How many times have you given your child an iPad, iPhone, or other device to keep him or her busy while you shop, clean, drive, or do practically anything? According to a 2011 survey by Common Sense Media, 39 percent of children ages two to four and 52 percent of kids ages five to eight have used a touch screen device. When handing over your gadget, make sure your child is getting something educational out of it and set him or her up with one of these educational apps for some fun and learning. Here are our top picks for ages 2-5, 6-10, and 10+.
To view as a slideshow, click here.
AGES 2-5
Mini Music Makers
The idea behind Baby’s Musical Hands is simple; the screen is split between colored keys, and as your tot taps, different sounds are played and colorful stars fill the screen. Red squares (only in iPad version) hit drum beats, yellow squares play piano keys, and blue squares strum guitar chords. It’s a great way to introduce your youngest to the sweet sound of music.
The Ultimate Animal App
A fun (and noisy) way for young kids to learn about all sorts of animals, Wacky Safari has everything an animal lover wants. Little ones can unscramble pictures, hear animal-themed jokes, create animal noise music, and even call creatures on a wacky phone.
Jump + Count = Fit + Fun
Make sure that your device has a protective case and your tot has a firm grip! Rosita’s Jump Count hops along with your child while counting aloud in both English and Spanish. (We highly recommend playing with this app on soft carpeting!)
More Than A Walk In The Park
Little learners can follow a bear through the park and complete various math activities that combine with normal park play. Park Math’s great visuals help kids learn counting, addition, and more. Available in two difficulty levels.
The Magic Of Reading
Bob Books #1 Reading Magic provides different levels of games—from putting letters in alphabetical order to picking out the letters needed to spell a word, readers of every stage will practice and learn letters. The app sounds out letters and words, and a picture appears as a word is spelled correctly.
Monkey See, Monkey Learn
As children learn letters, shapes, colors, matching, and counting, they get to collect stickers in Monkey Preschool Lunchbox. The best part? The monkey gets excited when a correct answer is given and even helps out when needed.
Baby Steps
Little Pim makes it easy for your child to say “hello” to basic words and phrases in Spanish, French, or Chinese. This app features a Word Bag of “flash cards” with 27 everyday vocabulary that are relevant to their lives, plus a Talking Coloring Book to make the learning fun.
AGES 6-10
Time Flies Playing Jungle Time 
Hang with jungle friends and practice telling Jungle Time. Kids can set the time and tell time with a pre-set clock. Get it right and the animal roars! Lessons in time zones, time change, and the 24-hour clock are all part of the fun.
B-I-N-G-O 2.0
The good old game of bingo gets a new, educational twist in Math Bingo. Practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division and rotate between easy, medium, and hard levels while playing the traditional game.
For Super Spellers
This isn’t your typical crossword puzzle; Montessori Crosswords actually helps kids learn how to spell and read. They can practice cursive letters, progress to advanced levels, and play with an interactive firework display when a puzzle is complete.
Patriotic Wisdom
Kids answer questions about the 50 states based on location, capital, landmarks, and other fun facts in Stack the States. Once finished, children can even build a map of the U.S.
Mozart Goes Mobile
Your kid-musician can practice his or her piano skills anywhere with the easy to use app Pianist. The app is a full keyboard, with options to record and store creations. This piano-to-go is simple but fun for music lovers.
AGES 10+
Star-Gazing
Afraid your kid will never take his or her eyes off the iPad? With Star Walk – 5 Stars Astronomy Guide, they won’t have to look away to see the world. Point the device at the sky and get instant details on the stars, satellites, and constellations based on location. They’ll have astronomical information at their fingertips.
Brush Up On Your Skills
The must-have app for artists, Brushes can help young creative types paint as intricate a picture as they like. It has everything; an array of brushes, complete color wheel, and multiple layers to help create a masterpiece. The Brushes Viewer app for the computer allows you to save images and replay how you created them. Need more convincing? Artist Jorge Colombo painted a New Yorker cover using the Brushes app!
Win With Washington
Presidents vs. Aliens will have your kids itching to learn more about our nation’s leaders. For every correct answer, they get to fling the president at aliens to knock the extraterrestrials down. A silly pastime, but for all they’ll learn, definitely worth it.
Make Physics “Phun”
Kids can practice their physics problem solving skills with Monster Physics. There are 50 missions to be solved and most have multiple solutions, so the game can be played over and over again. Plus, science buffs can build their own working contraption from over 68 parts and have the app test it in real time.
Bonus: Apps Dedicated To Every Child’s Favorite Time–Storytime
Ages 2-5
The Going to Bed Book app adds magical interactive aspects to the bestselling story that kids have loved for the past thirty years.
Ages 6-10
The Reading Rainbow app has 150 interactive books to take your child on a reading adventure. Non-fiction and fiction books come with audio storytelling, videos, and activities.
Ages 10+
Every tween’s favorite book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, comes to life in the tale of a sixth grader’s first year of middle school.
