How to choose the right app for your child: The good, the bad and the ugly of apps.

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By now you should know that we here at XanderApps love apps and the many worlds that they can open up for kids and parents alike. There are, however, good and bad apps out there. How do we choose the best and most appropriate apps for our children’s age and developmental stage, that follow the Five C’s we mentioned in our previous post?

Good apps are well designed and functional, with easy and intuitive navigation. For little ones, instructions should be verbal, not only written.  Bad apps, on the other hand, can be confusing and difficult to navigate and often crash and have errors.

Watch out for:

  • Intrusive  and distracting adverts
  • In-app purchases and upgrades that are necessary in order to unlock different levels or game credits
  • Apps that continually try to access the web or take your child out of the app environment.
  • Apps that constantly freeze or crash
  • Apps that don’t match their app-store description
  • Apps that are just badly designed, with no uplifting or engaging content

There are many reliable sites available that test and rate children’s apps, and it can be very helpful to read their reviews. In general, apps that are highly rated perform well, but it is still a good idea to thoroughly explore an app before allowing your children to play on it.

Tanya Kovarsky, one of our #XanderMoms, says that her  children are mad about Toca Boca at the moment.  These apps are safe, friendly and easy to use,  and we especially love educational offerings  such as Toca Lab.

Here at Xander Apps we adore the beautiful illustrations in the Nosy Crow apps, and the quality educational content of One Billion’s maths apps.

We would love to know what your kids are playing with at the moment. Share your experiences with us, and let us know what you look for when downloading apps.

Image courtesy of Free Images.