'Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood'
'The Monstore'
In this picture book adventure by Tara Lazar, zany Zack isn’t quite sure what to do when the kooky creatures he picked up from the Monstore—to keep his pesky kid sister Gracie out of his room, of course—don’t work out exactly as planned. His problem? No refunds, and no exchanges, which means big trouble! Bright and bold and full of fun, this one will have your little one reading through it over and over, absorbing new details every time.
Ages 2 and up.
'Easy Studio: Animate With Shapes'
This iPad and iPhone-friendly app (not a bad investment at $4) lets your kid learn easy animation with shapes, using stop motion and basic flip-book formatting to let them create fun, short little stories. Once they’ve played with it for a while, they can upgrade from Easy to Expert mode to start creating more complex tales with their animations.
Ages 5 and up.
'Planes'
Hitting theaters August 9, Disney’s latest, Planes, centers on a dinky little crop duster with high-flying ambitions—and an ironic fear of heights. Luckily, he’ll get there with just a little help from his friends. A bit light for the older set, but sure to be a hit among kids who love a good underdog tale, Planes is a fun riff on the Cars franchise with plenty of heart and lots of action.
Age 5 and up.
'Math Evolve'
At $2, this New York Times-lauded app is a sure-fire way to keep your kid up on her numbers in a painless—even fun—way. In story mode, players go an exciting arcade-style adventure that has them engaging their math skills to get to the next level. Player history and difficulty controls let you customize the app for each kid individually, allowing it to continually present new challenges as the player can handle them.
Ages 5 and up.
'Monsters University'
This funny prequel to Monsters, Inc. hit theaters June 21.
Ages 8 and up.
'Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin'
A fun Rumpelstiltskin retelling by Liesl Shurtliff, this middle grade read turns the old fable on its head. Here, poor little Rump is the butt of everyone’s jokes, until he discovers that he can spin straw into gold. Of course, the magic comes at a cost, and he soon realizes he’s spun himself right into a perilous witch’s spell. With the help of his best pal, Red Riding Hood, he goes on an adventure that has him fighting off trolls, pixies and the requisite wicked queen.
Ages 8 and up.
MORE: Kid-Approved iPad Apps
