10 best iPad apps for kids

6. Lego Creationary - free - iPad, iPhone, iPod touch

Lego Creationary is a fun and free little game from the geniuses at Lego that will appeal to young children. In short, you roll a dice to select a category, the app then starts to build a Lego model piece by piece, and you have to guess which of the four examples it is going to turn out to be.

It's a race against the clock, because if the model gets completed before you've made your guess you lose. It's very simple, but strangely addictive - the temptation to have just one more go is quite strong. The graphics are cute and amusing, and the whole app feels nicely put together.

The app is obviously a huge advert for Lego, but there are no overt adverts included, and it's great fun all the same - kids will enjoy watching the Lego models being created even if they can't get their heads around trying to guess what it is before the time runs out.

7. Sound Touch - £1.79 - iPhone, iPod touch, iPad

Toddlers love bright colours, sounds and touching things, which, if you're brave enough to risk your iPad getting gummed, is exactly what Sound Touch can offer. Since toddlers haven't yet developed the fine motor skills required to hit anything but the biggest buttons, Sound Touch is perfect.

Simply touch the cartoon picture of an elephant and you see a full screen picture of a real one with accompanying elephant sound. There are 312 images in total, and all look and sound great. There are six categories of objects - domestic animals, wild animals, birds, vehicles, musical instruments and household objects.

Attention to detail here means you don't get the same picture every time - it cycles through a selection and the musical instruments all play songs.

A word of warning, though - we'd recommend you hold the iPad yourself while your little one explores the app, or it could get flung across the room in all the excitement of cow and dog noises!

8. Dress Up With Angelina Ballerina - 59p - iPhone, iPod touch

There are four games in one in Dress Up With Angelina Ballerina, but they all revolve around dressing up Angelina Ballerina in various ways. The games revolve around matching and memory.

Of all the apps aimed at little girls (Fairies Fly is another popular choice), it was this that kept Sophie's interest for the longest time. The Concentration game was one of Sophie's favourites - you get to see a picture of Angelina wearing a particular outfit for six seconds, then you're quizzed on what she was wearing (with hints, for example, in the choice of three different gloves).

In the Mix and Match game, you have to choose the correct outfit to go with whatever performance Angelina is about to put on. This app offers plenty of variety and hours of fun for little girls.

9. Talking Carl - 59p - iPhone, iPod touch

Talking Carl is the app that spawned a whole bunch of imitators, such as the Talking Robot and the Talking Santa Claus, but the original still has a certain charm. You basically poke Carl and he makes noises: you can tickle him to make him laugh, pinch him to make him growl or ignore him and he'll start grumbling.

He also (and this is the real point of the game) repeats anything you say to him back in a very, very high pitched voice. It sounds simple, and it is, but like all the best toys, kids love it and it will drive adults insane.

Kids will spend hours shouting at Carl just to get him to shout back even louder. It's not the sort of app you'll want them to be playing before bedtime, but it is outrageous fun nevertheless that will keep them entertained.

10. Tozzle - Toddler's Favourite Puzzle - £1.19 - iPhone, iPod touch

Puzzle games work great on the iPhone, and Tozzle is amongst the best you'll find on the App Store. There are no shortage of different puzzles on offer here - there's a impressive 33 to try in this bargain app.

To make things easy, children simply drag and drop puzzle pieces into their location and they snap into place, then it's onto the next piece. It's not restricted to traditional jigsaw puzzles either; some puzzles are trains or steamboats.

And when a puzzle is complete it animates and reacts to touches, sometimes with music. So, trains move when touched and pipe organs play tunes.

We also love the way it gives a hint if your child incorrectly places a puzzle piece three times in a row. It's good honest fun and your kids will love it.

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First published in Tap! Issue 02

Liked this? Then check out Top 40 best free iPad apps

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