apps for a 2yr old toddler

November 5, 2012 3:56 PM

Can you recommend some iPad apps for a 2 year old toddler?

I'm looking for iPad apps to keep my 2 yr old daughter entertained. Not games, but more apps that are interactive and she can poke things to discover new stuff. Also I can't stand those apps that try to upsell you, so I prefer apps that I can buy once and that's it. She likes The fantastic flying books of Morris Lessmore, and that talking cat app. Thanks!

posted by dhruva to computers & internet (23 answers total)

Yes I can. I also have a 2 year old who loves my iPad.

Some of these have ads but the best thing to do is just out the iPad in airplane mode when you give it to her. That eliminates or disables the ads.

There is a great series of apps called Cats, Dogs, Horses, etc. that are just slides how's of animal pictures to page through.

Yo Gabba Gabba has a free app

There are self-reading Dr. Seuss books - ABC and Green Eggs and Ham. Not free.

More:
ABC Touch
AlphaBaby free
Farm Flip
TP-Shapes
Noisy Book
Look Baby
posted by bq at 4:04 PM on November 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

I here ewe
My playhome
Trucks, wheels on the bus and itsy bitsy spider by duck, duck, moose
The fisher price ones
Paint sparkels

Are all favourites with my 20 month old.
posted by saradarlin at 4:04 PM on November 5, 2012

Preschool 15 in 1 has been a hit for months for my 2 year old. There are a variety of games/puzzles within it with varying degrees of difficulty. He also likes one called Shape Puzzle and one called Baby Fishing. But mostly he likes to watch videos of trains on YouTube. Choo choo!
posted by chiababe at 4:07 PM on November 5, 2012

There are my toddler's favorites:
123 Color Int'l
Preschool Monkey Lunchbox
Preschool kitty apps
Lola Panda apps (math, puzzles, alphabet)
Agnitus Learning Games for Preschool to Kindergarten
Draw along with Stella and Sam
ABC wildlife
Kitty likes learning
Count 123 HD
iLearn with Boing Apps (letters/phonics/words & numbers)
anything by Toca Boca - especially Toca Hair & Toca Kitchen
Bamba Pizza/ice cream
Felt Board
my PlayHome
Gravitarium2
posted by belladonna at 4:19 PM on November 5, 2012

Injini is a great free app for toddlers (and an even better, but pricy, non-free one). It's games, but aimed at building motor skills and pattern recognition.

SmackTalk is a goofy voice-repeating app that I can only describe as toddler crack.
posted by Mchelly at 4:21 PM on November 5, 2012

My 23-month-old likes Interactive Alphabet from Piikea St. and First Words from Serendipity Apps.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 4:31 PM on November 5, 2012

My toddler loves Peekaboo Barn. $1.99 one time price, although I think you can spend extra and buy different languages if you want.
posted by that's how you get ants at 4:35 PM on November 5, 2012

I taught a 2 year old to use the iPad (when I say I taught her, what I mean is that she taught herself as I watched) using the app Paper 53.

It's a great drawing app, and it kept her entertained for hours.

As did Siri.
posted by guster4lovers at 4:36 PM on November 5, 2012

TeachMe: Toddler

They have a whole sequence of apps, from toddler through 2nd grade, and they're FANTASTIC.
posted by leahwrenn at 4:39 PM on November 5, 2012

My 22 month old is bananas for The Monster At the End of This Book and its sequel, Another Monster at the End of this Book, which I think are actually even better than the books because of the interactive component.

He also really likes Dragon Brush (which comes with a drawing app)

I here Ewe is popular but drives me crazy

Peekaboo Barn and Peekaboo Forest are also popular.
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 4:48 PM on November 5, 2012

Little Fox
Nighty Night
posted by hifimofo at 4:50 PM on November 5, 2012

Everything by Toca Boca is perfect for that age range.
ABC Zooborns, ABC Go, or ABC Whatever by Peapod Labs are full of kid-friendly youtube videos around a particular theme and are good for lots of entertaining.
Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, The Moogies, Interactive Alphabet by Pikea St are other favorites of my toddler.
posted by logic vs love at 5:02 PM on November 5, 2012

Check out the apps from duck duck moose. Wheels on the bus, itsy bitsy spider, and baa baa black sheep were all big hits.
posted by dpx.mfx at 5:50 PM on November 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

My two year old loves the Cat In the Hat app. She can poke at stuff in the illustration and it tells her the word.
posted by Nickel Pickle at 5:52 PM on November 5, 2012

Uzu. You can make cool patterns on the screen using different numbers of fingers. Bonus: adults dig it, too.
posted by dfriedman at 6:41 PM on November 5, 2012

Reading Rainbow. For young children, the app can read the books for the child.
posted by inturnaround at 8:01 PM on November 5, 2012

Check your me-mail for promo codes.
posted by alms at 9:11 PM on November 5, 2012

Everything by Toca Boca. No upselling or ads, and so fun! I particularly like Toca Monsters, Toca Band and Toca Tea-Party.
posted by Joh at 9:17 PM on November 5, 2012

Also came in to say the Seuss books. The Byron Barton set is great too (Planes; Trains; Trucks; Boats). I noticed today that the company that makes those has something called a bookshelf app which helps you find all their kids stuff easier. Apparently there's a Seuss one and a generic one. Looks pretty cute.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 9:22 PM on November 5, 2012

Duck Duck Moose apps are great for toddlers, especially Itsy Bitsy Spider, Baa Baa Black Sheep and Old MacDonald. There are also some more learning-oriented ones for when she gets a little older. I especially liked Park Math.

Toca Boca Train is a hit with our 18 month old as well, and Toca Boca Robot was fun for my older child for a while too.

Others that your child may like:
My Playhome
Talking Carl
Cake Fun

We have The Cat in the Hat, but my now-4-year-old never really liked it, and my toddler hasn't really taken to it yet.

Some games that my older one grew into over the last 2 years are Fruit Ninja, Cut the rope, and (god help me) Kingdom Rush.
posted by sauril at 11:54 PM on November 5, 2012

Nthing Duck Duck Moose and
Monkey preschool lunchbox
Super Why
Flashcards by iTot Apps. They have a few good apps. My daughter almost wore out the screen on that one.
posted by hypersloth at 11:17 AM on November 6, 2012

Oh also, Koi Pond and Bubbles. Both are simple, single-serving touch-and-something-happens apps.
posted by hypersloth at 11:24 AM on November 6, 2012

Thanks a ton for the suggestions! I will check through this list and update on what the youngling liked.
posted by dhruva at 9:41 AM on November 7, 2012