10 must-have apps for toddlers

Keeping an active toddler entertained is no easy task, and there are times we've all wished for a magic wand to keep our toddlers quiet.

Well, we've got good news for you! We've actually found 10 such 'magic wands' in the form of toddler-friendly apps that are bound to keep your little one occupied and interested.

The bonus is that your munchkin will also learn plenty of amazing new things in the process!

Click 'Next' to find out about these great apps!

Wheels On the Bus

This fun and interactive app encourages motor, language and cognitive skills development through fresh illustrations, creative interaction and music.

Suitable for kids aged 1-4

Cost: S$2.98

Compatibility: Requires iOS 5.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Musical Sparkles

Music Sparkles introduces the world of music to your little one. From piano and xylophone to electric guitar, your baby just needs to tap and play.

The best part? Every time your little one taps the screen, she'll enjoy a burst of colourful sparkles!

Suitable for kids aged between 1-3 years

Cost: Free

Compatibility: Requires iOS 5.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Five Little Monkeys

This app was actually designed by parents of young kids, so you know it's going to be just great for your toddler.

Five Little Monkeys is a fun, interactive musical counting game based on the popular rhyme all kids know and love.

This app helps toddlers develop several skills, including:

COUNTING: Children build counting and math skills as well as color recognition by adding and subtracting different colored monkeys, simply by touching a monkey, or shaking your iPhone.

OPPOSITES: Interactive objects teach concepts like stop/go, on/off, open/close, utilizing an alarm clock that rings, a lamp, a telephone, a door, even a monkey family portrait that reacts to your child's touch!

READING: Following along with the highlighted words to the rhyme fosters word recognition and sentence building skills

SINGING: There are 3 musical genres to play and sing to; Country, Rock, or Pop for sing-a-long.

Suitable for kids aged 1 year and up (toddler to preschool)

Cost: S$0.99

Compatibility: Requires iOS 5.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Baby's Musical Hands

Here's a great app for all those musically-inclined toddlers. Baby's Musical Hands app features 15 brightly colored squares that your baby can touch to play music.

Every time the screen is touched, colourful stars will burst from your baby's fingers, which will delight them for sure!

The red squares make drum sounds, yellow squares play piano notes, and blue squares play guitar notes.

Suitable for kids under 4 years old

Cost: S$1.28.

Compatibility: Requires iOS 4.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Dr. Seuss's ABC

Help your toddler learn her alphabet with Dr. Seuss in this interactive book app for little readers! Your kid will be able to explore pictures, learn new words and even personalize the story with her own narration.

From Aunt Annie riding an Alligator to the Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz, learning to read will be an an unforgettable adventure with Dr. Seuss!

Suitable for kids aged 5 and under

Cost: S$4.98

Compatibility: Requires iOS 5.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Dr. Panda's Toy Cars

This cool interactive app lets your little one explore 2 cities and 'drive' heaps of different cars and trucks (including a police car and fire engine!).

The 2 cities that kids get to explore are full of hidden surprises which are bound to keep your little one entertained and happy.

Suitable for little ones aged 5 and under

Cost: S$3.98

Compatibility: This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad.

Moo, Baa, La La La!

Sandra Boynton’s best-selling book of all time comes alive with sound and movement in this lovely interactive app.

The Moo, Baa, La La La! interactive book app has all the magic and appeal of a traditional pop-up book, offering interactivity and discovery. Your child will be able to hear each animal make its unique sound.

And that's not all!

Your little one can help the perplexed chicken stagehand raise the curtain on a stageful of dancing pigs. Or turn day to night with the touch of the moon.

She can even slingshot the running cats away from the barking dogs. A touch of the duck activates a quack which brings in another duck. And another. And another.

Suitable for kids aged 5 and under

Cost: S$4.98

Compatibility: Requires iOS 4.3 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Nighty Night!

Your little one will love his bedtime routine with the Nighty Night! app, which features cute animals, sweet lullaby music and great narration.

All around the house the lights go out, and in the barn even the animals are tired.

But who puts them to bed? Who turns out the lights in their stalls?

That is the task for small children aged 1-4!

Suitable for kids aged 1-4

Cost: S$3.98

Compatibility: Requires iOS 5.0 or later. Compatible with iPad.

Pat the Bunny

Based on the beloved book by Dorothy Kunhardt and designed especially for toddlers and preschoolers, this app features 14 fully interactive scenes your kids can tap, swipe and explore.  

Watch your little one giggle with delight as she plays hide and seek with Bunny, pops bubbles in the bathtub or makes music in the kitchen.

Suitable for kids under 5 years of age

Cost: S$4.98

Compatibility: Requires iOS 5.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Potty Time with Elmo

Are you trying to potty train your toddler? Then here's the perfect app to help!

The Potty Time with Elmo app is a fun way to ease the transition from diapers to big-kid underpants.

Developed for children ready to potty train, this charming app features everyone’s favorite furry red monster, Elmo, helping his toy, Baby David, learn to use the potty.

Also included are animated stickers, a reward chart, puzzles and 5 fun songs.

Suitable for kids aged 5 and under

Cost: S$3.08.

Compatibility: Requires iOS 5.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Written by

Nalika Unantenne

appsapps for toddlersfun apps