iPhone App Suggestions
By duluth_bishop on Jun 20, 2010 in Advice, Help Wanted
Heading on a family trip with a four year old and a seven year old. Suggestions for educational or entertaining iPhone apps for the kids would be appreciated.
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This isn’t an app suggestion, but a usage suggestion. Before you go, look up the addresses and phone numbers and other pertinent information of places you want to go. Put them in your Contacts under a separate group called “Trip” or whatever you wish to call it. Then you can look like a rock star to your family as you pull up directions and contact info so quickly it will make their heads spin. I did this when I took a group of youth to New York City last summer (along with a NYC transit app) and I never needed any maps or tourist books.
Also not an ap, but the library has books on CD. We’ve really enjoyed the Harry Potter series, Peter and the Starcatchers and the Penderwicks.
Being an app junkie, I’ll actually answer your question.
-Family Feud: May sound dumb, but can be a good little game to play while driving. One of the kids can read the questions and the whole fam can shout out suggested answers.
-Rock Band or Guitar Hero: Plug the iphone into your stereo’s AUX jack and it’s like you’re kids are in control of the quality of your road music. If you don’t like the lame song-lists on GH and RB, try Tap Studio. It’s free and you get to load your own music.
-I use an ipod touch (and not an iphone, because I’m cheap) so I’m not sure if it would work…but try streaming Pandora through your stereo. If that works, you might as well try a radio app (like I “heart” Radio).
-Flux Capacitor: This isn’t really that fun, but it’s pretty cool to have in your car…especially if you have a clip for your iphone for your dash. Basically it’s an animated Flux Capacitor from Back to the Future. You can pretend you’re not only going on a road trip to a different location, but to a different time as well.
My two year old loves Skee-Ball. He has had a couple of temper tantrums when it came time to take it away from him…
“Letter Tracer” by Niftybrick Software is my 5-year-old’s favorite. She also likes “Teach Me: Kindergarten” by 24x7digital.
DoodleJump and Plants vs. Zombies are fun for everyone.
Our boy loves Tetris. I look at it as educational in a geometry sort of way.
P.S. La Crosse is hot but fun.
Four and seven? “Pee Monkey Toilet Trainer 2″ is all you need.
Sally’s Spa, my favorite.
Also the Reiner Knizia games are great. I have a bunch of his board games.
If you are looking for something offline, there are travel versions of Catan and other board games like Fluxx that could be easily played in a car.
Hey Bertsch, I wish you would’ve brought this up on Sat. and I could have shown these to you. The favorites BOTH our kids enjoy:
DoodleJump
DoodleBuddy
SheepLauncher
Shrek Kart (new)
Labyrinth
LunchBox
Frogger
Booooly!
& Thomas
Most are free or have free lite versions to try out.
They like iFart also, if you deem appropriate -- might be fun for all toward the end of a road trip, especially if you eat beans or broccoli along the way, as you can record your own farts and “plant” them on others. Priceless.
A couple of others that came to mind:
Pac-Man:Championship Edition -- A fresh take on Pac-Man
Star*Burst: Created by the guy who created the 90′s puzzle game KLAX. Very, very fun.
Golvellius: An old SEGA Master System game. Basically a Zelda rip-off, but pretty damned fun and hours to complete.
Maybe you should get them some books.
@Duncan
This poster wanted to get some suggestions for apps, not suggestions on what else can keep them busy. Books, toys, video games, cell phone apps, and movies will all occupy a child for a short period of time, especially a 4 year old, but not for the entire journey. It’s best to diversify what you have to offer. Bored children cause trouble.
My 4-5 year old really enjoys playing Teach Me Kindergarten -- she’s actually learned quite a bit of math and reading from this app. I’m impressed with how comprehensive it really is.
I know it’s late…but perhaps you’ll find this useful in the future