How to properly introduce your child to gadgets + proven apps for toddlers

Mobile phones have become an integral part of our lives. Children often see the devices in our hands and take a fierce interest in them. Parents all over the world are concerned about the question - where to find that golden mean so that children use mobile applications for development and do not become game zombies.

What the research says

The American Academy of Pediatrics provides parents of preschoolers with American Academy of Pediatrics Announces New Recommendations for Children’s Media Use on screen time. Children under 18 months are not recommended to use devices at all. From 1, 5 to 2 years, they are allowed to view some content. But only on the condition that applications and games are carefully selected and any children's interaction with the screen takes place with comments from adults.

Children from 2 to 5 years old can spend up to an hour a day behind screens, but also under supervision and with explanations. The ideal option is to play with gadgets with your child. Children 6 years and older are advised to set certain time limits and designate special times and places without using screens.

The Pali Institute conducted an experiment Five days at outdoor education camp without screens improves preteen skills with nonverbal emotion cues with children and mobile devices. The study found that children who spent five days in the outdoor camp without using gadgets improved their ability to express and read non-verbal emotions compared to those who used gadgets as usual.

The Lighting Research Center conducted a study on Light level and duration of exposure determine the impact of self-luminous tablets on melatonin suppression of light exposure of screens to humans. During the experiment, it was found that screens with bright backlighting reduced the concentration of melatonin (sleep hormone) when used for more than two hours. Watching phones before bed increases your risk of insomnia and headaches.

Well-designed, age-appropriate educational apps help Exploring play

and creativity in pre-schoolers’use of apps: Report for early years practitioners to children in socialization, develop empathy, tolerance and respect for others. Mobile apps can calm a child who is agitated or uncomfortable, for example during a medical procedure. Age-appropriate fitness apps with yoga or exercise can increase your child's physical activity.

Rules to follow

I try to adhere to a few rules that help children use the phone in a harmonious and useful way. These principles apply alongside agreements regarding food, sleep and safety.

Of course, sometimes I break these rules. But children do not like this - they immediately begin to argue, they are reluctant to give the phone back, and they have to spend several days to return to the interrupted harmonious life. So following your own rules is the most difficult thing in our business, but the result has a positive effect on the relationship with the child.

1. Set clear time frames

For my preschoolers, that's 30-60 minutes a day. On weekdays, I try not to give a mobile phone at all, but if there is time left, we can watch several episodes of short cartoons on the big screen with the whole family. Mostly mobile applications and games are used when we are in a queue or in a traffic jam.

2. Choose age-appropriate apps

For preschoolers, short games are best suited that will not take the child for a long time, but at the same time they will teach numbers, letters, colors, a sense of harmony, useful household skills, or will carry away an adventure that is understandable for this age. When children play on my phone, I turn off the Internet, and in most applications ads are blocked, and little ones are not distracted by inappropriate content.

3. Play with your children

When the kids get to know the app, I play with them. I explain incomprehensible things, draw parallels with the world around me, answer endless questions and at the same time study the game for age-appropriateness myself. This way children are better aware of what is happening on the screen and relate to their lives.

4. Combine games and reality

I try to take the plot and characters of games off the screen at least a couple of times a week. This solves several problems at once:

You don't have to figure out what to play. Remember the last game and sculpt the hero from plasticine. It doesn't look very similar, but the main thing is to have some fun in the process!
A small joint activity with me is enough for the children for a long time, then they themselves continue to play based on what they saw and develop the plot at their own discretion.
When toddlers are naughty, games can help convince children, such as brushing their teeth or cleaning the room. It is worth remembering how Caramel from the game "Three Cats" did it, and children begin to put the toys in their places with great enthusiasm.

Verified Apps

I have prepared a selection of my children's favorite applications. With the help of them, they learn new things, go in for sports, and I am not worried about the content and aesthetic side of the issue. The developers from this list still have many nice games, all of them are in their profiles in the App Store and Google Play.

1. Talking ABC

The most fun way to learn letters. Application for learning the alphabet, decorated with plasticine. The announcer calls letters, reads poetry, and the animals grimace. With these animals, kids will learn all the letters at the age of two.

2. Sago Mini Doodlecast

Drawing app for kids from the famous developer Sago Mini. It differs from others in that it records the voice of a child during use. Children often recount the plot of what they are drawing, and sometimes they get very funny stories that can be saved as a keepsake.

3. Toca Band

A bit crazy, but very harmonious musical ensemble. You can create your own music tracks from sounds made by fantastic cartoon characters. Melodies sit in the head for a long time.

4. Little Fox Music box

Popular children's songs in English. Characters move, animals make sounds, you can sing along. Children's voice recordings are retained.

5. Little Fire Station

The application tells about the work of the fire station. You can control firefighters, help them get ready for a call, rescue animals, extinguish the fire and rejoice at the victory. Good for distracting and calming.

6. Pepi Bath

The hygiene routine is played here. You need to help a girl or boy brush their teeth, take a shower, go to the toilet and wash. Sometimes I turn on this game when it is difficult to get the children into the bath.

7. Three Cats: Sea Adventure

Kittens go to explore the sea and go through simple mini-tasks. My children love a cartoon about three kittens, and I turn on the games of this series when I want to captivate them for a long time. For 15 minutes the children play a game, each time they carefully study the tasks, and then for a long time they independently come up with the continuation of the plot.

8. Small airport

In the application, you can manage airport services and pilots. We often fly by plane, and children are very interested in everything related to flying. Therefore, they play it often and ask endless questions.

Small airport wonderkind GmbH

9. Chomp

A fun creative app from renowned illustrator Christopher Nyman. You can safely turn it on when you just want to relax and laugh.

CHOMP by Christoph Niemann Fox & Sheep

CHOMP by Christoph Niemann Fox and Sheep GmbH

10. Sago Mini Bug Builder

The point is to create your own bug, help it hatch from the egg and play with it. Children love this game - they are pleased to see how their creations come to life, begin to make sounds and move.

Sago Mini Bug Builder Sago Mini

11. Infant Zoo

Application for toddlers. You click on an animal, and it makes its sound. The set of animals is classic, all the characters are cute.

Infant Zoo: Sounds For Baby treebetty LLC

12. Mole and numbers

An educational game based on the Czech cartoon about a mole by Zdenek Miller. The application will introduce you to numbers and teach you how to count from 1 to 10. Nothing more.

13. Good night, circus

We use this application to relax a little before bed. Children put circus animals to bed, and they show them tricks. Yawning elephants and a quiet lullaby immerse you in an atmosphere of sleep. Good Night Circus is designed by Oscar-nominated artist Heidi Wittlinger.

Good Night Circus Fox & Sheep

14. Land by Tinybop

An incredibly beautiful application that shows the structure of the Earth: where volcanoes come from, how weathering and erosion are arranged, what layers of soil exist. Tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanoes can be triggered. It is mesmerizing.

Land of Tinybop Inc.

Land from Tinybop Tinybop Inc.

15. Happy Kids Timer

This app will help when kids refuse to do their morning routines. A to-do list is established and a certain time to complete. The good thing about the application is that you can set your own tasks and timeframe. There is also a motivation system - for the performance, children will receive stars and a certificate that can be printed to the delight of the grandmother.

Happy Kids Timer - Motivation for the morning procedures Kids Smart Zone

16. Disney Magic Timer

This app is made for the diligent brushing of your teeth. You choose a character (you can scan your toothbrush to open a new one), brush your teeth for two minutes, and during the brushing, a new sticker gradually opens. Oddly enough, this simple app has been our favorites for two years now.

Disney magic timer disney

Disney Magic Timer by Oral-B Disney

17. Sworkit Kids

I sometimes do charging using apps in my phone, and the children, of course, want to repeat after me. This app is designed for kids and offers a selection of simple (and not so good!) Exercises. For everyone who loves to crawl like a crab, ride like a grasshopper and stand like a heron. All exercises are shown by children.

18. Characters

A beautiful app with puzzles for toddlers. Kids love watching scraps of paper come to life, and thanks to this game, my kids love to make collages from scraps and other scrap materials.

19. Fiete Match

A game of Memo with different difficulty levels. Suitable for all kids and those who already know how to count and have mastered addition. You have to compete with the sailor who sits on the other side of the screen and often loses.

20. MarcoPolo Weather

With this application, children learn to understand weather phenomena: what happens to an umbrella during a strong wind, how to melt an igloo, how to dress a character depending on the weather. You can raise a hurricane or create extreme heat.