Review: The best iPhone and iPod Touch games for the Sesame Street crowd

July 23, 2010 - By Alex Miranda

As you may know, if you follow me on Twitter (@GizmoAlex), I have a mini-dragon I like to call Erin. She is my beautiful 3 year old daughter, who has basically repossessed my iPod Touch. It is no longer loaded with my music. It has Disney Songs, Yo Gabba Gabba, and, most importantly for her, games. There are SO MANY games for the platform that it gets really hard to wade through the options. So I want to recommend some of her favorites (for tiny minds). Each of these have definitely helped us survive mini roadtrips without too many meltdowns.

Angry Birds for iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad

By far I think her favorite game is Monkey Preschool Lunchbox. With Monkey Preschool Lunchbox you do several different activities. There are very simple puzzles where you take the pieces of a fruit and drag and drop them to the silhouette of the fruit. There are also very easy letter games that ask you to identify the starting letter of fruits. There are several other mini-games that any young child will love, too. The best part of the game for her is the rewards. After you successfully complete each section, you are give a choice of stickers to post on your virtual chalkboard. There are monkeys, unicorns, and even the ever elusive hippo. Monkey Preschool Lunchbox is a bargain at $0.99 and is available for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad (Requires iOS 3.0 or later).

Elmo’s Monster Maker is another one of her favorite apps . Of course for us older folks we do not understand why anybody would like Elmo over say Oscar the Grouch or Cookie Monster, but kids love him, nonetheless. The premise of the game is simply selecting from a group of different eyes, noses, mouths, and hats, which are then placed on the different monsters. You can choose between several different body types and hair colors. What she likes the most is the ability to make them dance once they are fully created. It is a fun game, but it is a little expensive for what you get, at $3.99. It’s available for both iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad (Requires iOS 3.0 or later).

Another great choice for both kids and adults, alike is Angry Birds. It is a simple and fun game that can definitely be challenging the further you progress. The premise is very simple: Kill the Ugly Green Pig guys with your Angry Bird. (Yes, the word kill is used in this article, but it definitely isn’t represented that way in the game.) The different birds have their own unique properties. Red birds are simple projectiles. Small blue birds turn into three tiny birds (like a Spreader Gun from Contra), and black birds are mini-bombs. There are several other types, which you’ll acquire as you progress. It is a fun game for little ones because they can simply stay on easy stages and still make small accomplishments about which they’ll get excited. At only $0.99, it really is a great buy. It’s available for iPhone and iPod Touch (Requires iOS 3.0 or later). There is also an iPad version, Angry Birds HD, available for $4.99 .

Erin really loves to color as so many kids her age do. She may not be exactly great at it, but enjoys it. Doodle Buddy is a great simple drawing app. You can choose different brush styles and sizes, colors, and there are stickers you can put on the screen. You can also draw with a buddy. As any good parent knows, there is nothing better than the look on your kid’s face when they create their very own masterpiece. Lite and Premium versions of Doodle Buddy are available (Requires iOS 2.2 or later).

Again, these are some of her favorites, but, of course, there are thousands more out there that may catch your little one’s attention. The ones we’ve covered definitely provide some good entertainment options for her. What are some of the apps/games for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad that you and your kids love? Let us know. We’re always ready to try something new!

Traci says:

July 23, 2010 at 9:57 pm

Frogs and Fireflies is a great color mixing game, perfect for ages 5 and up. It’s set in a peaceful swamp at night, and primary-colored fireflies float in the air. Different colors hop on and off, and the player must mix the fireflies together to create flies the frogs will eat. Tons of fun!
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/frogs-and-fireflies/id365088385?mt=8