The 10 Best iPhone Apps for Preschoolers

Grace uses my iPhone nearly as much as I do.

I have said many times, I don't remember how we parented before I had an iPhone. That little electronic device has saved my sanity at many doctor's offices, during many overtired moments, and many sleepless afternoons.

Lately, I've been letting it teach her reading skills. The best part? She doesn't feel like she's doing school, but she's still learning.

Grace is soon to turn 4, and these are currently her favorite iPhone apps.

Please note - I am not working with any PR or company reps. These are all apps that I found and paid for myself.

The 10 Best iPhone Apps for Preschoolers

Each title is linked to the app's iTunes preview page.

1. Tozzle

   Tozzle is a series of puzzles with sound effects, and it has been Grace's #1 go-to, all-time favorite app. She started playing it around her first birthday, and she has been playing it ever since. Each update brings new puzzles and new features. I love this app. $1.99

2. Bob Books #1

   We just got Bob, and it quickly became one of Grace's favorites. I can see her learning the basics of spelling and phonics and reading as she plays. She talks it out, and she gets frustrated. {Being a teacher, I know that great learning comes from a little frustration.} We had to do this app together at first, but that means it is a challenge for Grace. I noticed that this version is #1, so I'm eager to see #2. It's that good. $1.99

3. TeachMe: Kindergarten

   This app is really hard for Grace. She needs help to do it, and she's sometimes reluctant to play. {Like her mother, she doesn't appreciate hard work.} At first, I thought it was a wee bit too challenging, so I bought its cousin, TeachMe: Toddlers. The toddler version is way too easy, but Grace likes to play it, especially when she's grumpy or tired. It gives her lots of positive reinforcement, and she gets stickers for every four right answers. There are settings that allow me to make the Toddler version harder, and I'm happy to say that she'll grow into the kindergarten app. $0.99 each.

4. SUPER WHY! for iPad - PBS KIDS

   This game is based on the PBS series with the same name, and it is very similar to the games on the Super Why website. From the start, Grace has been able to do the games by herself, so she plays them a lot. $2.99

5. Monkey Preschool Lunchbox

   This was one of the first learning apps I bought {in desperation, at the eye doctor's office}. It has all kinds of challenges, including counting, letter identification, color identification, and more. Grace likes that it reads the instructions to her. $0.99

6. Wheels on the Bus - Duck Duck Moose

   This is an audible book and game in one. Each screen is a line from the song, and it is interactive. It includes music, and you can even record yourself singing. This is another app that Grace has been playing since her first birthday. We all love it. $0.99

7. Baa Baa Black Sheep

   Because we like Wheels on the Bus so much, I checked out the developer's other offerings. This app is by that same company {Duck, Duck, Moose}, and it is similar. It is a game where you have to find certain objects in the pages, but the objects change each time you play. $1.99

8. Memory Pro

   Grace doesn't play this as often as the others. It is a standard memory game, with cute characters and options for customization. There is a paid version, but I couldn't see how it was better than the free one.

9. First Words Animals

   This app was Grace's introduction to phonics. I had purchased the entire Hooked on Phonics learning set, and she wouldn't go near them. She hated those books. Because I didn't want learning to be a fight (and because I knew she was ready to learn letters and phonics), I added this app to her screen on my phone. When she taps a letter, she hears the letter's name. The app shows her where to put the letters, and it reads the word back to her. Terrific. $1.99

10. Balloonimals

    This is an amazing app. You select a balloon, blow into the microphone to inflate it, then shake the phone to twist it into an animal. Once the animal is made, tapping it in different spots makes it interact with you. Some make sounds, jump around, and blow bubbles. The joey jumps into and out of his mother's pouch. They're all fun. Grace has been amazed by this for years, and several updates have brought new, more complex, animals. $1.99

What are your kids' favorite apps?