Help entertain a 15 month old on a 5hr plane ride
October 9, 2021 7:09 PM Subscribe
A very good (and pregnant) friend will be traveling with her 18mo daughter to California via plane next week. She is asking for suggestions for apps to put on an iPad to entertain her daughter just in case all hell breaks loose.
Her very active (and awesome!) kiddo gets very, very little screen time - and it's usually just limited to screen savers of zoo animals. She's been on a plane before, but only for maybe an hour or two at a time and it was during nap time. This time, it will be for maybe five hours -- and that's a looooong time for a toddler.
My friend has asked if I would be willing to ask Mefites about apps that she could load onto an iPad Mini for her daughter as a last resort to entertain her during the flight. She prefers something that is aimed at 12-18-month-old toddlers and won't fry kiddo's brain. It's occurred to me that her daughter may not cooperate with headphones -- I'm pretty sure she's never experienced them, so apps that don't require a lot of sound (I don't think surrounding seatmates would be thrilled with obnoxious kid noise) would be nice.
It's been almost two decades since I've been in that realm and it used to be Baby Einstein when my kids looked at laptops or TVs (we didn't even have iPads!).
Thanks for any recommendations!
Her very active (and awesome!) kiddo gets very, very little screen time - and it's usually just limited to screen savers of zoo animals. She's been on a plane before, but only for maybe an hour or two at a time and it was during nap time. This time, it will be for maybe five hours -- and that's a looooong time for a toddler.
My friend has asked if I would be willing to ask Mefites about apps that she could load onto an iPad Mini for her daughter as a last resort to entertain her during the flight. She prefers something that is aimed at 12-18-month-old toddlers and won't fry kiddo's brain. It's occurred to me that her daughter may not cooperate with headphones -- I'm pretty sure she's never experienced them, so apps that don't require a lot of sound (I don't think surrounding seatmates would be thrilled with obnoxious kid noise) would be nice.
It's been almost two decades since I've been in that realm and it used to be Baby Einstein when my kids looked at laptops or TVs (we didn't even have iPads!).
Thanks for any recommendations!
Best answer: I think Toca Tea Party was a favorite for young ones.
Animal videos downloaded.
Small bags of toys metered out every 45 minutes or so was my go to with toddlers
posted by nickggully at 8:21 PM on October 9, 2021
Animal videos downloaded.
Small bags of toys metered out every 45 minutes or so was my go to with toddlers
posted by nickggully at 8:21 PM on October 9, 2021
Best answer: I'd recommend practicing with the iPad before the trip, otherwise the kid might not even have the prerequisite training to be enthralled.
I held off letting my kid have any phone/tablet access at all for a long time and was a bit chagrined when it didn't work like magic on a plane bc he had no prior experience.
posted by SaltySalticid at 8:35 PM on October 9, 2021 [7 favorites]
I held off letting my kid have any phone/tablet access at all for a long time and was a bit chagrined when it didn't work like magic on a plane bc he had no prior experience.
posted by SaltySalticid at 8:35 PM on October 9, 2021 [7 favorites]
Best answer: I use downloaded picture books, or drawing apps or typing apps.
Most recent flight with an 18 month old I started out with books, then toys, then an animal documentary on the screen, then toys with noise, then ebooks on an iPad then typing into the note app on my phone (he looooooves that) then last resort brain-frying cartoons. He learned to hold the earbuds to his ear in about 2 minutes.
posted by stray at 8:44 PM on October 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
Most recent flight with an 18 month old I started out with books, then toys, then an animal documentary on the screen, then toys with noise, then ebooks on an iPad then typing into the note app on my phone (he looooooves that) then last resort brain-frying cartoons. He learned to hold the earbuds to his ear in about 2 minutes.
posted by stray at 8:44 PM on October 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
Best answer: PBS Kids, which has both a game app and a separate video app, is perfect for this and entirely free. You can go into the apps and download individual games/episodes to be accessible offline. Both apps have a pretty wide range of age-appropriate options. And, anecdotally, our toddler is usually content to play or watch even without sound (said toddler usually takes off the headphones we offer).
Additional options: looking at family photos and videos via the iPad's Photos app, playing with the stopwatch and timer on the Clock app, or watching Netflix episodes of something animal or music-themed (again, our toddler has enjoyed these even without sound on).
posted by pril at 8:58 PM on October 9, 2021 [2 favorites]
Additional options: looking at family photos and videos via the iPad's Photos app, playing with the stopwatch and timer on the Clock app, or watching Netflix episodes of something animal or music-themed (again, our toddler has enjoyed these even without sound on).
posted by pril at 8:58 PM on October 9, 2021 [2 favorites]
We had 2 toddlers with sensory issues and hardly any attention spans and they loved BabyTV and we downloaded the BabyTV app and within that a bunch of the cartoons- trust me- it’s worth it and perfect for that age. Get her a set of headphones too. Worst was when they liked the cartoon but couldn’t hear it over the noise on the plane.
posted by pairofshades at 3:56 AM on October 10, 2021
posted by pairofshades at 3:56 AM on October 10, 2021
Best answer: Toca Boca has a bunch of apps - download a bunch as different kids are different. Toca Lab, Toca Pet Hospital, Toca Cars, were all popular with my kid.
As a parent who has asked or considered asking similar questions: you have my sympathy with the answers here that are not giving you the names of apps and are instead suggesting other things to entertain the kid. I’m sure they’re well meaning but I know I found it tremendously frustrating.
posted by sciencegeek at 6:59 AM on October 10, 2021
As a parent who has asked or considered asking similar questions: you have my sympathy with the answers here that are not giving you the names of apps and are instead suggesting other things to entertain the kid. I’m sure they’re well meaning but I know I found it tremendously frustrating.
posted by sciencegeek at 6:59 AM on October 10, 2021
Mod note: Several deleted. Folks, OP is specifically asking for App suggestions, as much as the additional advise is well-intentioned, let's keep things on track.
posted by travelingthyme (staff) at 7:25 AM on October 10, 2021
posted by travelingthyme (staff) at 7:25 AM on October 10, 2021
Best answer: Seuss ABC - reads the Seuss book and has bonus places where you can touch the page to interact.
Peekaboo Barn - hear an animal noise. Tap on barn doors. Open to cute animation of animal whole animal name is spoken. Doors close. And repeat.
SoundTouch - looks like a phone screen. Icons of animals, or instruments. Click on icon to see a real life picture of animal/object and hear a sound. Each icon has multiple pictures behind it so clicking on the dog cycles through 4-6 dog pictures and noises.
Metamorphabet- shows a letter and as you click on the letter different actions happen.
Also - familiarize yourself with guided access. Set up in system menu. When this is on child can’t click volume buttons or home button. Essentially stuck in app. Otherwise you will spend a lot of time getting back into app after child hits home button.
Also, the camera can be quite entertaining. Turn on selfie mode and make silly faces.
posted by MadMadam at 7:37 AM on October 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Peekaboo Barn - hear an animal noise. Tap on barn doors. Open to cute animation of animal whole animal name is spoken. Doors close. And repeat.
SoundTouch - looks like a phone screen. Icons of animals, or instruments. Click on icon to see a real life picture of animal/object and hear a sound. Each icon has multiple pictures behind it so clicking on the dog cycles through 4-6 dog pictures and noises.
Metamorphabet- shows a letter and as you click on the letter different actions happen.
Also - familiarize yourself with guided access. Set up in system menu. When this is on child can’t click volume buttons or home button. Essentially stuck in app. Otherwise you will spend a lot of time getting back into app after child hits home button.
Also, the camera can be quite entertaining. Turn on selfie mode and make silly faces.
posted by MadMadam at 7:37 AM on October 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Sago Mini Superhero or Forest Flyer - either super rabbit or cute bird fly across screen. You can tap where you want critter to go. Critter interacts with certain things that are tapped. In Superhero for instance if you tap on the car the rabbit gets in and starts driving. In Forest Flyer if you tap on a tree branch then the bird lands on a branch. Kind of an endless loop as the critters never hit an end point.
posted by MadMadam at 7:48 AM on October 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by MadMadam at 7:48 AM on October 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
I see these have already been suggested, but seconding both: 1) Sago mini games are really great for toddlers, they're simple and not overstimulating. 2) Load some baby photos or videos on there, my kid loved looking at those.
posted by omnie at 12:25 PM on October 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by omnie at 12:25 PM on October 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Don't forget extra battery packs to keep the phone charged while using all the apps.
posted by CathyG at 8:56 PM on October 10, 2021
posted by CathyG at 8:56 PM on October 10, 2021
If they have Disney+, we've downloaded a season of Bluey on it and it's a great kids show. Keeps my 20 month old happy during long road trips, that's for sure, and it's not super freaky annoying (of course, YMMV, but I highly recommend it as something parents can learn something from as well).
As far as apps go, Khan Academy is at the very least truly free, not a terrible freemium model. My son loves Duplo, so Duplo World seems to hit a spot with him as well... but yeah, I'd agree with the people saying if they've never had the screen before, they may not know what to DO with it. Passive TV a la Bluey or Go Go Cory Carson keeps him interested far longer than any active app where he eventually gets frustrated. I figure I'm forcing him to be strapped in a chair for hours on end, least I can do is provide something to take his mind of what's certainly kind of unpleasant.
posted by aggyface at 11:32 AM on October 12, 2021
As far as apps go, Khan Academy is at the very least truly free, not a terrible freemium model. My son loves Duplo, so Duplo World seems to hit a spot with him as well... but yeah, I'd agree with the people saying if they've never had the screen before, they may not know what to DO with it. Passive TV a la Bluey or Go Go Cory Carson keeps him interested far longer than any active app where he eventually gets frustrated. I figure I'm forcing him to be strapped in a chair for hours on end, least I can do is provide something to take his mind of what's certainly kind of unpleasant.
posted by aggyface at 11:32 AM on October 12, 2021
Balloon pop is a smash amongst my nieces of that age...you just pop balloons to nice music and the background slowly changes. Nothing really educational about it except fine motor control practise but it also isnt drive you made annoying. ... Free and no ads.
posted by Lesium at 3:58 PM on October 13, 2021
posted by Lesium at 3:58 PM on October 13, 2021
However you feel about screen time, IMHO opinion, a little brain rotting >>>> a toddler screaming and trying to escape their seat for several hours of a flight, so I am happy to recommend specific apps!
Toca Boca seem to be the least annoying and most “open ended play” like of kiddie apps. They have a million different games, but I recommend Toca Kitchen, Toca Monsters (free!), Toca Sushi, Pet Doctor.
I paid a few bucks for something called Baby Blocks which is essentially a simple puzzle that will not frustrate small children.
Also good, free, no ads: PBS Kids Games, the Sesame Street app (though, not all of the content works offline.)
There is a very pleasant drawing app called Zen Studio, simple dragging across geometric shapes that plays soft, tinkly music. (There is a free and paid version.)
I also agree with connecting your photo library/uploading a bunch of family photos.
posted by thewrongparty at 3:55 PM on October 14, 2021
Toca Boca seem to be the least annoying and most “open ended play” like of kiddie apps. They have a million different games, but I recommend Toca Kitchen, Toca Monsters (free!), Toca Sushi, Pet Doctor.
I paid a few bucks for something called Baby Blocks which is essentially a simple puzzle that will not frustrate small children.
Also good, free, no ads: PBS Kids Games, the Sesame Street app (though, not all of the content works offline.)
There is a very pleasant drawing app called Zen Studio, simple dragging across geometric shapes that plays soft, tinkly music. (There is a free and paid version.)
I also agree with connecting your photo library/uploading a bunch of family photos.
posted by thewrongparty at 3:55 PM on October 14, 2021
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kdar at 8:20 PM on October 9, 2021