Android apps for a six-year-old?
April 5, 2013 3:04 PM Subscribe
I bought my son a low-end Android tablet and now I want to load it up with quality applications. I'm looking for equal parts entertainment, education, and beautiful UI.
He likes drawing, art, nature, science, Pokémon, puppets, maps, animals, monsters, comics, making his own books, and I don't know what all. Something up to about age 10 would probably be fine for him
So, what apps would you recommend? Anything exceptional or particularly outstanding or unusual?
Or do you know a good, regularly updated list online? Nearly all the recommendations or articles I found online were shills, or filled with stupid apps no human child would use, or were filled with apps so ugly you'd have to put a paper bag over the tablet every time you turned it on.
He likes drawing, art, nature, science, Pokémon, puppets, maps, animals, monsters, comics, making his own books, and I don't know what all. Something up to about age 10 would probably be fine for him
So, what apps would you recommend? Anything exceptional or particularly outstanding or unusual?
Or do you know a good, regularly updated list online? Nearly all the recommendations or articles I found online were shills, or filled with stupid apps no human child would use, or were filled with apps so ugly you'd have to put a paper bag over the tablet every time you turned it on.
You could get a drawing program like Paint, Draw, or Picasso. I think I would try Picasso Magic because it gives you cool glowy neon colors on a black background but is simple enough for a small child to draw with a finger.
There is also Create a Comic. It let's you choose background, characters, and items. The selection is limited but for a small child it might be fun. You can also add dialog.
posted by Michele in California at 4:01 PM on April 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
There is also Create a Comic. It let's you choose background, characters, and items. The selection is limited but for a small child it might be fun. You can also add dialog.
posted by Michele in California at 4:01 PM on April 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Nodebeat is a little music thingy.
Kaleidoscope apps aplenty.
iBird, bird identification.
posted by sageleaf at 4:03 PM on April 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Kaleidoscope apps aplenty.
iBird, bird identification.
posted by sageleaf at 4:03 PM on April 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
My three-year-old loves both Bad Piggies and Cut the Rope, and is actually good at them.
posted by mkb at 4:56 PM on April 5, 2013
posted by mkb at 4:56 PM on April 5, 2013
Infinite Painter at $5 is one of the more expensive apps, but my favorite for drawing...sketchbook pro is more popular, but might be a bit advanced. (also, you can't change the image size in SBP which is just dumb). Infinite painter is really easy to use, but does have a bunch of really cool features...the main one is that it doesn't set the size of the drawing until you save...it's like having an infinite-sized sheet of paper...
also you want a stylus (its non-electronic and compatible with android)
for AWESOME android app reviews go to youtube and search for CoolLoserTech ...he's very down to earth and reviews ~10 apps and ~10 games a week...there's about 200 videos...enjoy!
posted by sexyrobot at 6:40 PM on April 5, 2013
also you want a stylus (its non-electronic and compatible with android)
for AWESOME android app reviews go to youtube and search for CoolLoserTech ...he's very down to earth and reviews ~10 apps and ~10 games a week...there's about 200 videos...enjoy!
posted by sexyrobot at 6:40 PM on April 5, 2013
Fruit Ninja - not educational, but fun and easy to understand and manipulate. Also free.
posted by jander03 at 8:01 PM on April 5, 2013
posted by jander03 at 8:01 PM on April 5, 2013
My kids love "Cut The Rope." It is a physics type of strategy game. I also see that DragonBox is available for on Andriod for $5.99. It teaches algebra, but, algebra in a logic way. My son, then 7, who was having great difficulties with math at the beginning of the year, was able to finish DragonBox before I could. Well worth the price.
wife of 445supermag
posted by 445supermag at 8:34 PM on April 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
wife of 445supermag
posted by 445supermag at 8:34 PM on April 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
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posted by deezil at 3:51 PM on April 5, 2013 [1 favorite]