Apps to help your children enjoy iPad safely

Many parents rely on iPad as a helping hand with children - whether to pass the time in a car, as an educational tool to support school work or just to deliver an episode of CBeebies on a Sunday morning.

But with over 300,000 iPad apps in the Apple App Store, finding good apps can be overwhelming - our list below highlights some fun, educational choices.

If you're shopping, it's worth checking age ratings - but any parent of young children should try apps themselves first.

The suitability of tablets for children has become a hot topic lately following news that 5-year old Danny Kitchen from Bristol ran up a bill for £1700 on in-app purchases while playing a free app.

If you are a parent with young children who share an iPad it’s worth heeding the experience of the Kitchen family.

Many apps don’t cost anything to download, but developers make money from extra in-app purchases like coins, lives and accessories, which can be bought with a couple of taps.

Apple recommends not divulging your Apple ID password to your child and instead entering your password each time it’s needed. Children over 13 are advised to create their own Apple ID, to which you can add iTunes gift certificates.

Apple includes safeguards on the iPad to help prevent unwanted in-app purchases. Go to the Settings menu and select General - Restrictions - Enable Restrictions. Pick a password and there’s an option to turn off In-App Purchases.

Alternatively Require Password  lets you determine whether a password for app purchases is needed instantly or within 15 minutes. Selecting the former means there’s no chance of your children buying anything in the immediate time period after you’ve entered your password.

The Restrictions menu also lets you temporarily remove selected features altogether such as Safari, Camera, iTunes, Facetime and (crucially) Installing Apps. To restore the iPad to normal settings head to Settings - General - Enable Restrictions and enter your password again.

Fix-it Felix Jr.
Free
Thanks to its 8-bit graphics this game will evoke feelings of nostalgia in old-time gamers and recognition in young children who’ve seen Wreck it Ralph. There’s very little educational value here - as Fix-it Felix Jr use your magical hammer to fix what Ralph destroys. But it’s great fun for big and small kids
 
Itsy Bitsy Spider HD
£1.49
This colourful app brings the classic children’s nursery rhyme alive with a spider that moves around interacting with the environment as your child taps the screen and learns about the environment. Studio Duck Duck Moose creates some of the most innovative apps for young children, so it’s well-working checking out its other apps.

Magic Piano
Free
An app for budding musicians, your child plays along to tunes by tapping the notes as they fall using one, two, three or four fingers. Songs span all genres from Twinkle Twinkle too Gangham Style, some are free, some cost points and others are unlocked. Budding composers can even try some freestyling.

Magic Town
Free
Magic Town is a beautifully animated world packed with interactive stories and games. There are 80 stories, from classics like Rumpelstiltskin to Aliens Love Underpants, while Watch, Play, Learn and Read modes cater for different ages and reading abilities. Magic Town is free to join, with a free download every day or £2.49 a month.

Pocket Phonics
£1.99
Pocket Phonics aims to teach preschoolers how to read and write using phonics. Letters appear on screen as the sound is read out, encouraging children to say the letter before writing it. Designed and tested by teachers, if you’ve got children aged between 3-6 it’s well checking out and there’s a free Lite version.
 
Toca Train
£1.99
If your son (or daughter) is train fanatic they’ll love train-simulator Toca Train. They can drive the train around the track, tapping interactive levers and controls stopping at stations to load and unload passengers, sounding the siren and changing the camera angle.

Toy Story Read-Along
Free
Toy Story comes to iPad in this interactive book. Following the adventures of Woody and Buzz children can flick through the pages, listening to the story or recording their own voice. Extra activities such as finger painting, music, videos and games help bring the reading experience alive.
 
Tozzle HD
£1.49
Tozzle comprises of 39 puzzles, which your child solves by dragging and dropping pieces onto the screen. Designed to improve shape recognition and motor activity, on completion some of the puzzles come to life with sound effects and motion. A free Lite version is also available.