Kid’s App Trends in Technology for 2017
The scene in children’s playgrounds has been changing over the years. In the past, all you saw in most playgrounds were children running around or playing their favorite games. You would see parents trying to catch up with their kids in public parks. Today, you see children glued to mobiles phones and tablets. Developers have been introducing new apps to entertain and educate kids. Most of kid’s apps are built around storytelling with some allowing kids to become the storytellers. Here are some of the trends to watch out for in kid’s apps.
Videos on YouTube and other apps
Parents have relied on YouTube for a long time to find educational and entertaining content for their kids. Other apps have also been introduced for kid’s video content. However, YouTube still stands out especially with its latest channel that is dedicated to children. The YouTube Kids app plays child-friendly content exclusively. Hence, parents do not have to worry about their kids watching adult content on the normal YouTube app.
Minecraft
The game has been in the market for a while now but it is still a favorite to many kids. The developers are now using the game to educate kids and not just for entertainment. Minecraft enables kids to gather many building blocks to build any structure that they like. It encourages them to be creative and to use any material on their hands to build new structures. The game is widely used in YouTube channels to teach kids creative skills. Children can then share their structures with other kids.
Storytelling apps
Storytelling never goes out of fashion for kids. Parents have shifted from printed books to digital books to entertain kids with stories. The advantage of digital storytelling books is that kids have a wide variety of stories to read instead of repeating the same old stories. Better still, storytelling apps have been introduced in the market. The advantage of storytelling apps like Dino Dog is that kids can tap the screen to view a story instead of turning digital pages. In addition, kids can interact with the virtual characters and scenes in each story.
Musical apps
Parents encourage their kids to learn how to play musical instruments at their young age especially those with musical talents. Musical apps are a great way to teach kids melodies and rhythm. The apps do not replace actual instruments but provide an easy way of learning music. Parents must invest in the best Bluetooth headphones for kids for them to enjoy music on the apps.
The best headphones should protect the kid’s hearing function, which is very sensitive at the early stage of development. Another benefit of exposing kids to musical apps is that they learn to create their own music or melodies.
3D Printing and Robots
3D printing and robots have educational and play benefits for kids. The two categories of apps are expensive but they enhance kid’s creative skills. 3D printing apps require kids to have access to a good printer. They create anything using the app and then print them out.
Robot apps are mostly created for entertainment but they also enhance creativity. Apps like Dash and Dot teach kids to create their own robots and chase other robots on the app. The only downside of these apps is the high price.
Coding apps
Computer coding is often a challenge to many kids because of the technical programming language. Developers have made it easier for kids to understand coding through computer-coding apps. By the time coding is introduced in class, kids are already familiar with the programming language and coding basics. Coding apps are a great investment for kids who show interest in technology.
Computer coding apps help kids enhance their problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Some coding apps like The Foos teach kids to solve coding puzzles by dragging and dropping monsters. Some parents are skeptical about coding apps because of their characters and technical aspect. However, the apps are a good way to introduce kids to technical subject matter in a fun way.
Technology is dynamic and hence parents can expect more apps in the near future with children-friendly content. The best apps to invest in are those with educational and entertainment benefits. Such apps enhance kid’s learning, critical thinking, creative, and problem-solving skills. However, parents must ensure that kids get enough play away from mobile phones, tablets, and televisions. Technology should not be the only form of entertainment and play for kids. Children need physical exercises and the traditional way of learning for proper growth and development.
