What’s Appening: Play Smart

Published 8:00 am Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Zuzu’s Bananas®

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With 50 games and puzzles, Zuzu’s Bananas: A Monkey Pre-School Game is a pre-schooler’s delight and will keep your little one entertained – and learning. Games focus on “early learning concepts such as pattern recognition, object permanence, and executive functioning,” according to its official description. With each goal reached, kids earn bananas, and when they earn the appropriate number of bananas, it’s time for a “banana dance.” Activities include popping popcorn, teaching rabbits to share and helping to keep monsters out of the rain. Cost: $1.99.

dipityPix®

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This app is billed as “a child’s first photo app” and lets youngsters try their hand at rudimentary photo editing, such as coloring or “posterizing” photographs. Its easy interface and basic camera controls are simple for children to use, and they’ll get the feel for what it’s like to edit photographs simply by tapping the various bouncing balls to change the color filters. One of our favorite features of this app is that it does not contain direct social media sharing, in-app purchases, or advertising, helping to keep your child safe. Cost: $0.99.