Kids are now learning how to use tablets and smartphones from a very young age and it can be a great way to keep them entertained. But how do you know which apps are suitable for them to use? Which apps will support their development and which ones will hinder it?
Your toddler can probably unlock your smartphone and open their favourite apps without any help from you, but how can you ensure they are consuming appropriate content?
These worries can be stressful but we are here to help. We have put together a list of the best apps for two year olds to help you support your techno-savvy toddler. We have also provided a guide on how to choose the right app for your child, and answered some common questions.
OUR TOP PICK
- Cost: Free to download. In-app purchases.
- Key Features: Learn to recognize colors and shapes.
This fun app is free to download but does offer in-app purchases. It is available in 15 languages and is suitable for toddlers and preschoolers.
This app is designed to teach young children different colors and shapes, and help them to identify various color and shape combinations.
It also improves their motor skills and dexterity, as the shapes move around the screen and disappear. The multitouch style of play is engaging and your toddler will love the fun penguin animations.
The app has different levels which will keep your child entertained and motivated. The only issue with this app is that not all the levels are free to play.
EDITORS CHOICE
- Cost: Free to download. In-app purchases.
- Key Features: Develop key skills, teaches core subjects
The Hungry Caterpillar Playschool app is suitable for children aged 2 to 5. It is free to download but offers in-app purchases.
This app helps to prepare your toddler for school by developing their key skills with the help of interactive characters created by Eric Carle, author of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’. New content is added to the app every month to keep it interesting and fun for your children.
The app uses repetition, songs, puzzles and meaningful play to help your child retain what they have learned whilst developing their problem solving skills. It covers topics like math, science and nature, creative arts, language and literacy.
It will help them to learn the alphabet, including practising their phonics, and will improve their early reading levels. Your child can read, or relax and be read to.
This family friendly app is a great choice for combining education and fun and it will keep your two year old entertained.
BEST VALUE
- Cost: All content is free
- Key Features: Teaches reading skills and sounding out words
Duck Duck Moose Reading is a great app that teaches children aged 2 to 7 important reading skills and phonics. It is free to download and all the content is free.
The game is set in a zoo with various animal characters to get to know and love. Your toddler can explore the zoo by completing different activities which help them to learn their letters and practice sounding out words and recognizing lowercase letters.
It will also teach them how to isolate and pronounce sounds like consonants, short vowels, and long vowels.
This app is great for parents as they can monitor their child’s progress. The app was developed by experts in education from Stanford University so you know it can be trusted to help your toddler’s development.
RUNNER UP
- Cost: All content is free
- Key Features: Read along library, practice reading skills
MeeGenius is a completely free app suitable for children aged 1 to 8. They can read along to a library of over 700 children's books. The books are also available offline which is great if you are stuck in an area with no reception.
There is a fantastic combination of new titles and classics, offering a great variety of books to choose from. Your child can read at their own pace, and choose books which fit their individual reading level.
This is perfect for children with an advanced reading age as they can progress through the more challenging books to keep them entertained.
The word highlighting feature helps your child to improve their reading skills by following the app and associating sounds with letter combinations on the page.
The app won’t teach your toddler to read, but it will help them to practice the reading skills they already have. It is a simple app with straightforward features that is easy to use.
RUNNER UP
- Cost: all content is free
- Key Features: Learn letters and sounds
Starfall ABCs is a free app that provides content suitable for children aged 2 to 5. It is free to use with no in-app purchases. They can learn letters by sight and sound and practice recognizing them in words, sentences and games.
This app puts emphasis on recognising vowels and sounding them out. It is a simple and fun way for your toddler to learn the foundations of reading and build their confidence. This will help them to feel more confident and will make it easier for them to transition to a school environment.
RUNNER UP
- Cost: One off purchase fee
- Key Features: Drawing and coloring
Nick Jr Draw & Play has a one off purchase fee that gives you access to all the content on the app. Your child can interact with characters from their favourite Nickelodeon Junior programmes while they draw and play.
This app stimulates your toddler’s creativity and imagination and encourages artistic experimentation and expression. There are 8 different brushes to choose from which create different textures, and your toddler can add animated stickers and fun effects to their drawings. There are even drawing tutorials to help your child develop specific drawing skills. Parental controls available for this app.
RUNNER UP
- Cost: All content is free with advertisements
- Key Features: Watch videos, online safety
YouTube Kids is free to download and all the videos are free to watch with some advertisements.
This app uses an algorithm to screen Youtube content. It will only show videos that are suitable for children aged 2 to 12. Your toddler can use this app to watch educational videos or just to relax and watch their favourite tv shows.
Individual profiles can be created for children of different ages and you can select the age group and personalize the settings for each profile. This means it can be used by the whole family.
This app stores the history of each profile so you can check what your children have been watching and control their screen time by setting a timer. If you don’t like the content of a video you can flag it so it doesn’t come up again on that profile.
The approved content mode allows parents to hand pick the content and channels they want their children to see, and also disables the search function.
RUNNER UP
- Cost: One off purchase fee
- Key Features: Learn numbers, counting and math skills
Elmo Loves 123s is a number learning app for children aged 2 to 5. There is a one off purchase fee which gives you access to all the content on the app.
This app teaches children to learn to draw the shape of different numbers and recognise those numbers with the help of the lievely characters from the popular Sesame Street programme. They can also play fun maths games to practice counting, adding and subtracting.
The different puzzles on the app help to develop your toddler’s problem solving skills whilst coloring and art activities encourage their creativity and expression.
The app has a tracker feature that allows parents to see what their children are learning and to monitor their progress. This allows you to provide extra support to your child.
RUNNER UP
- Cost: One off purchase fee
- Key Features: Potty training
This toilet training app has a one off purchase fee that gives you access to all of the available content. Your toddler will be able to play games with the characters on the screen, such as building blocks, stacking rings and playing with trucks. When the character begins to wiggle, your child will help them go to the toilet and practice bathroom skills like wiping, flushing and washing and drying their hands. Once they have finished in the bathroom, they can go back to playing.
This app tackles the difficult topic of interrupting playtime to go to the toilet, but does it in a fun way. Your toddler can even help mummy tiger change a diaper! The catchy phrases and songs make toilet time more fun for toddlers.
RUNNER UP
- Cost: One off purchase fee
- Key Features: Animal care, empathy
Toca Pet Doctor is a fun and interactive app for children aged 2 to 5. There is a one off purchase fee that gives you access to all of the available content.
Your child can learn to care for 15 different animals by feeding them, cleaning up after them, giving them attention, and playing with them. Once the animals are happy they will go back to sleep.
This engaging, toddler friendly app teaches children the important skills of empathy and animal care. With no stressful rules to follow, your toddler is free to learn about animals in a fun and relaxed way. The game has lovely artwork and animation.
The only downside is there is no grooming feature for the animals, which would be popular with young children.
Best Android Apps for Two Year Olds Buying Guide
Now that we have provided you with information about the best apps available for two year olds, how do you choose which one is best for your child? What should you consider before you download or purchase one of these apps?
The first thing to think about is whether the app is age appropriate. If the content is too complex or the games too difficult then your child will get bored and frustrated easily. Choose colorful and fun apps with engaging characters and lots of opportunities for interaction.
It is also important to remember that many toddlers don’t like taking instructions and prefer independent learning- look for simple and interactive and simple games that encourage them to learn by doing rather than providing a lot of instructions.
The next thing you will want to consider is the cost of the app. Apps that have a monthly subscription but allow multiple users are good value for money for households with multiple children.
If you have one two year old then you might want to buy a couple of apps with a one off purchase fee. There are also some brilliant apps for toddlers that are completely free. In-app purchases can seem low cost but you may end up spending more than intended as it builds up over time.
Another important thing to think about when choosing an app for your two year old is what you want them to get out of the experience. Some apps are just for fun, or give them a safe way to watch tv and videos.
Other apps are great for laying the foundations for the things they will learn at school. This can help to build their confidence and make the transition into school easier.
Some apps and games help children to develop core skills like literacy and math, but also encourage problem solving and creativity, or even help them to build emotional resilience and social skills.
If your two year old is struggling with a particular activity, like potty training or learning to read, then you could find an app to tackle that particular issue. These apps will be more focused on one topic, but will provide a lot of support in that area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is My Two Year Old Having Too Much Screen Time?
As a parent it can be challenging to ensure your children aren’t spending too much time in front of a screen. It is recommended by most health experts that two year old children should have no more than an hour of quality screen time per day.
This can be split into smaller sections throughout the day and across various apps and games. You should consider how much time they spend watching tv and factor this into their hour of screen time.
Will These Apps Improve My Two Year Old’s Performance When They Go To School?
Some of the apps we have listed above are educational and will improve your two year olds skills in literacy, math, and reading.
They will also help them to develop important skills like empathy, problem solving, and creativity. This can help them to adjust when they reach school by giving them a head start and building their confidence. It can also help to improve their early reading levels.
Can Apps Replace One To One Learning For Toddlers?
Whilst many of these apps are educational, they are not a replacement for person to person learning. It is important for parents to engage with their children and begin their learning before they start school.
This can be through reading with them, showing them how to draw and write, pointing out colors and shapes, and providing opportunities for hands-on learning.
To break up their screen time and virtual learning, try taking your child for a nature walk to spot animals and collect leaves. Teach them the names of foods as you feed them, and repeat the colors of the clothes they are wearing.
Are Smartphones Bad For Children?
Some experts say that children under the age of four should not be using smartphones. Overuse of smartphones by children can impact their social skills and prevent them from learning and developing.
However, learning games and apps that have been developed by experts in education can help to support your toddlers' learning and give them good foundations for their future education.
Just remember that human interaction is still very important, and they should spend plenty of time playing with toys and interacting with children their own age.
