Summer is upon us and for Beijingers, that means packing a suitcase and heading for the airport or train station to escape the heat and pollution of the city. However, an all-day excursion, no matter the mode of transportation, can bore children. Although we don’t recommend staring at a screen the entire trip, having a few quality apps on a tablet or smart phone can help pass the time spent on a plane, train or car. Here are some top apps to help keep children of all ages occupied on those long trips between destinations. All apps are available for the iPad through the Apple Store.
My Wagon and I
Recommended ages: 2 and up
Cost: Free
About: This storybook is really a poem about a boy, his wagon and how his wagon serves him throughout the seasons. The poem is nice, the animation cute, but the narration by the author’s young son is probably the sweetest thing you will ever hear on your iPad. My Wagon and I never fails to bring a smile to a new listener’s face.
SoundTouch
Recommended ages: 2 and up
Cost: USD 4.99
About: With over 360 sounds and images of animals, musical instruments, birds, vehicles and appliances, there is a lot for a child to soak up. One nice aspect of Sound Touch is that there are different sounds and photos for each item, so kids won’t see the same picture when they select the dog icon, for example. A lite version is available if you prefer to preview the app first.
Lil Painter
Recommended ages: 3 and up
Cost: USD 1.99
About: With designs for girls and boys or simply blank pages, Lil Painter makes it easy for kids to get creative with a variety of artist tools: a paint bucket, a magic pencil, brushes, pens, spray paint, and an eraser. There is also a camera feature to save what the kids create, several background music tracks to choose from, and a fun shake-to-erase feature.
Mabel and Lulu: The Real Life
Adventures
Recommended ages: 3 and up
Cost: USD 2.99
About: Mabel and Lulu contains two tall tales about the unlikely exploits of a pair of hilarious dogs. Hidden in the pages of the stories are over 100 animations that will have any child tapping away on the screen to find them all. Although there are a lot of animated segments – some are there for the sheer joy of being silly – the animation does not detract from the stories.
Maid Marian Muffins
Recommended ages: 4 and up
Cost: USD 2.99
About: Maid Marian and her trusty dog, Marvin, prowl New York City on an epic quest to find a good old-fashioned blueberry muffin. The story follows their search throughout the city, up until they realize that they will have to make the muffins themselves. Maid Marian Muffins has a nice bit of theme music, an enthusiastic narrator, and a story that will leave kids respecting the perseverance of Maid Marian.
Cake Doodle
Recommended ages: 4 and up
Cost: USD 0.99
About: To use Cake Doodle, kids select a cake recipe from the list and then add the
ingredients to the bowl. Eggs are cracked and nuts are chopped by tapping the screen, a tilt of the iPad pours liquids into the bowl, carrots get grated with swipes of a finger, and everything must be mixed in the bowl before it is baked. Afterwards, the cake can be decorated with a plethora of icing choices, toppings, and paraphernalia. Finally, after taking a photo keepsake, the cake can be “eaten” by all present.
Little Things
Recommended ages: 4 and up
Cost: USD 2.99
About: Inspired by one developer’s quest to recapture his childhood fascination with “seek-and-find” books, each level of Little Things contains an illustration of an ordinary object, such as a shoe or a dog, made up of hundreds of other everyday objects. The goal is to find a specific list of objects in each level. The game rewards the player’s success according to how long it takes to find everything.
Top Gear: Stunt School
Recommended ages: 4 and up
Cost: USD 1.99
About: Leave it to the BBC and TopGear to create a driving app that is less about driving and more about creating ridiculously modified cars to do outrageous stunts. For car enthusiasts, or simply those stuck in a car with some time on their hands, Top Gear: Stunt School is a game that puts the fun back in a road trip as players complete over 80 challenges that will stretch the laws of physics to the breaking point.
Roxie’s a-Maze-ing Vacation Adventure
Recommended ages: 5 and up
Cost: USD 2.99
About: To say this award-winning app is like a book of mazes is an understatement Users start by navigating a car around a map, but then need to get into boats, planes, and even a hot air balloon to complete the journey. Along the way, there are puzzles to solve and a good deal of fun to be had. Even adults will enjoy playing Roxie’s a-Maze-ing Vacation Adventure when the kids are not looking.
The Elements: A Visual Exploration
Recommended ages: 8 and up
Cost: USD 13.99
About: Who says learning can’t be fun when it comes to the periodic table? The Elements: A Visual Exploration gives young minds 3D objects to manipulate for each of the elements. The images are stunning and will draw users into the facts on each page about each element too.
Temple Run
Recommended ages: 9 and up
Cost: Free with in-app purchases
About: With over a million ratings, this fast-paced action game appeals to older kids, teens, and parents alike. Just picture an Indiana Jones-type running and jumping to save his life while trying to avoid mayhem and that about sums up the theme of Temple Run. It’s simple, but entertaining.
IMO Instant Messenger
Recommended ages: 12 and up
Cost: Free
About: Between Skype, Facebook, MSN, and Yahoo, there is an ever-growing list of messenger services that youth and adults are using, especially to post envy-inducing updates while on amazing holidays. With IMO Instant Messenger, users can access all of their messenger services via one platform, making it easy to keep updated without having to log into each one.
8tracks Radio
Recommended ages: 12 and up
Cost: Free
About: There is no end to great music out there, but how do you find it? 8tracks Radio is billed as “handcrafted internet radio” where music lovers create mixes of great music and put them out there for others to enjoy. Think of having access to thousands of mix tapes across all musical genres. Teens and music lovers of any age will love 8tracks Radio.
Brushes – iPad Edition
Recommended ages: Teens and adults (especially budding artists)
Cost: USD 7.99
About: When looking for a painting app, Brushes stands out among the best. Beginners and pros will enjoy the variety of brush options. In addition, the replay video feature allows you to prove you really made the painting on your tablet. Parents will be addicted, too.
This article is excerpted from beijingkids Jun/Jul 2012 issue. View it in PDF form here or contact distribution@beijing-kids.com to find out where you can pick up your free copy.
