10 useful android apps for babies, mums and dads

When you have a baby, phone apps can be useful for many reasons, keeping track of what they are eating, playing simple music to them, where there are changing facilities nearby, white noise or lullabies to help them sleep and apps which help you keep track of their development, even suggest activities to help with the next stage. Here are just a few of the ones I have found helpful so far at different stages with my baby.

1. babysparks - baby development

Free to start with but to unlock all features £6.22 

Baby sparks is a helpful app, telling you what sort of stage your baby is at, what sort of skills they might have and activities that you can do to help them progress, these are explained on helpful video tutorials. Also helpful is you can add more than one child so if you have twins you can keep track of both their milestones on here. 

2. wonder weeks milestones

£1.25

The book is invaluable to helping you understand why your baby is being particularly clingy, helps you to see things from their point of view which I think is really helpful. This app is best really in conjunction with the book.

3. animal sounds for babies

Free

This app is good fun for baby and mummies and daddies, it teaches animal names, animal sounds, and action / reaction. My baby loves the animal sounds and the songs and loves it even more when mummy and daddy mimic the animals!

This is a fisher price app and the other apps are very good too.

4. baby sleep instant

Free

This useful app is essentially a white noise generator, it certainly calms my baby, unfortunately never managed to get him to sleep just with this but I'm afraid he is still at the stage where he loves milk or rocking to get him to sleep! We're working on it! 

We have found, however that white noise really helps him to settle through the night once he is asleep and wakes up between sleep cycles.

Shower, washing machine, car, hairdryer, vacuum cleaner, shush, fan, train, musicbox, heartbeats, sea and stream.

5. baby piano

Free

The keys of this piano have cute animals and the bright colours are bound to keep your baby amused, teaching them about cause and effect as well as music.

6. baby paint

Free

This is great fun for babies, my baby loved it from a few months old, when baby draws it is turned into rainbow colours with a lovely magical sound effect, he loves this and with the mirror effect it is  a good distraction for a few moments if he is getting irritated by mummy and daddy talking to people for too long!

7. kids learn farm animals

Free

All of the Learn o'polis series of apps are great for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers, this simple app shows images of farm animals and when these are touched it says the name of the animal, simple but effective in helping your child learn words whilst playing with the technology that you and they love.

Other apps include colours, home appliances, vehicles, wild animals, vegetables, numbers and fruit.

8. mEGGies

Free

Designed by a mum for her children, mEGGies is a simple game with surprise eggs for toddlers and small children. Your child chooses an egg from the heap and hope it contains a surprise.

9. baby phone

Free

A great musical and educational game for babies, combining nursery rhymes, cartoons, music, animals, sound effects, numbers, what more could you need!

10. baby musical instruments

Free

Does your baby like musical rhythms? I know mine has always loved music and dancing. This is an educational app where babies can learn musical instruments.

10 diy ideas for mothers day gifts

This year will be my first as a mother, with purse strings more tight than usual and to celebrate this very special day, here are 10 unusual and creative makes for your mother on Mothering Sunday.

1. simnel cake

 

A traditional mothers day gift, here is one for the bakers amongst you, here is a yummy simnel cake recipe guaranteed to make your mum smile, and hopefully you might get a slice too!

2. poem handprint

A lovely gift for a mother who has recently been blessed with a grand child (as mine has), who could resist this lovely poem and handprints of your little one. Simple to make and guaranteed to be well received!

3. diy bath bombs

A delicious smelling gift for your mum, why not make extra to keep for future gifting needs to save you time!

4. gardening mum

Any green fingered mother would love this special gift, if they have no garden it could bring out their rebellious streak with a bit of guerilla gardening!

5. mum's favourite sayings...

Of course we listened to your advice and expressions as we were growing up mum!

For my mum it would have to be don't eat with your mouth full which she once said to me muddling up two of her favourites!

6. for sweet-toothed mums (this is me!)

Delicious spreads flavoured with your favourite biscuits / cookies...yummy!

7. generation photograph

First choose your frame, photograph the youngest, put this in the frame, photograph the next generation holding the frame, then frame this print, then get the third generation to hold the frame and photograph them, this will be the final print to frame!

8. diy personalised monogram keyrings

Beautiful and tasteful keyrings you can make yourself for your super stylish mum, you could equally put these onto a chain for a bracelet or a necklace, or mum could put it on a zip to personalise her favourite bag.

9. personalised wrapped wire name

A creative way to personalise a bouquet of flowers or add to a gift. 

10. for book loving mums

Great for a book loving mum, grab a book and a a garment of beautiful fabric from a charity shop and get creative! Make it more personal by choosing her favourite title or an amusing  and relevant title.