (ages 5-7) to create their own interactive stories and games. Children snap together graphical programming blocks to make characters move, jump, dance, and sing. Children can modify characters in the paint editor, add their own voices and sounds, even insert photos of themselves – then use the programming blocks to make their characters come to life.
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Gory Games TV Play-along
Gory Games TV Play-along was one of the first mainstream “second screen†apps for kids, designed to be used while watching the TV show. Children answer questions and compete with the on-screen contestants. And it works with the repeats!
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Tynker
All primary-school children should now be learning computer programming skills (or at least “algorithmic thinkingâ€) as part of the curriculum. Tynker is one of the apps that aims to help them practice at home: a collection of “coding puzzles†teaching kids about programming, with a sandbox mode to make their own games. In-app purchases buy additional puzzle packs.
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Mickey’s Magical Maths World
Design, repair, and pilot rockets in Mickey’s Super Rocket Shapes. Compare the size, colour and nature of different shapes, compose and decompose shapes, practice numbers and quantities while exploring space with Mickey, Minnie, and a gaggle of adorable aliens!
The first in a new series of educational apps for children by Disney: Mickey’s Magical Maths World is a collection of five mathematical mini-games hosted by Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy.
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Endless Wordplay
As the next delightful app in the Endless series – Endless Alphabet, Endless Reader, and Endless Numbers – Endless Wordplay sets the stage for spelling, word building, and wonderful rhymes. This app introduces key spelling patterns and phonograms that are important for beginning spellers and early writers.
Written English can be complex and confusing, and Endless Wordplay reinforces spelling rules and variations using rhymes and a fun, progressive learning path.
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LumiKids Park
Lumosity, the originator of the game, has millions of people using its main brain-training app, but LumiKids Park is strictly for kids: a series of simple, colourful educational mini-games to help them practice core skills like sorting, paying attention and visual-motor coordination.
Kids will love exploring this interactive park filled with surprises designed to make them giggle and keep them engaged.
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Nosy Crow Jigsaws
Incredibly intuitive and unbelievably easy to use, Nosy Crow Jigsaws boasts beautiful artwork, thoughtful design, innovative features and a wonderfully satisfying, absorbing jigsaw experience.
It’s a digital jigsaws app using the artwork from several of the company’s apps and books: one of the best attempts yet to take the idea of piecing puzzles together to the touchscreen.
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Night Zookeeper
Night Zookeeper is based on a magical story about the adventures of a Night Zookeeper and the fantastical animals he meets on his nightly rounds.
The game encourages children to invent their very own magical animals and use illustrations and stories to bring them to life. Night Zookeeper’s aim is to engage children across the world and show them that they can be more than just the consumers of digital media… they can be the creators as well.