My 19 month old daughter loves playing with our iPhones. Too much. So, when I am not using my iPod touch for developmental purposes, it’s hers. This got me thinking about some apps that would be good for her. Apps that could function as learning tools for her rather than just playing another round of Super Monkey Ball. My second app is the first app along this line of thinking.
It’s called Fun Calc and right now it is a calculator with very colorful buttons that entice her to touch them. When she does they respond with a cheerful chime corresponding to the button she tapped. On the iPhone, tapping the clear button will make the phone vibrate. As a side note, I hope Apple adds vibration to the third generation iPod touch – it’s really needed now that the iPod touch has become a game platform in its own right. I’ve got some ideas for improvements to future versions of Fun Calc which, of course, will all be free upgrades.
My thought is that the iPod touch is about $200 which is only twice as much as some of the nicer children’s notebook computers like the Vtech Touch Tablet PC. It’s got a much nicer screen and has a speaker that is probably just as good if not better. She can also watch WALL-E on trips to her grandparents’ house with the iPod unlike any of the children’s computers. And, most importantly, it has an interface that is very intuitive for young children because it is so direct. As evidence of this, I recorded a video of my daughter playing with Fun Calc on the iPod.
