Hi Socialites! ?? I’m sure many of you have read about my 3 year old daughter, Bella, and the many highs and lows I have experienced as a first time parent. Early on, hubby and I made the decision for Bella to be home during the day instead of going to daycare. While this decision has been great for my peace of mind (and my bottom line ?) I wanted to make sure that Bella will still get the same educational advantages as those in her peer group that attend childcare facilities. In our efforts to ensure that Bella gets in plenty of learning during the day, Raymond and I found several of the best apps for teaching toddlers at home…and I’m going to share them with you!

Below I’ve rounded up a list of apps that your toddler will love. They all have my educational stamp of approval, and have been “Bella tested and approved!” Most are free, but may have in-app purchases. Just make sure your settings are tweaked so your toddler can’t accidentally subscribe to a plan or spend your money. ? If you are worried about your toddler using your phone or tablet, and cracking your screen , I highly recommend the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition tablet! It comes with a cushion-y kid-proof case, and has a sweet warranty which covers replacement for 2 years!

Ok, so let’s get started with the list!

ABC Mouse

So y’all knew I was going to do it. Even if you don’t have kids, I’m sure you’ve heard all about ABCmouse.com and it’s’ effectiveness! As part of an online learning package, ABC Mouse is used in preschools and kindergarten classes worldwide, and perfect for children ages 2 and up. One of the things I love best about ABC Mouse is the accessibility: You can use it on a PC, tablet, or a cell phone. ABC Mouse is a paid program, but they do offer special rates and discounts. You can get your 30 Day Free Trial here!

ABC’s Alphabet Learning Game

This is one of best apps for teaching toddlers, and it is designed to introduce your toddler to letters and words under the guidance of VocabuLarry, a delightful little red parrot. (You’ll know who he is if you’ve ever watched the BabyFirst TV Channel!) Bella really loves this app, and it quickly taught her to recognize letters, the sounds the letters make, and vocabulary words for each letter. At first I was worried the vocab was pretty basic (the first is A for Apple…nothing groundbreaking there!) But as you go through the alphabet, the words become much more varied, and I was thrilled to hear Bella yelling “clock” and “flower” with that sort of glee that only toddlers have!?

Smart Baby ABC

This is another one of best apps for teaching toddlers at home, similar to the one above, but this app also teaches numbers and first words. Smart Baby ABC is suitable for children 2 and up, and for children with autism, and uses static and moving objects to help promote coordination and continued development of fine motor skills. This app isn’t free (it’s available for a one time fee of $2.99) but Bella loves it, so we consider it money well spent!

Kids Academy: Talented & Gifted

I’d say that Kids Academy is probably neck and neck with ABC Mouse as far as educational value goes. This app is also used in classrooms and really drills down into math, writing, phonics, and reading games. Bella loves paper flash cards, so we knew she would love the flash card aspects of the app, although many of the best learning tools are slightly above her age range, so this is an app that I’m sure we will use a lot around age 4 and up! Kids Academy is free to download, but does have in-app purchases.

YouTube Kids

Ok, ok, this is more for entertainment unless you are monitoring and actively choosing educational videos, but I couldn’t not include this one! I love YouTube Kids for car rides, because Bella can browse through, and watch videos and sing songs, and I don’t have to worry about her stumbling across non kid friendly content. If you’re looking for learning programs, I highly recommend the channel ABCKidsTV!  This channel makes YoutTube Kids one of the best apps for teaching toddlers colors, numbers, and phonics. Bella watches this channel frequently, and enjoys the various songs and jingles designed to enhance the learning process!

I know that most sources do not advocate letting your toddler spend time on electronics and apps, but as a parent, I have seen a marked improvement in Bella’s vocabulary and knowledge of basic preschool fundamentals. Hope you enjoyed my thoughts on what best apps for teaching toddlers are,  and try them out with your toddler!

Don’t forget to take advantage of the special ABC Mouse offer above, or click the banner ad below this post for another offer!

See you next time!