The 7 Best Apps for Toddlers of 2022

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Finding just the right app for your toddler is a tricky business: Toddlers are naturally curious and want to learn, but their attention spans are generally too short for education-only games, puzzles, and activities. They need a lot of play mixed in, too, especially since play is one of the primary ways that toddlers learn about the world around them.

In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics feels so strongly about the link between play and child development, that they recommend pediatricians write a "prescription for play" at well-visits for kids up to age 2!

As parents, we want to see our kids learn through play, and the best apps for toddlers seamlessly combine simple, interactive playtime with subtle opportunities for education. Because toddlers are fickle, the best apps are affordable (in case your little one gets bored quickly), and since toddlers are still working on mastering their fine motor skills, these apps should also be created with little hands in mind.

If you’re looking for a way to build up some of your toddler’s literacy and math skills without forcing them to sit down with an “educational” program, these apps are the perfect blend of learning and play.

The 7 Best Apps for Toddlers of 2022

Best Overall:ABC Mouse
Best Budget:PBS Kids
Best Educational:Monkey Preschool Lunchbox
Best on iPad:Toca Boca
Best on Android:Balloon Pop
Best Role-Playing:Toca Doctor
Best for Parental Monitoring:Bark

Best Overall:ABC Mouse

Key Specs

Price:$13 per month
Ages:2-8
iOS/Android:Both

Why We Chose It

As a comprehensive learning program, you can use ABCMouse to supplement your child’s preschool education or learn important skills from home.

Pros

Multiple learning tracks for math, reading, art, and more
Ticket reward system lets kids “buy” virtual prizes
Can be customized for your child’s age and skill level

Cons

A recurring monthly investment
有些孩子可能不是challenged enough by the content

ABCmouse, an educational app with a subscription-based service, gets our vote for the best overall app for toddlers. Although it isn’t free, it certainly goes the distance if you’re looking for a great educational app for kids. It begins in a virtual classroom where your kids can select from a number of different adventures. There are many lessons to choose from that teach reading, math, coloring, counting, and music skills. ABCmouse allows you to add your child's age in the settings so it can create a customized experience for kids from as young as 2 all the way through age 8.

Do you have a gaggle of little ones? Add up to three siblings to your subscription for the same monthly fee. It’s easy to switch between users so all your kids can get in on the learning action. The content gets more difficult as your child enters school and progresses through the early elementary grades. ABCmouse has lots of fun rewards, too.

Best Budget:PBS Kids

Key Specs

Price:Free
Ages:2-8
iOS/Android:Both

Why We Chose It

Free, fun, and full of your kid’s favorite characters, the PBS Kids app offers games, videos, and other cool content for kids ages 2-8.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Familiar, toddler-favorite characters
Play within the worlds of your kid’s favorite shows
You can watch PBS Kids shows without a television

Cons

Games are only somewhat educational
Only select shows are available in full or for download

Who doesn’t love PBS? It’s been a staple in child entertainment for decades, from Sesame Street to Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood—and it’s still going strong today. With the free PBS Kids Video and PBS Kids Games apps, your kids can play games and watch videos based on today’s most popular PBS shows like Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood and Cat in the Hat. Suitable for kids as young as 2 years old, the PBS Kids apps have something for everyone, teaching early science and math skills in fun and full-color games.

Best Educational:Monkey Preschool Lunchbox

Price:$2
Ages:2-5
iOS/Android:iOS

Why We Chose It:Preschoolers can build basic skills with seven easy-to-navigate games centered on letters, shapes, colors, and more.

Pros

Made for preschoolers to use without a parent
Reinforces toddler-friendly skills like matching and counting
Sticker rewards to track your child’s progress

Cons

May be too simplistic or repetitive for your child
Some users dislike the sound effects

Your toddler won’t even realize they're learning when you download the fun toddler app, Monkey Preschool Lunchbox. They’ll learn colors, shapes, and counting in an effortlessly fun interface led by the adorably lovable monkey, Milo. Each activity that’s successfully completed comes with an immediate reward where your toddler will get to choose a sticker to add to their collection.

Best on iPad:Toca Boca

Key Specs

Price:Free to $4
Ages:4+
iOS/Android:Both

Why We Chose It

The Toca Boca suite of apps for kids is an interactive way to explore the world by cooking, cutting hair, building a neighborhood, and taking care of pets.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Dozens of games to choose, including some free
Some games can be purchased as a bundle for discounted pricing
Games for beginners, animal lovers, budding engineers, and more

Cons

Some games are not as interesting or appealing as others
Hard to know which game your child will like until you try it

The Toca Boca suite of apps has become one of the most popular brands out there. Through fun, engaging apps full of bright colors and great sounds, Toca brings to life a host of activities like cooking, taking care of pets and sick patients, hairstyling, and even chemistry. For the youngest set, try a role-playing app like Toca Doctor (more on this one below) or a simple app like hairstyling (kids can’t get enough of the hairdryer). And as they grow, your kids can design and build their own city with the Toca Life apps.

Best on Android:Balloon Pop

Key Specs

Price:Free
Ages:Not indicated
iOS/Android:Both (works better on Android)

Why We Chose It

The concept is simple but addictive, offering gameplay that’s educational or just for fun.

Pros

Different game modes for education, like letters and numbers
Can be played just for fun to keep your child busy
Easy for even little hands to play

Cons

Can get boring or repetitive after a while
Free for basic, but more levels requires in-app purchases

This free app is part of a group of apps from App Family. Available on the Android platform, they're fun for a variety of ages. The puzzles make a great choice for older kids, while toddlers will be instantly drawn to the game which allows them to pop balloons as they rise from the bottom of the screen to the top. It’s simple enough for even the youngest of players to grasp, and it’s fully customizable too. Change the size of the balloons and the speed at which they move, making it easier for beginners and more challenging as your child masters the game.

Best Role-Playing:Toca Doctor

Key Specs

Price:$4
Ages:3+
iOS/Android:iOS

Why We Chose It

Kids love to play doctor, but you don’t have to be their volunteer patient anymore; puzzles and silly animations encourage them to test out their medical skills on the app instead of you.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Includes interesting graphics of the human body for anatomy learning
Physics-focused “mini games”
Teaches basic skills but also encourages empathy and critical thinking

Cons

Best for 3-year olds; may not hold an older child’s attention
Once you’ve played the levels, there’s no way to advance or do more

引发幼儿的移情或铺平了道路future in medicine with the Toca Doctor app. Part of the ever-popular suite of Toca Boca apps, this full-color app boasts a number of educational games for toddlers, set against a medical theme. This is one of the most simple Toca apps, suitable for kids as young as three. Kids can cover boo-boos of different sizes with bandages, “erase” scratches with cotton balls, brush teeth to chase away germs, or squirt eye drops into eyes. This game is sure to keep your little ones occupied for more than just a few minutes!

Best for Parental Monitoring:Bark

Courtesy of Bark

Learn More

Key Specs

Price:$14/month
Ages:All ages
iOS/ Android:Both

Why We Chose It

The Bark app is best for overall parent monitoring. It offers parent alerts for both security threats and screen time limits. These restrictions and alerts aid in creating healthy and safe phone/tablet usage.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Set screen time limits
Restrict inappropriate apps and websites
Parental alerts for cyberbullying and online predators
Location Monitoring

Cons

App can be easily deleted by the child
Alerts are delayed
Requires a sizeable amount of storage space

With Bark’s settings and parent alerts, users can have peace knowing that their child’s devices are safe. Bark monitors texts, email, Youtube content, websites, search history, social media, and apps. It has alerts for screen usage, cyberbullying, potential predators, and many other safety threats. Bark also offers resources and professional recommendations to parents when security issues arise.

The Bark alerts actually help save its user’s time. There is no longer the need to personally monitor or comb through their child’s texts and usage. The app’s dashboard provides parents with an overall view of their child’s internet usage. Its reports detail which sites they’re frequenting if there are any security threats, how much time they’re spending in each app, and conversations across all apps.

The best perk of the Bark app is ultimately the peace of mind that it offers parents. The screen time limits and security features promote a healthier relationship with their phone/ tablet.

Final Verdict

If you’re hoping to use an app to teach your child key literacy and math skills on a regular basis,ABCMouseis worth the monthly investment, but if you want something with less commitment,Monkey Preschool Lunchboxis a low-key learning app for even the littlest kiddos.PBS Kidsis a free and fun way for your toddler to play alongside their favorite TV show characters, but you can’t go wrong with any of the role-playing apps fromToca Boca.

The 7 Best Apps for Toddlers of 2022 — Verywell / Designed by Amelia Manley

Compare Apps

Apps for Toddlers	Price	Ages	iOS/Android
Best Overall:ABC Mouse	$13 per month	2-8	Both
Best Budget:PBS Kids	Free	2-8	Both
Best Educational:Monkey Preschool Lunchbox	$2	2-5	iOS
Best on iPadToca Boca	Varies from free to $4	4+	Both
Best on Android:Balloon Pop	Free	Not indicated	Both (works better on Android)
Best Role-Playing:Toca Doctor	$4	3+	iOS
Best for Parental Monitoring:Bark	$14 per month	All ages	Both

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Screen Time Should Toddlers Have?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies younger than 18 months have no screen time at all. Toddlers 18 to 24 months old can start to enjoy some high-quality programming and apps alongside a parent or caregiver. Kids 2 to 3 years old should get no more than one hour of screen time a day.

It’s also a good idea to establishscreen time limitswhen your child is a toddler. Doing so will make theseguidelineseasier to enforce as they get older. Also, try to keep bedrooms and mealtimes screen-free for all, and schedule lots of non-screen activities into your toddler’s day.
What Are Some Pros and Cons of Apps for Toddlers?

High-quality, interactive, and age-appropriate apps for toddlers can help them learn and expand their cognitive skills, as well as develop their technical and media literacy.If you and your toddler play with apps together, it also can strengthen your parent-child relationship.

However, children learn best from interacting with others, so too much screen time may be detrimental to their social and emotional development. If you give your child an iPad or phone when they’re bored, upset, or frustrated, they’re missing opportunities to develop important self-regulation andproblem-solving skills. Excess screen time also can impact their sleep quality and studies have linked poor sleep quality to emotional and behavioral problems in toddlers.

Be sure to research and review apps before your toddler starts using them. For instance, organizations such as Common Sense Media rate and recommend apps for their age appropriateness and educational value. Overall, the best apps for toddlers are ones that focus on exploration and open-ended play, encouraging them to engage and learn.
How Much Do Apps for Toddlers Cost?

Many apps for toddlers are free to download, but those versions sometimes have limited features. Other apps for toddlers charge a one-time download cost, usually in the range of $1 to $4. Some educational apps for toddlers that are more comprehensive offer a customized curriculum and are subscription-based. They’re available for a monthly or yearly fee, which can range from approximately $5 to $15 per month.
How Can I Keep My Toddler Safe While Using an App?

Parent monitoring apps are a great way to prevent your child from accidentally stumbling onto unsafe or explicit content. They also provide parents with a snapshot of their child’s usage. However, the best form of parental control is you.

设定清晰的边界和孩子,联邦quent conversations about how they spend their time in an app. A combination of modeling healthy device use, and parental monitoring apps is a great way to ensure the safety of your child.

Methodology

When rounding up the best apps for toddlers, we searched for apps that catered to the 2- to 4-year-old set; while some of these apps can be used by older kids, we sought out apps that didn’t require a lot of reading or even dexterity (since preschoolers are still building those skills). We also looked for apps that encouraged some kind of learning alongside play, whether it was colors and numbers, pre-literacy, role play, or motor skills.

Article Sources

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