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Many of the great apps for toddlers you have to pay for, but several excellent free apps will keep your toddler entertained and even do a little teaching along the way. Here are five apps for iPad that you and your toddler will love.
Before you download apps, child-proof your iPad. The first step is to turn off in-app purchases to keep your toddler from accidentally buying something within the app.
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YouTube Kids
What We Like
Kid-friendly, algorithm-curated content from YouTube.
Create an age-appropriate profile for each child.
Hand-pick channels for kids.
What We Don't Like
Algorithm allows some inappropriate content through.
Content contains ads.
Need to monitor kids' viewing choices.
YouTube Kids is a selection of kid-friendly channels that range from Sesame Street and Peppa Pig to educational and music videos. The best feature is the voice-enabled search, which enables kids to perform searches and find videos.
The app is kid-safe and doesn't show advertisements, but it does have unpacking videos, which are videos of a toy being unpacked and played with. These videos can be rather addictive to young kids, and unfortunately, the timer in the parental settings of the app doesn't work very well.
Download YouTube Kids
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Laugh & Learn: Shapes & Colors
What We Like
Colorful and friendly app.
Sing along with the included tunes.
Learn shapes and colors in a fun way.
What We Don't Like
Specifies ages 4+, which is too old for this app.
Music keyboard and notes don't correlate.
Designed for the Apptivity case, this app doesn't need Fisher-Price's accessory for kids to enjoy this app. Toddlers can tap at the Laugh & Learn Shapes & Colors screen to touch shapes and make new shapes appear. The app also has a fun keyboard so that kids can play along with the shapes and colors song. This one may not go far in teaching children shapes and colors, but it is entertaining.
Download Laugh & Learn Shapes & Colors
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PBS KIDS Video
What We Like
Live streams of educational videos and PBS shows.
Familiar PBS characters.
In-app purchases are confined to the parents' section.
What We Don't Like
The app has no search bar.
Live TV is a little glitchy.
Content is ad supported.
Children love watching videos, but that doesn't mean they should browse through Netflix or Hulu Plus. The PBS KIDS Video app is great because it lets kids pick out videos on their own, and it gives parents peace of mind that they aren't watching something they shouldn't be watching. PBS also has a PBS Parents Play and Learn app that kids may enjoy.
Download PBS KIDS Video
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Storybook Rhymes Volume 1
What We Like
Fun sounds and songs.
High-contrast images with simple backgrounds.
Good for children with visual impairments.
Play in two modes: Sing to Me and Read & Play.
What We Don't Like
The 4+ age rating is misleading: This app is for babies and toddlers.
The app has just two stories.
Fisher-Price's Storybook Rhymes Volume 1 includes two stories: One, Two, BuckleMy Shoe and The Itsy Bitsy Spider. Little ones can sing along or simply read and play. The play mode encourages kids to tap the screen to produce sounds and effects. The app is long on entertainment but short on learning.
Download Storybook Rhymes Volume 1
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The Wheels On The Bus Musical
What We Like
App offers 12 fun games.
It's an interactive sing-along.
Coloring book, puzzles, and memory match are great learning tasks.
What We Don't Like
The app is free to download, but to get the most out of it, you need the in-app purchases.
The child lock to protect in-app purchases is insufficient.
This activity center has several free games and activities to entertain toddlers and they can sing along to The Wheels on the Bus. This app will pleasantly surprise you with its many activities and puzzles. A favorite activity for many kids is the coloring book, which lets a child tap a color, and then tap the drawing to automatically paint an area.
Download The Wheels On The Bus Musical
How Much Screen Time Should Your Toddler Have?
Free Learning Programs For Toddlers Near Me
Current recommendations do away with any hard limit for the amount of time a toddler should spend with screens. Most learning with a device such as an iPad begins at age 2, so limit screen time before that age to one or two hours. Even after age 2, screen time should have its limits. The best use of the iPad is playing with your child while they are on the device.
New York City: Free Swimming, Soccer, Camping, Golfing, Fishing, Kayaking, Track
Just because we live in a concrete jungle doesn't mean our kids can't enjoy a summer filled with athletic activities outdoors. The best news: You don't need to be a banker to afford it.
New York City offers many opportunities for kids to learn team sports and to try swimming, tennis, golf, fishing, kayaking, camping, and more for FREE. Of course registering for these FREE programs takes a little legwork and (since many are first-come, first-served) punctuality. We've got the scoop on what's available, and how your kids can vie for spots. You can find more no-cost activities in our Free in NYC Guide, or check out these FREE or inexpensive summer camp options around NYC.
Note: A few of these programs haven't finalized details for summer 2019. Please check back as we'll do our best to continue to update this post as info comes in.
CityParks Play
These FREE programs, formerly known as CityParks Sports, are offered by the CityParks Foundation. My kids have participated in the past, and I can't say enough good things about the quality of instruction and the opportunities the program afforded them. My son was even invited to a pair of summer tennis tournaments, including one in the shadow of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which was quite an experience for a first-time player.
In addition to tennis, the CityParks Foundation runs free golf, soccer, and track and field, and general fitness programs for kids who reside in NYC. All equipment is provided. Call 718-760-6999 or email [email protected] for additional info about any of the following programs:
CityParks Tennis offers instruction for children ages 6 to 17 of all skill levels, from beginner lessons to tournaments and leagues. How to register: Online registration is now open. If your kid is an aspiring pro, consider the Junior Tennis Academy, a FREE tournament-training program held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Tryouts for the 2019 season will be held on Saturday, May 18. Fifty players ages 8 to 17 snag coveted spots.
RELATED: NYC Summer Day & Overnight Camp Directory
Participants in the City Parks Foundation track program can compete in local races or in citywide events. Photo by Durst Breneiser/courtesy the City Parks Foundation
In CityParks Track & Field, children ages 5 to 17 can jump hurdles, participate in relay races, and try the long jump, shot put, and javelin throw. How to register: Online registration is now open.
Practice patience and learn to putt with the CityParks Golf program. Photo by Justina Wong/courtesy City Parks Foundation
CityParks Golf offers lessons for children ages 6 to 17 at ball fields citywide. The summer concludes with a visit to a local course for a day of play. How to register: Online registration is now open.
CityParks Soccer debuted in 2016 when the organization teamed up with NYCFC to offer clinics at parks citywide. Only five parks were offered at the time, but the program has grown to 12 different parks. Each session offers kids ages 8 to 12 technical instruction as well as time for team play. How to register: Online registration is now open.
Everyday Play is a new addition to the CityParks Play portfolio. Kids ages 6-17 are invited to get into the parks, five days per week, to participate in track and field, tennis, golf, soccer, and more. How to register: Online registration is now open.
Learn to Swim
The NYC Department of Parks & Recreation offers free summer swimming lessons for children as young as 18 months through adulthood at public pools. There are multiple summer sessions. In addition, children ages 6 to 18 who can swim 50 yards in reasonably good form can join free swim teams. How to register: The Parks Department will hold an online lottery in June. You can find additional details in our in-depth free swim lessons post once the 2019 details are posted.
New York Junior Tennis Community Tennis Program
NYJTL offers free programs in all five boroughs for children ages 5 to 18 throughout the spring, summer, and fall. All skill levels are welcome and loaner rackets are available. Visit the website for a list of locations and schedule. How to register: Because registration is ongoing, children can join any time. Just head to the location of your choice. Registration must be done in person and your child must be present. For more info, call 347-417-8177 or email [email protected].
Set up camp in the Bronx with the Urban Park Rangers. Photo courtesy of the Urban Park Rangers
Urban Park Rangers
The Urban Park Rangers offer lots of free outdoor programs for kids. The organization's online calendar includes hiking, orienteering, canoeing, birding, and fishing activities for families. It's also smart to subscribe to the quarterly Nature and Outdoors newsletter because some cool events don't seem to make it online until the last minute.
The Urban Park Rangers Weekend Adventures include canoeing, birding, hiking, survival skills, astronomy, and more. These activities let you experience New York City's thousands of acres of parkland as you never have before. You'll forget you're in the city entirely! How to register: For many outings, you just show up and enjoy. Others require entering an online lottery.
The Rangers also oversee the Alley Pond Park Adventure Course in Queens, designed to foster trust, problem-solving, and team-building in a safe and secure environment. Families with children ages 8 and up can try to tackle it on Sundays from May 5 through October 27. How to register: Limited slots are available each Sunday so arrive early! In July and August you must enter an online lottery the Monday before to vie for a spot given the program's popularity.
The Urban Park Rangers also offer free family camping at various city parks. How to register: You must enter an online lottery to nab a spot. Usually the lottery takes place over a 24-hour period about 10 days before the outing. Space is extremely limited. The lotteries for first family campouts of the seasons are already open!
RELATED: Parks & Playgrounds Guide for NYC Kids
Pick up a birding Discovery Kit before heading out on a Central Park walk. Photo courtesy of The Central Park Conservancy
The Central Park Conservancy
The Central Park Conservancy has free kits families can borrow for a few hours. Birding Discovery Kits containing binoculars, a guidebook, maps, and sketching materials are available FREE of charge at Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (110th Street at Lenox Avenue), so kids can go bird-watching. Meanwhile, Field Day Kits are available at the North Meadow Recreation Center (mid-park at 97th Street) and include a variety of balls, bats, frisbees, and jump ropes. In order to borrow the kits, parents or caregivers must leave a valid picture ID.
Battery Park City Parks Conservancy
This organization sponsors many FREE (or inexpensive) programs for children of all ages, including gardening, bird-watching, fishing, and more. Toys, games, and play equipment can also be borrowed from the kiosk near Rockefeller Playground. Registration varies depending on the offering. Visit the website for a complete schedule.
Paddle the harbor and East River with a free kayak. Photo by Charlie via Flickr
Kayaking A number of volunteer-run organizations offer no-cost, walk-up kayaking at various launch points throughout NYC over the summer. Rules vary but usually children under age 16 must ride in a double kayak with an adult. No registration is required but you may have to wait on a line. Most open around Memorial Day weekend and many are still finalizing 2019 details.
Downtown Boathouse at Pier 26 offers kayaking from mid-May to October. In June, the organization returns to Governors Island offering a FREE Saturday kayaking program on the bucolic isle. Check the website for current schedule.
Manhattan Community Boathouse offers kayaking at 56th Street on the Hudson River from late May to October on a first-come, first-serve basis. Check the website for current schedule.
Brooklyn Bridge Boathouse offers kayaking every Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am to 2pm and Thursday from 5:30pm to 7pm from June to August in Brooklyn Bridge Park between Piers 1 and 2. Kayak polo is also offered on Sundays right off Pier 4 beach.
Free Programs For Toddlers Near Me
Long Island City Boathouse hosts kayaking at Hallets Cove in Long Island City, Queens. See the website for schedule. On occasion, longer 'Trip Paddles' are announced and offered free-of-charge.
Kayak Staten Island operates at Conference House Park. The 2019 season dates have not yet announced, so check the website for updates or email [email protected].
Rent a free fishing pole to fish at the Harlem Meer, which is stocked with fish. Photo courtesy of the Central Park Conservatory
Catch-and-Release Fishing in Central Park
The Harlem Meer, located at the northeast corner of the park, is probably the best spot to fish with kids in the city. The lake is stocked with a wide variety of fish, including golden shiner, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, bluegill sunfish, carp, and chain pickerel. Bamboo fishing poles are available free of charge (you must leave a valid picture ID) from April through November at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, located on the north shore of the Harlem Meer at 110th Street and Lenox Avenue.
There are lots of other places for catch-and-release fishing in NYC. Check the Parks Department's website for a complete list.
Free Programs For Toddlers Learning
Kids Bowl Free
We're cheating a bit with this one; it's indoors, but it's still free (and air conditioned)! Astoria Bowl (April 15-September 2) and Jib Lanes (May 1-September 5) in Queens, and Brooklyn's Shell Lanes (June 21-August 31) offer Kids Bowl Free programs. Children under 16 can bowl up to two free games per day—times vary and shoe rental is not included. How to register: Sign up online at the respective websites and receive your coupons via email. Check out our favorite bowling spots for especially humid days.
Free Programs For Toddlers In Oakland
If you'd like to find out about additional programs, here are two sites to bookmark. BeFitNYC on the Parks Department website allows you to search for all sorts of athletic activities for any age. Some programs are free, others aren't. But it's a useful tool, just be mindful of the details. Also, check out the Parks Department's list of Youth Sports Programs & Instructional Clinics. All programs are free, but often participants must be registered members of a NYC recreation center. Happily, children under 18 are eligible for free annual memberships.
Free School Programs For Toddlers
This article was first published in May 2010 and is updated annually.