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h-app-y birthday: elmo reading app

 Reading with Walnuts, The Smart Walnut, Wired Walnuts
Apr 262012
 

If your preschooler is forever calling dibs on your iPad, and you’re in search of a satisfying game that doesn’t give you mommy guilt, check out the latest reading app for the 5 and under crowd. Elmo’s Big Birthday Bash from Random House is packed with plenty of learning-based activities to keep your little party-goer in gaming heaven. With 30 pages of interactive entertainment, kids can celebrate Elmo’s special day as they play guessing games, expand their vocabularies and, best of all, have fun while doing it. There are plenty of surprises along the way, and not just for the birthday boy. Our favorite part? No after-party sugar shock to contend with. We like to think of it as a screen-time reward for anyone who earned a ticket from their teacher this week–or an incentive for those who need a learning boost.

In a Nutshell: Hand over the iPad, and let’s get this party started! The latest reading app starring Elmo is great fun for Sesame fans.

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i see iowa, i see maine: license plate game app

 The Playful Walnut, The Smart Walnut, Wired Walnuts
Mar 152012
 

What would a road trip with the kids be without playing the license plate game? For as long as I can remember, my sister, brother and I passed the time seeing how many different state plates we could spot on those long treks down I-95. The game always seemed to start off slow–how many times could we spot New York and New Jersey before getting out of the tri-state area?–but before long, it got a lot more interesting as we headed south. If you’ve tried unsuccessfully to engage your tech-savvy kid in this classic game, it’s time to kick things up a notch, smartphone-style. Introducing pl8s, a kid-friendly travel app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch that gives a virtual shout-out to U.S. geography. When you spot a particular state’s license plate, tap on the state on pl8s and find out how many points you’ve earned, along with a fun fact about that state. You can earn more points depending on the rarity of the state plate or your distance from that state. And don’t worry about your kid hogging up the entire game; pl8s can be played by up to 4 people. (Sure beats watching that same Big Time Rush movie over and over…)

In a Nutshell: A new twist on an old travel game favorite, pl8s takes your mind places, without having to leave the backseat. It’s available for download in the Apple App Store.

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a monster app for your little monster

 The Playful Walnut, Wired Walnuts
Mar 212011
 

If I had a dime for every time my 6-year-old asks my husband if she can play Angry Birds, I’d be able to pay for her first semester of college. OK, well maybe just her textbooks, but you get the idea. I shudder to think what will happen once she has her own Smartphone someday. Until hell freezes over, we’ll keep her gaming time limited to apps designed just for kids, like the new Moody Monster Manor that launches this Friday, March 25. Aimed at 3-6 year-olds, this is one app that’s bound to amuse even the most fidgety preschooler. Your child may find his likeness amongst one of the 20 monsters dwelling in this make-believe playhouse where they can join them on any number of adventures. Help Confused Carl throw a monster bash that’s to die for, or allay Worried Wanda’s fears by whipping through her homework with her. Kids can create and name their own monsters, too. Now they can finally see what it’s like to care for a little devil…ahem, we mean angel of their own.

In a Nutshell: Angry Birds overload? Here’s a fun kiddie app that may just satisfy your own finicky little gamer.

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