17 Apps that Take the Trouble out of Travel

Whether you're on planes, trains or automobiles, these apps will keep the kids happy and save your sanity.

Sound Touch is intentionally simple for developing brains, but won't be boring for your toddler or preschooler. As they press images on the screen (animals, music, transportation), a correlating sound and image pops up—the roar of a lion, the ringing of a phone, the rushing of a train on tracks, etc. Each item has five different pictures or sounds attached to it, keeping kids engaged longer than you'd expect. Being entertained while they are (unknowingly) schooled? Sounds smart to us.

Award-winning app developers who focus on child play, the Swedish team behind Toca Boca have done it again with Toca House. Already a kids' favourite for their creative apps (Toca Hair Salon, Toca Robot Lab, Toca Doctor), this recently released, and well-received game, has kids engrossed in helping five little friends do chores around the house—mowing the lawn, hanging laundry, ironing, cleaning the kitchen and more. If only life imitated apps.

No one can ever take the place of you, but as a decent substitute during the periods when you prefer not to be distracted (like driving), our money is on Read Me Stories. This app consists of a library of books that are simple but fun, whimsical and captivating for young kids—always with a good message at heart. It includes a decent amount of free books, with access to the larger library coming at an additional (but nominal) cost.

My Playhome lets kids virtually do everything you won't let them do in your own home—touch, play and tinker with every single thing they lay eyes on including fish tanks, flowers and cupcakes (hint: hidden in the freezer). It's a great app that allows for uninhibited exploring and developing an understanding of the world they live in. While you may run your household in real life, in My Playhome, you're simply a pawn in their little hands.

There are no bells and whistles involved with Alphabet Tracing (literally). With all the cluttered apps in the early alphabet learning arena, we love the simplicity and clean presentation. An uncomplicated screen encourages kids to practice tracing upper case and lower case letters and numbers. Like most apps, the sound can be disabled, and best of all, it's free. Think of it as old school learning in a new school world.

It might be a stretch to call this educational, but we'll agree that it's somewhat instructional. Phone 4 Kids will inevitably delight young kids who constantly want to mimic your phone habits, taking your iPhone or iPad device and turning it into a faux phone interface. Kids can dial, text, email, get weather and location updates—basically everything your phone does, but without the unbreakable three-year contract and bewildering data plan charges.

We may have grown older, but we'll always have a soft spot for Grover and the hit book from our heyday, The Monster at the End of This Book. First published by Sesame Street in 1971, the book now takes a modern twist, with Grover asking for your help to turn the pages (except for the part where he wants you not to turn the page, and then kids can help break down a brick wall and more by tapping on the screen). Of course we know how it all ends, but like life, most of the real fun happens along the way.

Your little buddy may not have the dexterity for many devices or activities, but Doodle Buddy is an age equalizer, since almost anyone can draw with their digits. An app that's fun for kids who are only able to swipe their finger across the screen, it also offers more creative options for the older members of your crew, enabling them to change colours, background, brush strokes, upload pictures and more. But if simply for your toddler, this app is a total snap. (And it's free.)

These early years will go by in a flash (partially the result of the sleep deprivation), and experts tell us now is the time to help develop their little minds in all sorts of ways. We know you do that all day (every day), so feel guilt-free in utilizing a digital device now and then to enhance the experience. Enter Interactive Alphabet's ABC Flash Cards, with bright, eye-catching images, animation, music and easy hands-on appeal for the little apple of your eye.

Bakery Story is unquestionably a game, but with legitimate learning thrown in. As the proprietor of this busy bakery, your little entrepreneur is responsible for all aspects of the store, from mixing and baking cakes, to menu planning to seating customers and more. The older the player, the more they'll understand, but kids six and up will rise (get it?) to the occasion when running their own shop.

Parents of picky eaters will appreciate this, and its actual success will depend on each child, but we love an app that encourages kids to try something new nutrition-wise. Kids Food Adventure puts them in the driving seat when it comes to getting more experimental with eating. Choose a time frame, the foods to try, and each time an item is eaten, kids earn reward stickers and more. Will they start eating Brussels sprouts and mushrooms? We can't say, but we're game to find out.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris is the only app on our list that is Oscar-worthy (its film counterpart won the prestigious award this year for Best Animated Short). Kids will love spinning the house around in the tornado and more with this app that was called “one of the most beautiful experiences on an iPad” for sheer storytelling and dozens of bonus benefits. We won't spoil the magic except to say it quite literally will blow you away.

There are dozens of math-focused apps available, but our preference tends towards Motion Math: Hungry Fish for its visual manipulation of addition, subtraction and negatives. As the numbers pop onto the screen, drag them together to make the required total. In the highest levels of difficulty (the Caves), there's only one chance to get it right before the Mad Fish eats your wrong answers. This game has relatively simple graphics compared to some games, but they'll be concentrating too hard to figure (ha!) that out.

Maybe it's because the twisted roadways remind us of small European towns, but Roxie's a-Maze-ing Vacation Adventure is a total trip. The goal here is for kids to drive, walk, fly, ski and raft along twisted roadways, trails and towns, picking up objects so they can move onto the next challenge. With gorgeous graphics and unexpected animation, it will require problem solving and patience, and engages both their mind and their senses.

Nominated for dozens of graphic awards for its truly spectacular images made entirely out of paper and cardboard, Lume tells the story of a little girl who goes to visit her grandfather, only to find the power is out at his house. Although he's nowhere to be found, he's left clues all around for her. A puzzle adventure game, this is definitely geared for older kids (six and up at least) and challenges their problem-solving skills, tenacity and imaginative thinking. For $2.99, it's a steal. (Note that it is not yet available on Android platforms.)

For once, you'll be proud of them making a scene. Playtime Theatre allows kids to direct their own medieval play complete with moat, waterfall, drawbridge and a cast of misfit characters. As director, they can go backstage, change the cast, their location on set, the lighting, and the sequence of events. In short, this is their theatre and they are in control. It can take a little bit to figure out all the moving parts so to speak, but once they get into the groove, it's on with the show.

What if suddenly everything you drew became real? This is the reality for Max, the hero in Max and the Magic Marker. For a child (or adult) player, this inventive game actively requires users to creatively think outside (sometimes in, or over) the box in order to help Max along on his journey. When Max runs into trouble and needs to cross a bridge, or catapult up over an obstacle, kids draw in the necessary parts, and interact live with the interface to keep him moving. Great for encouraging kids into artistic pursuits, this may be one game you'll want to check out yourself. Imagine that.