Count Caddy app by Tickle Tap Apps

Looking to keep your child entertained and even have them learn something while you get a break? Have you considered how handy some of the iTunes apps for iPhone are? Following up on my previous discussion of “Kid-friendly iPhone and iPod Touch” is a review of another dozen apps for toddlers I’ve written on the Hawaii Mac Apple User Society (HMAUS) website: “More Great iPhone Apps for Toddlers“. With most apps under $2, isn’t it worth getting a couple of minutes of “quiet” time?

And related:

Need to unwind yourself?  Check out “Zen Apps for iPhone/iPod Touch“

Koi Pond — beautifully done with sounds accompanying the koi (Japanese carp). Feed them, scare them (my two year old loves that), or just watch them swim around. $.99
iZen Garden — you are your own monk at a famous rock garden. Rake the stones however you desire. Shake to reset. (There are several of these type of apps now, ranging from free to $2.99.)
Bloom — from Brian Eno, this musical and visual app treats you to a break through subtly-changing, repetitive sounds and images. This is great to hook up to speakers as background music while you work. $3.99
Bowls — can’t afford a $300 Tibetan “signing bowl” but love that droning, melodic sound? This app lets you “play” several different bowls as a way to relax your mind. $1.99
iBonsai — grow your own beautiful bonsai plant in seconds, then, move it around, shake it to remove leaves. Snap a picture and email to a friend. Then repeat… $.99
iKoto — the sound of the koto for me is very relaxing. So to have the ability to play a portable koto wherever you go — with some songs already pre-programmed — is a great way to take a mental break. $1.99
Easy Relax — choose where you want to go and let the sounds of your new “environment” relax you. From Hawaii Vacation to Fishing Time, Blossoms from India to Jungle, all within your reach. $.99 (There are many of these ambient sound apps available, ranging from free to $2.99.)
TanZen Lite — OK, this isn’t actually relaxing. It’s a game. And it can be a damn challenging game at that. However, it reminds me of staying in an ryokan in the mountains with my wife and one of these games was there. We sat watching the snow on the mountains in the warmth of our room silently playing this game.

There are apps for Chakra, meditation, Buddhism, you name it and there’s probably an app for it…

Hopefully you could find something that might help you stay in peace…

I moved from having Palm PDA’s for years to an iPod Touch. The Touch does all the things I needed my T|X to do (wireless, applications, calendar, note taking, etc.) but with a much better web browser, incredibly easy-to-use iTunes integration, and — with using Plaxo — syncing my calendar between work PC and home Mac.

But the apps are what really make this thing kid-friendly. My two and a half year old sees me working on it and says “I play papa game!” He loves to try out the fun of using that touch screen to make things happen. And, as I’ve learned from other parents, having an iPod Touch/iPhone that can hold MOVIES can be PERFECT for long flights, like to Japan! This device has probably helped lower my blood pressure level significantly (no more wandering child, screaming of boredom).

So, here are a couple of great toddler-friendly things for your iPhone or iPod Touch:

Music:
Not surprising that you can get tons of music on iTunes; songs both you and your child will like (Wiggles) or music only they will like (Barney). Find music on Amazon also that works great with these devices.

Movies and TV shows:
Most of the Pixar movies (Cars, Wall-E, Finding Nemo), Disney, and TV shows like Little Einsteins are available for sale in iTunes; very simple to add them right into your device. Prices run from $2/episode to $15/movie.

TubeTV:
is a freeware application for Mac that, when you find a video on Youtube you like, will download, convert, and add it to your device. So, those short clips of Pingu, Anpanman, or even old Spiderman cartoons, can be added for free.

Podcasts:
Podcasts are short shows that iTunes has made incredibly easy to subscribe to. There are podcasts on things for Dad (Dad Labs), Mom (Mighty Mommy’s Tips), and children (Sesame Street) — and, they are all FREE!

Apps:
within iTunes there is an App Store where you can find things like preschool educational games. This company in particular: 3DAL, LLC has great products that my son loves to do; bright, colorful, lively music, and educational, including: Preschool Adventure, Preschool Music, Make a Martian, and BumbleBee Touchbook. Those apps are only $.99 each, so it won’t break your budget too quickly. Often companies will make a free “lite” edition so you can test it — those include Shape Builder Lite and iDoodle2Lite. Other good apps for toddlers include Wheels on The Bus, an interactive version of the popular children’s song, and Koi Pond, nice for both children and adults. Many of the movie studios make an app now that should work well with children: there’s an Up app where the child pops balloons (free) and a free one for Bolt (for slightly older children).

Protection:
we’re talking about a $200+ device that you are leaving in the hands of children — be sure to buy some kind of sleeve, touch-screen or silicon wrap protection for it. There are hundreds of different kinds. A quick visit to an Apple store or online to Amazon and you should be able to find a style that will help protect against small bumps. A $30 investment that might help you if you later want to resell it. (Yep, if they drop it, you could lose it, so, keep an eye on what they are doing — child supervision. )

Anyway, hope that helps; you AND your kids!

(If you live in Honolulu and would like to learn more about your Apple products, check out the Hawaii Mac and Apple User Society: HMAUS.com.)

The other seminar I particularly enjoyed was by Craig Dewar from Microsoft entitled, Sustainability — “It’s Just Good Business”. Craig explained that while global companies (such as Mattel), have a bottom line of profit for their business, and must abide by the laws of the country in which they operate, sometimes (as in the case of children’s toys coming from China with lead paint), choosing the cheapest means of production is NOT the answer and can cause a company a lot more in damages (to its reputation, recall, etc.) after the fact. Businesses are wising up to the a “Triple Bottom Line” — economic (profit), environmental (things like carbon footprint), and social (did they help or hurt their communities). Those three items can even be reported using G.R.I. (Global Reporting Initiative) principles. Using these principles, a company can look at the entire “footprint” of a product. An interesting example of this is Patagonia’s site showing their products and how they were created.

So, two very interesting ideas of emerging trends in businesses — giving me (an IT guy for many years) excitement about the future…

Handy, right? And free is still a good price!
Check it out…

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