It's hard to tell if Steve Jobs had children in mind while designing the iPad, but developers certainly have while developing apps for hand-held devices. We select some of the most instructive and entertaining of educational apps for preschoolers
TeachMe: Kindergarten Developer: 24x7digital US$0.99
This is one of the most popular educational apps for iPhone and iPad. Its teaching is four-fold: sight words (for pre-kinder and kindergarten kids), addition (upwards to 10), subtraction (from 10 downwards), and spelling (completing words by choosing the first letter). Its reward system involves children 'earning' a coin for every three correct answers. The coins can be used to buy stickers that can then be placed onto fun scenes (a farm, beach, underwater reef, pirate cove and city), or to purchase items for the virtual aquarium.
The Three Little Pigs - Nosy Crow animated storybook Developer: Nosy Crow US$5.99
The classic tale is brought to life, thanks to simple and effective storytelling. Narrated by children, the e-book is presented in 3-D (there's a 'Read by Myself' mode for those who want to do just that) with sophisticated animation and numerous interactive surprises. As the iPad is moved, the reader sees different perspectives, making the pages look fresh at every glance. Thanks to technology, the art of storytelling has evolved.
abc PocketPhonics: Letter sounds and writing, plus first words Developer: Apps in My Pocket US$2.99