FUN, YET APPROVED FOR TIGER-MOM
- Cut the rope: intuitive physics, logic puzzles
- Mr. Giggle: logic puzzle, a bit like "bejeweled". As I was writing this, my girls were playing Mr. Giggle,and kept running up to tell me who was winning. (Update, August, 2012: This game still keeps the kids entertained, but I'm less convinced of its value to your brain. It seems the kids can do well at the game without actually thinking about it -- just swiping at the screen.)
- Rush hour (we have "free"): logic puzzle. The high levels are virtually impossible even for well-educated adults. The low levels are fun, our girls can do them.
- Cute math: Good for young kids. Depending upon your kid's math abilities, maybe around kindergarten.
- Pop math: Sort of like doing arithmetic math tables, but in a fun game. The girls like it.
- Jirbo match: concentration game -- find the pairs
- Angry birds: mostly for fun, the girls love it, but also the physics are pretty good so they are probably learning something.
- Tiny wings: lovely design, some intuitive physics, my older daughter and I both love it. You tap the screen to make the bird fly over hills.
- Shape builder: simple jigsaw puzzles, guess what the picture is. For very young children, maybe pre-K. (Though my kids still find it fun even though it is way too easy for them.) You can get it in Spanish, and maybe learn some vocabulary.
- Hidden pix lite: Highlights magazine find the objects hidden in the pictures
- riddle race iSpy: iSpy game
- Bloom: creativity. Make pretty pictures out of circles, and at the same time make music. Developed by Brian Eno.
- Koi Pond: Just peaceful and fun. Disturb the water, hear splashes, chase the fish around. Like a watery zen garden for your phone.
- Art of glow: peaceful, make pretty pictures out of glowy lights
- iDoodle2lite: simple drawing program (note: on the iPad there are way better drawing programs. There's sort of a limit to what you can do on the iPhone.)
- kidart: ditto
- Diego music: Would like more levels/variety, but decent story and a better music program than the above. (Again, note that the iPad has at least one keyboard app which is pretty cool.)
- Dress up: pure fun, the girls are totally addicted. My husband admits it is more addictive than he expected. A bit "bratz" looking, but somehow it doesn't bug me in this case. Keeps the kids quiet in a restaurant.
- quiet game: My husband got this. It tries to trick the kids into being quiet by timing them and recording sound to see if they are actually being quiet. The kids find this surprisingly entertaining... maybe one time per night. But nonetheless, that few minutes of quiet can be a real blessing when the kids are going nuts in a restaurant or in the car.
Ruth -- How did you come up with these genius categories they crack me up and are so true!! 8) I love the tiger mom lite and the "pure fun/other" categories. :)
ReplyDeleteI'll go install the "quiet game" now. :)
Cool list! (and good categories.)
ReplyDeleteDo you know Sneezies? I guess I would put it in the Pure Fun category, but it gives me a vague feeling of strategy/learning even though it probably isn't.
(Oh, and hi, Ruth! Came here via a link from Debby.)
Hi, Jed! I don't know that game. I'll check it out, thanks.
DeleteI'm convinced my older son learned to read playing Toontown. The 3 year old seems well onto reading between playing Wii with his older sibs and his Leapster (handed down to him by an older sib). He spelled kick for me correctly the other day.
ReplyDelete