Cool Kid Tech in a Pinch

Raising children is not easy. While we fondly recall how our parents raised us (and pulled off the greatest balancing act in the history of humanity, when you really think about it), today’s parents are keenly aware that keeping up with the little ones is a daunting endeavor.

There are a few key times in the course of many days when all we need is five minutes to get something done. But we can’t pull it off.

Five minutes to throw in a load of laundry. Five minutes to wipe up a spill. Five minutes to toss out the garbage. The list goes on.

Today’s tech advances can help in ways previous generations never imagined.

Today’s tech advances can help in ways previous generations never imagined. The right apps and games, carefully and stringently selected, can for five minutes allow us a critical window to get something done while also giving our kids an educational and fun experience.

Here are five of the best, tried and tested by this dad:

ABCmouse.com, from Early Learning Academy
For the two- to seven-year-old group, this app offers games, books, songs and puzzles, as well as a progress tracker for parents. Offline printables also let our child choose certain activities while you’re running around, then the two of you can get to work right away. While not cheap, the generous content here makes the purchase worth it. $7.99 a  month or $79.99 a year

Nighty Night
Bedtime is either the easiest part of your day or a battle royale. Right after your child’s bathtime at night, this app can kickstart the drifting-off-to-sleep process while you spend a few moments cleaning up the water your little one splashed around the bathroom. Against a backdrop of lullaby music, Nighty Night invites your child to say goodnight to a bunch of animals in different “rooms,” then turn off the lights in each one as the animals drift off to sleep. Then the narrator mentions that one person is still awake… at least for another minute or two. You’ll soon see your child drift off while you’ve got a clean bathroom and one less task for the evening. $2.99

Little Fox Music Box
Music plays such an important role in a child’s life. This app contains all of the classics, including Old MacDonald and London Bridge, with animations for your child to play and sing with. You can also record your own songs with a unique group of makeshift instruments in the “Fox Studio” for continued enjoyment. This is a fun way for your child to let out a little extra energy and have fun creating. $2.99

Endless ABC
Teaching your child the alphabet and the corresponding sounds can be fun with this app. It has many words for your child to choose from and each letter is a fully animated character, which makes the sound of the letter as your child drags it across the screen to its spot. Once the word is fully spelled out, a cartoon plays out the word, along with the definition, which is then read aloud. $6.99

Writing Wizard
This app offers a wide array of stickers and colored pencils for tracing letters, creating words, and having some fun after they’ve completed their task. Parents can also emphasize certain words or phrases and customize the way the letters are written. Setting up a set of words for your child to spell while you get the dishes done or tidy up a table is a perfect task for this product. $4.99

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