Top Free iPad Apps for Pre-Schoolers

There is no fighting it iPads are taking over the world and there are countless numbers of�amazing apps out there for children of all ages. Most apps are not only enjoyable but also educational. If you are looking for some new apps to add to your iPad, then have a look at these excellent (and free!) ones to download.

Toca Monster

Feed the monster different foods. Chop, blend, microwave it or serve it whole and see what monster’s reaction is. Find out what monster likes and what monster dislikes. Also check out Toca Hairdressing.

Toca Tea Party

Choose different foods and drinks to take on a picnic. Set the plates, pour the drinks and enjoy a delicious meal with your friends. You can even choose what guests to bring to the tea party.

Toca Doctor

Little Girl is sick and it’s up to you to fix her. There are five different ‘games’ including following a maze to the heart, taking out prickles from a hand, smashing the bacteria out of the mouth and making the brain work. Great for hand eye coordination.

Koi Pond

Touch the fish in the fish pond and make them move. Kids will delight in watching them splash and swim. You can also get in the water with the fish and see the fish pond from a different angle.

Tozzle

A�wooden puzzle without the wooden puzzle. You move the figures to the different shapes and when you get one right, you are rewarded with music.

Endless ABC’s

Help your child learn familiar words by letting them spell the words themselves. The child will need to drag the letters to the right place on the word. The letters make a phonetic sound that is not only goofy, but educational as well. Once the child completes the task, they will be rewarded with music as well as the meaning of the word they just spelt.

Amazing Match

This is an interactive game of “memory” where you touch each card to flip it over in an attempt to match the object. There are only four different games that are ‘free’ to download including match the planets, the birds, the foods and the bugs.

Story Wheel

Create your own story. Choose the theme, the characters, the plot, the setting and every other element of the traditional story. Then watch your story unfold on the screen. There are endless different combinations to choose from and this is a great way for children to enjoy a new dynamic of reading.

Smashing Ants

As the name suggests, basically you just smash ants. However, there are also other bugs in there that you cannot touch. Another great game similar to this one is Smash that Gugl, which, again as the name suggests, you simply smash the little monster (known as Gugl) on the screen.

Colour Mix

Give your little Leonardo a blank canvas and let him go nuts mixing the colours and drawing a digital picture. There are popular backgrounds, colouring pages and even connect the dot games.

As with all iPad apps, your child will determine what they enjoy, rather than the age recommendations given. Just always remember to keep your iTunes account locked with a password to prevent little fingers accidentally charging costly applications to your account.

Note: Some of these apps (or similar) may also be available in Android versions.

Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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