10 iPhone Apps for Parents
June 24, 2009 by Kailani
Filed under family topics
I love my iPhone. It never ceases to amaze me how many useful applications that are available that help turn my cell phone into an invaluable must-have item no matter where I am. However, sometimes it can be pretty overwhelming when browsing the iTunes App Store. Where do I start?
Thankfully, the editors of PCMag.com have made my life a little easier by cutting through the clutter and named the 10 iPhone apps for Parents and how they can be adapted to make motherhood (or fatherhood) a less-complicated experience.
- Shazam: This app is able to identify whatever song is playing in the background wherever you are; use it to snag a sound bite from that new Top 40 hit your child loves, and get the details on whether it is in line with your family’s listening standards.
- White Noise: Babies scream, toddlers pout, and parents can often lose their minds, White Noise is perfect for taking things down a notch.
- Kindle: One of the most exciting apps for the iPhone, Kindle lets you easily bring along most any book or magazine for you and your kids to enjoy on the go. Create your own family book club or read while stuck in a doctor’s office, a book of your choice or read to your child.
- GoodFoodNearYou: When you’re on the road with the kids, avoid the fast-food joint and replace it with the convenience of this app to help you find health-conscious dining choices. Input your location and it will return scads of sides, sandwiches, and suppers from every dining destination in the vicinity.
- AllRecipes.com Dinner Spinner: If the question is “What are we having for dinner?” this free AllRecipes.com-powered app will let you choose recipes based on main ingredients, what you have on hand, and how much time you can spare for food prep. Or let it randomly selected meal plan for you.
- Sit Or Squat: When a parent hears “I really gotta go!” finding the nearest bathroom has to happen fast. Using your current location it gives you the nearest options, stats on cleanliness, changing tables and handicap-accessible facilities—mark your favorite toilets for quick returns.
- AirMe: You no longer need to wait until you get home to start sharing photos from birthdays, sporting events or school plays. Use AirMe to upload instantly to Photobucket, TinyPic, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, or Picasa without the hassle of file transfer or e-mail, and without the cost of an external gadget.
- myLite Flashlight: Never lose a pacifier in a dark movie theater again with this app that uses the screen to emit white light. This free app has a straightforward series of settings to control light color and brightness.
- Remember The Milk: This popular and effective list-making and task-management Web site, has a complementary mobile app free to the site’s paying members to help keep things sorted when you’re shuttling between work, home, and your family’s numerous appointments and activities.
- iTalk Recorder: This limited free download allows you to record and store numerous sound files for later use. Files upload easily to your PC via wireless transfer, enabling you to customize your own ringtone, preserve a special memory, or just remind yourself why you go to work each day.
Are there any apps that you find especially useful? Share!
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Owner of An Island Life and Family Review Network. Wife, mother, and flight attendant . . . living a blessed life in Hawaii. |
My little brother writes programing for iphone apps. he asked for suggestions. I suggested one that does the dishes. He laughed and said he could make one to remind you to do the dishes…what is the good of that? I get reminded each time I pass the sink. :p
I think I could use that sit or squat app…I’m always on the hunt for the potty.
we just made the decision to go iphone for the whole family. son gets one (ordered) tomorrow for his b-day and daughter will also have one ordered as an early christmas present. but because of our plan, husband and i have to wait until december to get ours. this may be the longest 6 months of my life =)
i look forward to browsing all the different apps that are available. there are some really cool ones.
My flat mate has an iPone, a graduation present from the family. She is so thrilled that I got the hooks for it as well. I checked the Internet and saw that in America it sells for 200-300$. Here in Romania prices go from $400 to $500. That is not fair!!!
Thanks for this list. I have the iPod Touch and I LOVE it. I SO want the iPhone but we have Verizon and are stuck in a contract with them for 2 more years.
Very exciting! My husband works at Apple and is getting me an iphone next week! (I am over the moon excited!) Anyways, thanks for the list, I could have asked me, but I liked seeing another parent share it!
I don’t have an iPhone, but I have an iPod touch, and some of the phone apps work on the touch as well. What I have found useful, though, are games. They really help pass the time for my son when we have to wait somewhere. Heck, they keep me occupied, too!
I guess I should have mentioned that his favorites are Pocket God and Top Gun; I’m more of the Word Search and Solitaire kinda girl.
I can’t wait to check some of these out. I’m cheap and haven’t purchased any aps for my phone although I’ve loaded a lot of freebies.
Don’t you just love your phone???!
Hugs,
Holly
These are all great apps. I, like a few other commenters, have the touch and not the phone but most apps still work keepig me satisfied for the time being. I love Verizon and dislike AT&T too much to switch, I am just waiting for Verizon to get the iPhone so I can use it (I hear it is supposed to be soon – hopefully it’s not just a false rumor)
I love TextPlus! We live overseas and I can text my family for free!
Congrats on your pregnancy by the way! 
I like the AirMe and Kindle descriptions – I’ll have to download those – and having a mini flashlight to help get the key in the lock after dark is a definite plus. My kids are grown but there are a few apps on your list they would like anyways. Thanks for the list
d:)