Children naturally have wild imaginations and a thirst for adventure. As the primary authority figure in their lives, it's your job to strike a balance between nurturing and being supportive of their curious minds while also monitoring their behavior and social interactions to keep them out of harm's way. This can be a difficult task, especially during the summertime when your little ones are free from the confines of school walls and homework.
If your kids have a growing interest in technology, your duty as regulator can be twice as challenging. Digital parenting definitely has its setbacks, but you can easily overcome them and encourage fun activities for your children without worrying about their welfare. As you plan that next summer vacation, take into consideration these kid-tested and parent-approved digital apps that can hold your juvenile's attention while you're on the road.
Kid-Friendly Apps for Your Next Joy Ride
• PBS Kids' Play
This non-commercial site is a favorite among children of all ages. It's perfect for those who are into digital parenting and consists of learning tools for a variety of subjects, including math, science, social studies, language & reading, and the arts. Your kids will appreciate the visual presentations, music, and well-rounded mix of games that are equally educational and entertaining.
• Pixton
Have a comic book fanatic on your hands? Pixton is a fun do-it-yourself site that allows kids to utilize several features to create and exchange their own original comics. As a person in favor of digital parenting that rules out activities promoting risky performance, you'll be glad to know that this app follows a strict code of conduct that has consequences for repeat offenders.
• Make a Martian
If you want to keep your toddler laughing in his or her car seat, check out Make a Martian which lets kids make their own space creatures by mixing and matching the body parts of aliens. Your little ones are destined to get a kick out of the bright colors and funny-looking facial expressions associated with this app.
• iDiary for Kids
Help cultivate your child's gift of storytelling! iDiary for Kids is for developing wordsmiths between the ages of 5 and 13. The app has features that endorse several forms of self-expression through scrapbooks, journals, photo-making, and drawing. It's password-protected with the ability to back up files. However, you may want to keep an eye out for inappropriate words or pictures, as the site doesn't guard against such offenses.
• Dora's Cooking Club
Your kids can simultaneously become young culinary delights and brainy mathematicians with Dora's Cooking Club, a game that involves virtual participation in cooking exercises while also strengthening skills in basic addition and subtraction. Simply put, it's a great catch for pre-schoolers and kindergartners.
• Qwiki
This amazing app is free and downloadable on iPads. It provides cool and historic information about a vast range of topics that kids will take to heart. For instance, you can discover how close you live to a dormant volcano or the site of an old battle site during the Revolutionary war.
• Sunday Drives
Lastly, Sunday Drives is full of good times for the whole family. What may have been a long, boring car ride can easily be transformed into an exciting excursion on wheels since this app enables users to point out scenic routes, children's venues, restaurants, parks, and other interesting thrills on the way to your destination.
Don't worry about unnecessary rest stops to appease cranky, restless kids. You'll be able to drive right to Disneyland or the long-awaited family reunion without any trouble. Thanks to digital parenting, you can be certain that your children will have safe & enjoyable recreational tools within reach. Here's to games that promote good behavior, learning, and laughter. Look forward to an ideal road trip as the summer winds down.
