Top Toddler Software

When I was my son’s age computers were still the size of a small room. By the time I sat down at my first computer, somewhere around 7 or 8 years old, it was a terminal, hooked up to a mainframe held elsewhere in my school building. In fact, it wasn’t until the illustrious Apple 2e came around that we graduated from typewriter to computer (thank goodness – I never could get that correction tape right on the typewriter). But for my soon-to-be 2 son, oh how it is a whole new world. He can operate PC, Mac, PDA, cell phone and iPod with an ease I find remarkable. My boy is hi-tech. If it plugs in or runs on a battery, it’s for him.

My son’s computer of choice is a Mac. We have a PC I received from an old job and he consistently proceeds to the “Shut Down” operation every time it is on. I’ve never seen him do that on a Mac. He has an older model Mac hand-me-down at home from my brother’s college days and an aqua G3 set up for his own amusement at his grandparents house. 

My son is a Sesame Street and Spongebob Square Pants devotee, but can also find In Between the Lions, Thomas the Tank Engine and Caillou mildly entertaining as well. (He also happens to love Homer Simpson. He says D’Oh whenever he sees him on TV).  With his obvious bias in mind, here is a random sampling of software we have been able to acquire for his amusement and, so we hope, his education.

Baby Safe II by Batista ($20 online, available for a 15 day trial for free) Ingenious little software program. This is best for when you are trying to share your own computer (rather than a hand-me-down) with your child and you don’t want their keyboard pounding ways to permanently destroy your settings. Acting like a virtual baby barricade, Baby Safe II is meant to entertain your child with shapes, letters and numbers while protecting your precious files from baby havoc. Great concept. For our needs, rather unnecessary, since his Macs are all his own. My son found the program to be mildly entertaining at first, but failed it inevitably failed to keep his interest as well as other programs we have tried.

Caillou Alphabet Combo with Workbook by Brighter Child Interactive ($14.95 online) 
While Calliou on TV is a little too sedate for our rambunctious family (though he is a sweet character all the same) this program is a hit. We have found it to be the perfect level of challenging and educational without being frustrating to our son. He learns important basics with colorful cartoons, songs and positive reinforcement language. I have been equally impressed with the imaginative ways to learn (i.e. Pick the capital A apple from the tree and put it in the basket) and how well my son does with the program.

Reader Rabbit Toddler by Broderbund (online for $24.99)
Our boy is a music junkie. He’ll dance to anything from an upbeat commercial to the theme song for CSI. So, the music that accompanies the Reader Rabbit program is a big plus for him. The program can be slow to load and even bog down the computer at times, but it is still a worth while program to pick up. The Reader Rabbit series appears to be a good group to string together throughout the child’s learning development. Their website touts that they have sold over 25 millions copies from the series since 1993.

Another great option for this age group is discounted and discontinued software. While toddlers will generally react to characters they know, they are otherwise still rather uninfluenced by trademarks and trends. Take advantage now while you still can. My parents picked up a no-longer-available Chutes and Ladders game for just $5 that my son loves just as well as his “brand name” games.

My son turns two this Monday, so I will be out scouring the toy stores for that special something.  I am sure he would be equally impressed with a paper towel tube as he would a life sized play castle, so I’ll be keeping that in mind during my shopping endeavors. But, please, anyone who has experience with a Spongebob, Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, or even a generic good old fashioned piece of educational software for this age group, I would welcome your feedback. Comment here or email me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). And hopefully my toddler tested, mommy approved look at these brands will help you pick out something nice for a busy little someone you know too.