For toddlers who love technology

My 1 1/2 year old loves iphones. She also loves pressing buttons. 

You can imagine the problem this causes, since every time I start an app for her she exits out of it as soon as she gets the urge to press that tempting little button. Anywhere from two seconds to one minute after I've handed her the phone to watch Sesame Street she is holding it out begging for me to fix it. I re-start the app, hand it back, and the process repeats.

I searched and searched online for a way to lock the button, but found no solutions, since Apple doesn't let any apps disable the function of any of the hardware on the phone. Then one day I discovered the solution: Bub Caps.

Applied like a screen protector for the home button, Bub Caps create a semi-rigid surface over the iPhone's home button to help keep toddlers curious fingers from constantly closing out of applications. 

Bub caps are made in differing degrees of strength, so for older kids and ipads you can get harder plastic. They are removable, and don't leave anything sticky on your phone.

They come in packs of four for $5. You can get them at bubcap.com or amazon.

LDS Children's Sing Along app

This app is AMAZING!  My kids love it.

It includes a selection of children's hymns from the children's songbook, and each song has the sing-along lyrics with a bouncing ball to show when to sing each word. There are beautiful background images to go with they hymns, and best yet there is a free version.

It really helps them learn the songs and they love to listen to the music. They can pause/play the music and jump to any verse in the song. They can also browse the songs by title or by image.

For my little one I sometimes use the lullabies in this app to sing him to sleep. Everyone sounds better with a little accompaniment, and I never have to make up the lyrics for the words I forgot!

After how much use we got out of this app, we decided to get the full version for $4.99. It is well worth it.

Starbucks Pick of the week

I love this!! Every Tuesday Starbucks comes out with a new "Pick of the Week" card that includes a code for a FREE app, song, or book you can download to your iTunes account.

If you are logged into the store's wireless network, you can go to their homepage and download the app, or you can pick up a card that gives you a code to redeem the free app at home.

The cards are usually at the checkout counter or at the stirrers/napkins counter. I love to enjoy a cranberry bliss bar and my free app every Tuesday!

Here is a link to a forum where people post the most current Pick of the Week, so you don't have to venture out if you don't like this week's app ;)