Top 20 Free iPad Apps for Kids and Adults

Electronics are a part of all of our lives, and today we’re sharing the top 20 apps that you need in your life… like yesterday! Apps that will make your life easier, more organized and add a little fun into the mix. Of course since my iPad has become my family iPad, I’ve mixed it up between my own favorites and favorites for kids.

I’m definitely a sharer. Maybe not the kind that shares personal details of my life with a stranger in line at the grocery store, but online, well that’s a different story. Because I can do that in my pajamas, and also, I can’t see your face when you make weird expressions about my stories. Today though, I’ll spare you any crazy stories and because I like sharing so much, we’ve got a giveaway for the full that keeps my iPad safe and secure, accessible and useable, not only in my hands, but when my kids are passing it around as well. You can see it in use at our home in the photos and of course, while you’re downloading new apps you can enter to win a set for yourself! Merry Christmas early, peeps! {GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED}In this photo I’m using the Agility Shell and the Portfolio. 

Top Ten Free Apps for Adults (Our Current Faves)

• Kindle Reader – No need to purchase a Kindle device for all those books you want to read… just download the free app and have the world of books, plus newspapers, magazines, textbooks and PDFs at your fingertips! Compatible with: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
• Pocket – Save articles, videos, recipes… whatever, into your “pocket” for offline viewing later. You can save from your device or desktop and it all syncs up and saves so that you can browse through even when offline. Compatible with: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
• Pandora Radio – Yes, this is my go-to radio station. Just start with the name of your favorite artist, album, genre, song or composer and they do the rest.  (Note: need to be online to stream radio) Compatible with: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
• Wunderlist – If you’ve been around here for any bit of time, you know I’m an avid list maker, and I’ve always loved the feel of pen to paper. But this app is winning me over. Create multiple lists by category, I keep a running list of books I want to read, post ideas, food dishes to try, etc as well as make new lists whenever I’m traveling to a new city and have places to visit and shops to try. But the best part is that all of your lists can be easily shared and synced with any device, even from your desktop! Plus feel the satisfaction of crossing items off of your list and seeing that stroke right through it. Compatible with: iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows
• Dropbox -Dropbox is pretty much an external hard drive in the cloud that puts any file you need in your hands no matter what device you’re using… although I think using the app is easier than using Dropbox on a computer! A free account give you 2GB of storage and you can buy more storage or get more by referring friends. Dropbox for iPad can even play videos and view PDFs, so you can watch your favorite show anywhere you have Internet, or toss a few PDFs in your Dropbox cloud for later viewing. It no longer matters which device you’re using, you’ll have your important memories or work with you. Compatible with: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
• The Weather Channel – Another app that needs to be online for use, but this is one of the best weather apps out there… and free! Since I travel so much, it’s great to look ahead and see what I need to pack for an upcoming trip based on weather conditions. Compatible with: iPhone, iPad
• Evernote – Another great productivity and organization app that syncs across all of your devices, including your desktop. Create to-do lists, jot down notes, capture photos and record voice reminders, plus the new business card capture function allows you to store new contact information with a single snap of your iPad’s camera. Compatible with: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
• Venmo – Goodbye to paypal fees! This app makes is super easy to send and receive money right from your phone or device, plus earn money for referring friends.  Compatible with: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
• Sleep Time – This app created for the iPhone, although I’m testing it with my iPad as well, is an alarm clock that monitors your sleep cycles and wakes you at the perfect moment of your sleep rhythm within a 30 minute window, leaving you so much more refreshed, even on the earliest of days. Of course, for the iPad there is also another great app I use, called Awake, that simulates the sunrise to wake you, and I use SleepFan for simulated fan white noise, especially to block out other noises when in busy cities or loud hotels. Compatible with: iPhone
• Social Media – We all love getting social, when we can do it from behind our computer screen, that is. I find it easier to browse from my iPad than from the small screen of my phone though. So, stay up to date with friends by adding Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Skype and Facebook all through apps instead of using your internet browser (does anyone do that anymore?). OR you can use an app like EveryPost to manage multiple social media accounts in one place! Compatible with: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch

Shown in this photo is the Agility Shell as it sits on the Dock on my nightstand, where it belongs… and my kids know this. And sometimes they come to “borrow” my iPad and I find them huddled over it playing a favorite game, or using FaceTime to call people (more specifically, grandparents).

Speaking of kids, I won’t even let them use my iPad without a case on it, because as much as they play it for the apps, it can also be the subject of a “dropping toy” game, yes this has happened. And while our favorite actual apps and games rotate and change, below are a few that we’re loving right now. Meaning, when I find my kids huddled in the corner with my iPad, most likely they have one of these at their fingertips.

Top Ten Free Apps for Kids (Our Current Faves)

• Netflix – Okay so this one is a current favorite both for me and for the kids. If you’ve got a Netflix account, you can stream any shows you’d like right to your iPad. 
• Duolingo  – Learn Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, and English easily, and right along with your kids! Totally fun. Totally free. 
• Temple Run 2 – I get to use this app as a bribing tool (yes, that is not beyond me), because my kids ask to play this one a lot… and since it’s not educational and actually just a game, I can use it as a reward, for whatever.
• Squiggles! -A very fun, interactive drawing iPad app for kids. When finished adding squiggles to the picture to make cars drive, give nests to birds, create cotton candy, add water for fish to swim in, etc, press “GO” and watch the squiggles make the picture come to life!
• Magic Piano – A fun music app for kids that will totally provide entertainment. The younger ones especially will love the musical response they get from touching the screen. Want something a little more educational? Try the PianoMaestro and learn right on your own piano! Don’t worry though, if you don’t have one, there is a touch-screen mode to learn by. 
• Toddler Teasers – Created by a real mom and dad searching for ways to occupy their own 2 year old, Toddler Teasers Shapes quizzes tots on the basics… and my kids always loved the reward system of stickers that had them playing for what seemed like hours.
• PBS Kids – Bring favorite shows like Curious George, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That, Dinosaur Train, SUPER WHY!, Sesame Street and Wild Kratts right to your iPad to entertain the littles (and educate, because that’s important too, right) while you get a shower in or start dinner!
• Endless Alphabet –  This slightly educational app (and I say slightly, because there are some apps better with the actual learning process) is full of fun graphics, sounds and characters! My kids love it, and it does help with learning letters. The caveat I’ve found is that after awhile (because your kids will play this over and over) you’ll be ready for new words that only come through in-app purchases. 
• Mad Libs – Yep, the goofy game you remember, this app is not only great for parties… it’s perfect for your budding grammar-whiz. There are tons of stories to choose from, where you can fill in the blanks with fun words, meaning there will be tons of giggling too.
• This one is definitely NOT free, but since I’ve got 10 apps for kids so far; BONUS! Osmo is something we don’t actually have yet, but we’re looking to get the kids for Christmas this year (meaning I texted a link to my husband saying we need this for the kids for Christmas because it’s so cool and I want to play with it too!).  It’s an accessory created with reflective artificial intelligence that bridges the gap between real and digital… basically it creates a kinesthetic learning environment that syncs with the iPad, bringing the iPad games to life and fosters creative thinking.

Shown in this photo is the Agility Shell on the Wall Mount, and lunch, clearly.

I’d be happy to add to my list, and we’d love to see what favorites you’re using… tell me your current top choices in the comments! Shown in this photo is the OtterBox Agility Shell on the Portfolio.

Seriously guys, we love the full for our iPad… it’s been so easy to travel with the portfolio and I love having the dock on my nightstand. I know you’ll love it too. Check out the video below to see how it all works together, and then enter below to win one for yourself (or just in time for a Christmas gift!).

Good luck! And don’t forget to share with me your top apps in the comments below, I’m always looking for new ones and so are my kiddos.

xo