You’re in luck. Plenty of apps for OS X and iOS can give your children something to do -- and think about -- besides blasting zombies while your hands are full. Finding the right ones will take some investigation, but we can get you started.
Art and creativity tools abound; we like kid-friendly drawing programs like Doozla for OS X ($24.95, plasq.com), and for iOS, DrawCast (free, universal) and Animation Studio ($1.99, universal), which even lets young artists bring their creations to life. With a little guidance, older kids can even learn to use apps like iMovie (included with Mac OS X; $4.99 for iOS, universal) and GarageBand (included with Mac OS X; $4.99 for iPad) to create their own videos and soundtracks, or just have fun experimenting.
Drawing apps like DrawCast can engage kids for hours.
For more scholarly pursuits, a wide range of iOS educational apps is available. Some, like Motion Math ($0.99 iPhone, $2.99 iPad), sneak in game-like elements to keep kids engaged. Others, like the Grammar Jammers series (free to $2.99, iPhone), use a more conventional flashcard style. But not all learning has to happen indoors. With a guide to the local flora or fauna, like Peterson Feeder Birds (free, universal), your kids can get out of the house and investigate the world around them.
How does Motion Math make fractions fun? Three words: tilt-sensitive bouncing.
On rainy days, reading -- or writing -- a good book could be just the ticket. The iOS and Mac App Stores are filled with storybooks starring familiar characters, revamped classics like Alice for the iPad ($8.99), and science books aimed at younger readers. Kids can even use apps like Story Patch ($2.99, iPhone) or the Picture Book Maker website (goo.gl/draLL) to create books of their own.
Story Patch lets kids create stories from scratch, or from customizable templates.
