When we travel, I always make certain we have access to a white noise device to make sleeping easier and to help drown out all the unfamiliar sounds. I’ve purchased a few soothing sounds off iTunes and I loop them on my iPod. With “White Noise Baby”, I have 17 different sounds at my fingertips and instead of looping them, I listen continuously using the timer for as much time as I’ll need. There are various sounds offered with some being repetitive (grandfather clock, heartbeat) and some monotonous (hair dryer, air conditioner, car ride). This app also offers a few extra features like “baby tips” for sleeping and safety, and a mesmerizing baby rattle. I like that I can play this application while it’s docked to my speaker set, or I can play it at sufficient volume independently. I noticed that the Apple Store reviews for this app are polarized and users seem to either love it or hate it. “White Noise Baby” is a functional, simple, and straightforward app that offers several white noise sounds that will help soothe a young child. If this is what you’re looking for, then this app will most likely work for you.

By Age Range, By App Feature, For Parents, Health, Preschool, Reviews, Toddlers

Dictionary.com is a reference application that includes a dictionary, thesaurus, and word-of-the-day option, and also keeps a log of the most recent word searches. Reference words are quickly and easily accessed directly from the app, which can potentially save the user time and frustration from dealing with an unreliable internet connection. The best feature of all – and what helps make this app superior to traditional book versions – is the audio pronunciation. Now, not only do I understand what I’m reading and writing, but I can impress my peers with profound, polysyllabic words without fear of butchering the pronunciation. One might argue this application is the best-of-its-kind, but there’s absolutely no doubt that Dictionary.com is a “must-have” for students and curious minds of all ages.

By Age Range, By App Feature, For Parents, High School +, Middle School, Phonics, Primary School, Reading, Reviews

Mathemagics is an application that teaches tricks and strategies for mental math calculation. It’s based on basic math skills and only requires understanding of simple math (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division). Users are guided step-by-step through each lesson to solve the problem, then there’s the opportunity to use acquired skills in the practice section. The math calculations steps are easy to follow and logically explained. I was stuck a few times while practicing but I found it easy enough to toggle back to the lesson section to refresh my understanding of the calculation. Seriously, I’m the kind of gal who whips out her iPhone calculator to figure out a restaurant tip – it’s staggering that I can do such complex math problems with such ease and enjoyment. This app would likely appeal to teenagers and adults preparing for the math section on standardized tests, or those looking for a geeky good time.

By Age Range, By App Feature, For Parents, High School +, Math, Middle School, Reviews

Baby Names Finder is a resource tool to help parents select the perfect name for their little bundle of joy. It includes names for boys and girls, name significance/meaning, pronunciation, a popularity index, a search feature, and a “favorites” file. The application is well-organized and it’s easy to navigate through the extensive catalog of diverse, multinational names. One of the finest features of Baby Names Finder is the ability to email a list of your favorite names to your loved ones for their approval…or jeering. The portable format of the iPhone app lends itself nicely to the subject matter; it’s much easier to brainstorm names when the inspiration strikes than to spend date-night with your hubby sorting through a mountain of cumbersome baby name books!

By Age Range, For Parents, Reviews

Pediatric SymptomMD is a physician-endorsed reference tool that caregivers can use to identify and treat their children’s health problems. It has five main categories including a symptom identification index, a “seek help” telephone directory, a pediatric medication dosage table, an option to connect with your pediatrician’s phone number, and a section with special pediatric topics. I’m impressed by the intuitive design and wealth of information offered in this application. It thoroughly defines each health problem (sometimes including visual images), then prioritizes each symptom by advising when and what help might be needed. I’ve successfully used this application twice now – each time following the care advice given – and it worked beautifully! Of course, Pediatric SymptomMD can’t replace the guidance of your health professional, but it’s a helpful resource for overwhelmed caregivers struggling to decide “what do I do next?” It’s a small price to pay for such peace of mind.

By Age Range, By App Feature, For Parents, Health, High School +, Middle School, Reviews

This application can accurately be described as a “pocket doula” and “childbirth class in a nutshell”. iBirth focuses mostly on preparing for the childbirth experience by providing videos clips with different positions-of-labor, a prenatal nutrition guide, and tips and lists to get ready for a baby’s birth. It fits a unique niche and nicely supplements most pregnancy application resources I’ve experienced that mainly contain information spanning the months prior to delivery. I especially appreciate the spiritual, enlightened tone to this application with soulful insights and positive affirmations that help to build confidence in mothers and their partners before and during labor. I also value how the publishers are open, supportive, and respectful of different birth plans and embrace a women’s choice or necessity for different modes of childbirth (from natural to medicated).

For Parents, Health, Reviews

Skizzle is a game that allows you to make a puzzle from a picture in your photo library, Google images, or one taken on-the-spot. You can choose skill and mode settings from easy to hard, and there are timed options so you can compete against yourself or a friend. What’s super-special about this game is that you can send a mystery puzzle photo to a friend or family and they need to solve the puzzle to view the picture. What out-of-town relative wouldn’t want to unscramble the latest adorable pose of your little one? Anyone who enjoys puzzles will love this app and children will exercise important skills such as problem solving, flexible thinking, and deductive reasoning while having fun. I find the option to customize the puzzle by taking a meaningful image especially clever, appealing, and attractive. Send a puzzle picture to a loved one and they will have two great joys and discoveries in one – what a treasure!

Creativity, For Parents, High School +, Just For Fun, Middle School, Preschool, Primary School, Reviews, Toddlers

iKidNY is a caregiver guide for child-related resources such as outdoor and indoor activities, kid-friendly restaurants, changing tables and subway elevators in New York City, and includes all five boroughs. I had the opportunity to use this app during a recent visit to Manhattan and Brooklyn in NYC. Since I don’t really know the city, my sister who is a New York mama assisted me with a run through. My first impression was that iKidNY is a valuable tool to navigate a large and overwhelming place and a fantastic starting point for out-of-towners (like me) who don’t know their way around. My sister had a different perspective and some valid points. She agreed that it was a good starting place for visitors but she was underwhelmed by the limited information that was offered for residents. Information for some neighborhoods and boroughs was more comprehensive than other for others, many privately-owned, kid-friendly restaurants and activity centers were overlooked, and some key resources like public libraries were omitted. So what’s the bottom line? This is a effective tool for city visitors, especially those visiting Manhattan, and could evolve into something more useful for residents with further additions and updates.

For Parents, Reviews

It’s Pickin’ Time! That means you need to choose your assigned veggie out of the garden patch without accidentally pickin’ the wrong piece of produce. That’s all, huh? Not so fast….this game falls into that simple-yet-brilliant category and just about everything about this app is beautifully crafted and executed. The graphics are colorful and vivid, the interface is easy to use, instructions are clear, prompts are easy to navigate and the twang of the bluegrass music is upbeat and cheerful. Have I yet mentioned how addictively fun it is to play? Beyond entertaining, this game also helps to hone memory and dexterity, as well as color and shape identification. This is the first app I’ve experienced from the developer Iconfactory and I can’t wait to load more. This is a quality buy and well worth every penny.

Counting, For Parents, High School +, Just For Fun, Middle School, Preschool, Primary School, Reviews, Shapes

The Family Matters app contains a variety of entertaining and thought provoking questions and activities that can be used to promote compelling conversations or to just entertain. Topics are tailored for use in different venues such as a restaurant, a doctor’s office and a car/road trip. This app helps to promote more than lively and entertaining discussions within families; the open-ended questions and activities can also help to facilitate creativity, imagination, critical thinking, and a better sense of understanding for all participants. It’s one of the few apps I’ve experienced that’s all inclusive – not just one or two players – and it’s appropriate for young and old alike. Not all of the questions or activities in Family Matters will resonate with every user, and there aren’t a lot of bells and whistles with the interface, but I’m certain most people will find value in what this simple yet brilliant app has to offer.

(As a side note, in December, Weiner Family Studios will be donating half of all proceeds from the sale of Family Matters to Ronald McDonald House Charities. Their goal is to support families who want to spend time with their sick children during the holidays.)

Creativity, For Parents, High School +, Just For Fun, Middle School, Preschool, Primary School, Reviews