The iPhone Mom

Basic Math with Mathaliens combines math skills practice into two games. First there is Mathaliens Bingo. Your child is given a math problem and they will need to solve it and then tap on a bingo square that contains the answer. The square will be marked by a Mathalien. Your child’s goal is to mark enough squares to earn a Bingo. Bingo can be customized so your child works with addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. There are also difficulty levels for each skill that correspond to the numbers used in the problems. The second game is called Hunting Mathaliens. In this game your child works through math problems, trying to move through five different levels. The levels increase in difficulty and the amount of time for answering a problem will decrease. This game can also be switched up between addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Once your child has conquered the fifth level they will have successfully captured a Mathalien. Captured Mathaliens can be played with in a gallery.

Mathaliens is a cute game and I always enjoy a math app involving something besides flashcards. I’ve been given a promo code for the iPhone version of Mathaliens. If you’ve got an elementary schooler and are interested in winning leave me a comment. Promo codes only valid in the US App Store.

Price when Reviewed: $.99 (iPhone version) or $1.99 (iPad)

See the app in iTunes

Seller: CFC s.r.o.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review

Callvine is a free app that enables you to make group calls and texts. You can create a group call with up to twenty different people and when you make one of these calls the first ten minutes will be free. If you need a longer phone call you can purchase minute packages through iTunes. There’s no limit to the number of people you can include in a group text but be aware of your texting plan. A group text doesn’t count as one text message sent. You’ll be charged for a text message for every person in your group. That could add up quickly if you don’t have an unlimited texting plan.

Using Callvine is very simple. You’ll want to begin by creating groups. This can be done with a few taps on the screen. For group calls you can include multiple numbers for a contact, making sure you can catch them one way or another. I found it very easy to create groups and when it was time to send a text it only took me a matter of seconds to send one out. When you send out texts you’ll notice that there is a bit of text that automatically shows up in the message. It’s a “try us out” promotion for Callvine and can be easily deleted, but it’s there.

I found Callvine’s help section to be extremely thorough. Reading through it answered all of the questions I had. I’d recommend beginning there first. All in all, this app is easy to use and a good method of communicating quickly with a large group of people. There are many ways I could use this app- arranging park days, volunteer assignments, carpools. I think the only advice I’ve got is to watch your time limits on the calls and know your texting limits.

**Until September 7th all group calls will be free.**

Price when Reviewed: Free

See the app in iTunes

Seller: Callvine, Inc.

C is for Cow is a new app from Modern Eden. They are the company behind Speak Piggy!, an app that I reviewed in July. C is for Cow has a design that is similar to Speak Piggy!. I like how the pictures look like they have been cut from wood. C is for Cow is a simple app. You will view different pictures of animals, one for each letter of the alphabet. You may tap a button to hear the name of the letter or tap a button to hear the name of the animal. When you are done you can swipe to the left to move through the alphabet. The different letters are presented in two ways – in order or randomly. There aren’t many bells and whistles to this app and it’s appeal lies in it’s graphics and simplicity. The charm definitely comes from the illustrations of the animals.

Price when Reviewed: $.99

See the app in iTunes

Seller: Forge

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review

In July I reviewed the app Kezza bee Farm Adventures and now just about a month later the adorable bee is back with a brand new game. This time the app is called Kezza bee PeekaBoo 3D and unlike the first app this one isn’t presented as a story. This is a game and it’s very well suited for young children. In this app your child can play a game (or two, or three) of Peekaboo with Kezza bee. There are three different scenes to choose from, a farm, an island and a winter scene. Once your child has selected a scene they can choose a level- easy, medium or hard. Once they’ve done that they’ll be shown the scene and Kezza bee will begin buzzing around, hiding everywhere she can. Your child must tap on Kezza bee when she peeks out. The game keeps track of how many times Kezza has been caught and when your child reaches twenty the game will move on to a new scene. The different levels determine how quickly Kezza bee flies and hides. Her speed increases with each level of difficulty.

Once again this is an app with a cute concept and a cute bee. The graphics here are terrific and this app is sure to engage toddlers.

I have a promo code to give away for the Kezza bee Peekaboo iPhone app. If you have a toddler who’d enjoy this app leave me a comment and I’ll choose a winner tonight. Promo codes only valid in the US App Store.

Price when Reviewed: $.99

See the app in iTunes

Seller: KEZDAM PTY LTD

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review

I’ve updated the broken link for the contest – sorry about that! It’ll take you where you need to go now.

I’m very excited about this giveaway. Pull-Ups has given me a Flip Ultra HD camera to give away. Here’s the link to the Flip website. The Ultra shoots in HD, holds two hours of memory and has 8GB of memory. It retails for $199.99 so this is a fantastic prize. I have the original Flip and we love it. I’m also giving away a $50 Visa Gift Card and coupons for free packages of Pull-Ups. Now that is a cool prize too!

Details of how to enter can be found here. Hurry! Contest is ending on 9/6.

~Heather

Hide & Seek HD is a cute version of the classic game of the same name. For the record I must admit that I’m biased towards virtual Hide & Seek games. The real version has been banned from our house although my kids still continually ask to play it. Just gives me practice saying no. Our house is not large and the hiding places are pretty sparse. The games always quickly deteriorate into a wild rumpus and cooperation and fair game play go out the window. My daughters (ages 8 & 11) would not be satisfied with an app as a replacement Hide & Seek but I think it would keep my son happy for awhile. This game is geared more towards toddlers but I think it should appeal to younger preschoolers.

The app is presented as a story. A child is playing hide and seek, looking for his friends. The words to the story appear at the top of the screen and there is also narration. The story will tell your child where to look for the hiders and their hiding spots will shake on the screen. If your child taps on one of the spots an animal will appear. Once they have found the two animals that are hiding on the page it’s time to move on to the next screen. In addition to the shaking hiding spots screens have small animations and if you tap in certain spots there are a few surprises to be found. You can also tap on an animal to hear it’s sound.

The app’s scenes play out in different rooms of a house. At the time I tested Hide & Seek there were five scenes to explore and I’d love to see more in a future update. Once your child has discovered all the animals they can play the game again. The hiding spots don’t change but the animals involved in the game do. The app also alternates between a girl and a boy who are playing the game. I know the hiding spots are tied in with the story but it would be great to also get some variety with those. The Hide & Seek artwork has a quirky feel to it and I like the way it looked on my iPad screen.

There are several versions of Hide & Seek available in the App Store. I tried out Hide & Seek HD which has been designed for the iPad. There is also a free Hide & Seek HD Lite available for a trial. For the iPhone the app is called Hide & Seek for kids. There is a lite version and a Korean version available for the iPhone.

Price when Reviewed: $2.99 for iPad, $1.99 for iPhone

See the app in iTunes

Seller: ideatory

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review

My Silly Sounds Farm app has given me the best case of giggles that I’ve had in a long, long time. Let me explain why. When I receive promo codes I usually put the apps on my iPhone or iPad right away, even though I might not get a chance to use the app for a week or so. My kids know to check for new apps and they usually get to the children’s apps before I do. This was the case with My Silly Sounds Farm. It’s been on my iPad for a couple of weeks but I had no idea my son had been using it. He usually tells me when he’s found one that he really likes and I know for a fact he really enjoyed this app. Here’s my proof. I went to test the app today and first of all, it’s adorable. I love the graphics and the animals are completely appealing. The idea is to tap on an animal to hear it’s sound. By default the animal sound is one that matches the animal but the fun comes when you record your own silly sounds and then play them back. Each animal screen has a big red button that you tap when you want to record a new sound. The recording is then integrated into the app and when you tap on that animal you’re going to hear your recording. So unknown to me my son had gone through the entire app and recorded his own animal sounds. But they weren’t really sounds, it was more animals doing monologues and sometimes dialogues. And it was hilarious! His imagination has taken off over the past few months and this was a much needed laugh as I went through animal after animal listening to his random creativity.

When you’ve gone through and played with all the animal recordings you can move them around on the screen to create a farm scene. You can tap on each animal and get them talking all at the same time – it’s quite the ruckus! Reminded me of dinnertime at our house. This is a wonderful app for young children and it’s obviously been a hit at my house!

Just for kicks, I’ve taped a few of my favorite animals as voiced by my son. Keep in mind he’s five and the thoughts are at times random. This is probably a mother’s bias but his recordings made the app a big winner for me. I highly recommend this app if you have a preschooler in your house. The video quality isn’t the best, I put the whole thing together with iMovie on my iPhone and I’m quite certain my settings weren’t the best. I’m also a YouTube novice. So don’t judge the app’s graphics by my shoddy workmanship. One last thing, when he’s talking about the pig nose looking like a “pause” – he does mean pause and not paws. And he’s spot on.

I tested out the iPad version of My Silly Sounds Farm but there is also a separate iPhone version available. I have a promo code to give away for the iPhone version. Leave a comment and I’ll pick a winner tonight.

Price when Reviewed: $1.99

See the app in iTunes

Seller: Sequel Creative, LLC

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review

Interactive Alphabet for iPad is a wonderfully enjoyable flash card app for toddlers and preschoolers. I truly enjoyed testing this one out. The app begins with a screen that is filled with alphabet letters. They are bright and colorful and look so inviting you just can’t wait to tap a letter. So you do and are rewarded with a full screen flashcard that shows the letter and something that begins with it. Narration accompanies the flashcard, telling you the letter’s name and what it is for on the screen. (Example: J, J is for Jack in the Box) The flashcard is animated and if you tap on the pictures something extra fun will happen. You can also tap on the letter and words to hear them spoken out loud again.

To navigate through the app you can return to the main screen that shows the different alphabet letters. Or you can pay attention to the two small letters at the top left and right of the iPad screen. These will be the letters that come just before and just after the one you are looking at. You may tap on one of these letters to move forward or backwards through the app without returning to the main screen.

Accompanying the app is a very catchy soundtrack. It’s not loud or annoying as some children’s app music tends to be. It fits the app and didn’t get on my nerves at all. The developers included an extra treat by adding two extra soundtracks so you have three total to choose from. They’re all great and I love that you can swap them out when you’re tired of hearing one over and over again.

Interactive Alphabet for iPad is polished, well thought out and will absolutely appeal to toddlers and younger preschoolers who are beginning to learn their letters. Great app!

Price when Reviewed: $2.99 (this is a 40% off price through 9/16)

See the app in iTunes

Seller: Pi’ikea St. LLC

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review

I was recently contacted and asked to review the new Pull-Ups sponsored app, iGo Potty. I’m no potty training expert and my three experiences were all different. I think the only thing I can claim to have learned is that my kids have to do it on their own terms. You can lead my child to the potty but you can’t make them use it. What I’m trying to say is that I took a look at this app through my practical mom eyes. Would this be something that I could see myself using when it comes time to tackle the issue with Baby J? The answer is yes.

iGo Potty is a free app (hooray!) and it allows you to set a schedule of reminders for when it’s potty time. Potty reminders can be set anywhere from 30 minutes to ten hours apart. The times are set in half hour increments and can be adjusted using a slider. The app is courteous enough to let you set a time span of when you would like your reminders. This means you can eliminate reminders in the middle of the night.

When it’s time for a reminder Patty the Potty will appear on the screen with an “It’s Time to Go Potty!” message. Here you (or your child) can tap “Not Now” or “Answer”. If you choose to answer then Patty will put up a screen message that says “Potty in Progress”. Tap the done button and Patty will want to know how your child did. The answer choices are “I went potty!”, “I tried to go!” or “I didn’t go this time”. If your child went to the bathroom they will earn a new virtual sticker. When they’ve earned nine stickers they will unlock a game. The app tracks three rows of nine stickers and you can always wipe the record clean and begin again.

The app has a “Progress” screen that will display a bar graph showing how many times your child has successfully used the bathroom. This graph can be emailed out. When your child has finished their training you can use this section to create a diploma with their name on it. In iGo Potty’s settings you can personalize the app with your child’s name and photo. Here you will choose the ringtone you’d like to hear when the app reminds you it’s potty time. Choose from the “I’m a big kid now” song, a flushing noise or my favorite, the slide whistle.

Overall iGo Potty is very easy to use and I appreciate it’s regular reminders. I would like to see push notifications that would send me reminders when the app is off. Besides that the only thing that I didn’t care for much is the style of graphics. They’re made to look as if a child has drawn them and I understand why, they’re probably very appealing to children. But I prefer a cleaner look and I’ve got to be honest, the design wasn’t really my style .However, the app functions great, it provides an excellent service, keeps track of potty trips, provides encouragement and rewards and it’s free. Most definitely worth a try by any parent who is attempting to tackle toilet training.

**CONTEST**

Now I get to announce an exciting contest! Pull-Ups is sponsoring a give away for iPhone Mom readers. The Grand Prize is a brand new Flip video camera and three free Pull-Ups coupons. First Prize in the contest is a $50 Visa gift card and two free Pull-Ups coupons. Thanks Pull-Ups!

Here are the details. To enter I’d like you to download the iGo Potty app (found here in iTunes) and then leave me a comment letting me know what you think. Likes, dislikes, be honest. Please only enter and leave feedback if you have had some experience with potty training. This could include experience from the past or anticipated experience in the near future.

It would also be great if you could thank the good folks at Pull-Ups for allowing me to conduct the giveaway. You can reach them at their Facebook page or via the Twitter handle @PullUpsBigKid.

The contest will run through Labor Day, September 6th. That evening I’ll use random.org to select the two winners. Good luck everyone!

Price when Reviewed: FREE

See the app in iTunes

Seller: Joule

Disclosure: Pull-Ups training pants provided me with a Flip camp and product coupons to try out the new iGo Potty iPhone app and conduct a reader giveaway with a $50 Visa gift card and product coupons. However, my opinions on the product are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive sentiments towards Pull-Ups or their products.

The Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic has created an app that brings stress meditations to the iPhone. The app offers eight different meditation techniques. They are: Body Scan Relaxation, Mindfulness, Loving Kindness, Self-Confidence, Letting Go, A Calm Mind and Miracle Around Us. Based on the titles alone I can tell you that I could use a different meditation every hour of the day.

Each meditation begins with written directions. Once you’ve read those a calming photo will fill up the screen during the exercise. The app will talk you through getting your body positioned correctly for the meditation and it then talks you through the experience. The instructions are narrated by a confident, soothing voice. I’ve been hard pressed to find time for myself lately but I think that an app like this could do me some serious good. I like the way it helps you clear your mind. At one point it told me to be aware of thoughts that came to my mind, acknowledge them and send them on their way. As a mom my brain rarely stops thinking because I feel like I’ve always got to be five steps ahead to keep from falling farther behind than I already am. Having the ability to turn those thoughts off for a moment would be a blessing many days of the week.

A word of advice…I had to test this app out several times because the first two times my children were close by and they made the meditations completely useless. It was impossible for me to meditate with Loving Kindness when I could hear some serious sibling squabbling in the other room. If you want to experience the full benefit of the Stress Meditations make sure you’ve got a quiet moment to yourself first and then go for it.

Price when Reviewed: $1.99

See the app in iTunes

Seller: Cleveland Wellness Enterprise

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review