It can be humbling to consider just how much your child is learning each and every day! From language skills to counting, hand-eye coordination to coloring, each day your child is taking in more information than a standard college semester! Can you imagine having to learn to walk, talk, sing, dance, eat, and elicit countless “awwwww”s in such a short amount of time? Even when our children are simply playing, they are developing good and bad habits that either do or do not support the skills they are working to master. Today, we’ve put together a list of our favorite helpful apps that support your child’s development in fun and engaging ways!
Free on the App Store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/breathe-think-do-with-sesame/id721853597
This app combines the wonderful world of Sesame Street with challenging but accessible problem-solving games for your child. As the game’s little monster grows frustrated with a task, your child stops to remind them to breathe, think, and then do. Your child learns to manage their anxiety about trying something new, even when that something may be a bit challenging! Your child will love helping their favorite familiar faces, and you’ll love watching your child’s confidence grow with every game!
$2.99
Itunes, Amazon, GooglePlay and The App Store
https://pbskids.org/apps/daniel-tigers-stop–go-potty.html
You know your baby is growing up fast, but are they ready for potty learning already? It’s possible! Whether you practice elimination communication or simply wait until your child expresses a desire to take those next steps, bringing Daniel Tiger onto your team might make the transition a little easier!
Daniel and his friend Katarina are both practicing potty time, and your child can help them get it right! Explore the virtual bathroom, learn about wiping, flushing, and hand-washing in a not-too-graphic but still informative and fun environment.
The characters then go about their day, playing and learning in the classroom. Your child will watch for cues from Daniel, such as wiggling and fidgeting, to warn them that Daniel may be having too much fun to remember to take a potty break!
The game explores the many stages of potty learning, from participating in a diaper change for baby Margaret to cheering on more advanced, big-kid learning. There is no use of shame in Daniel Tiger’s method, only excitement at the character’s ability to learn and recognize their body’s messages.
Free on the App Store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/number-island/id1503904476
We hate to toot our own horn, but we couldn’t be more proud of the work that went into creating our apps and interactive storybooks! In Number Island, your child learns to recognize and trace each number, learns value and to count to numbers within their reach, and begins understanding chronology and number order. Our no-pressure learning environment is a peaceful island adventure with the Wonder Bunch kids that will leave your child calm and prepared for the wonderful world of numbers ahead of them!
Free on the App Store
Teach Your Monster To Read
https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/
We love the way this app grows with your child, starting with letter recognition and phonics, and moving on to creating full, simple sentences. This supplemental learning app disguises education in a fun game about adventuring with a monster of your own creation. Children love customizing their game, and the stealth learning style has them excited to build sentences of their own!
Free with options for paid upgrades
https://www.duolingo.com/learn
Considering the number of words your child doesn’t understand in their native language, it may seem crazy to suggest teaching them additional languages this early. However, studies show that the human brain is most eager to develop language skills from birth to age seven. That means that while there is no such thing as too early to start picking up a second language, it is believed that the window for becoming fluent begins to close around the age of 12. That’s not to say it’s ever too late to start, but the sooner you do, the easier it will be for your child to learn!
Experts suggest that from birth to the age of two, language development is all about exposure. Many devices allow you to play children’s shows dubbed in any language of your choosing, and so allowing them to watch familiar videos of their favorite characters in another language helps them pick up on frequently used words and phrases. Just like you know that eat and consume mean the same thing, now your child knows that eat and comer both mean the same thing!
By the time your child is an independent reader, introducing Duolingo can make learning a new language accessible and fun in only a few minutes a day! You set a goal for your child (and yourself!) and you play your way into hearing, speaking, and writing in a new language before you know it. The interface is exceptionally user friendly, and a children’s account removes both advertising and the competition factor, taking the stress out of learning.
Nothing can take the place of hands-on play and communication from friends, family, teachers, and parents, but we are glad to know these apps are helping children use their screen time to develop important skills! Do you have fun and helpful apps our families should know about? Leave us a comment or email us at hello@wonderbunch.com.
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