Egg Punch

I have to admit that my kid IS addicted to this one, and it is a little unnerving. Nevertheless, there are plenty of good reasons to get this app, one of which is that it is free.

Egg Punch is simplistic, graphic rendition of mini-golf, with some pinball elements thrown in (bumpers, remember those?)

When you open each level, you can see the course which with each level, becomes more complex. There are feathers to collect on the way to getting your egg in the hole, tubes and gates, plus a moving wagon (which requires timing.)

It is nicely done for a kid who is frustrated easily, plus mistakes don't mean you have to start the level over again, and the egg (which operates by "slingshot" with the finger) displays an arrow for the direction it will go. These features help avoid meltdowns.

Elements are there for planning, improving efficiency, and spatial understanding. All healthy good stuff for the ADHD kiddo. Have fun HERE.

Why ARE Those Birds so Angry

Angry Birds is pretty much the Pong of my son's generation. If there were a water cooler, my guess is that it would be 99% of the conversation for the boys anyway.

It's a simple slingshot game, firing those angry little birds into the various structures inhibited by those nasty green pigs.. Pretty simple (if unlikely).

Is it great for ADHD kids? Maybe. It is so addictive, it allows for sustained attention, plus there is memorization and planning in to achieve each level.  There will be frustration eventually, so a walk through can be purchased (an app that "walks you through" how to move further when you are stuck). There is physics involved (although it's pretty pretty basic).

Here's the reason why I'd approve it for an ADHD kid:

My son is quite social. He's pretty happy to tell just about everyone on the playground, what to play and how to play it (and most of the time he convinces them, too). He also likes to inform kids of what he knows... So far, no one seems to bothered in his class and his teacher praises him for it... but not all ADHD kids (especially those that may have also be on the spectrum) have that innate ability, so why not give them the common  denominator for a quick (and easy) conversation with just about any other kid?

Give it a try HERE

Cat Physics and Feed Me Oil

ADHD kids like mine seem to be right brained, so when physics is combined with cats or cute monster faces, my kid is pretty happy and stays with the game for a while.

Physics can be hard though, and for that reason, I am recommending Feed Me Oil first. I'm not sure if there is a global warming point to the concept, but the object is to get the oil into the designated space using bars, fans and other gear. What's wonderful is that hints are offered in a light color so that if stuck, there is a way to move forward. This can prevent a giant melt down from frustration, something that happens in my house... The monsters are adorable too...

Click HERE for Feed Me Oil 

Cat Physics does not have hints, a big draw back, but it's still a lot of fun. A ball needs to be passed from one cat to another and arrows are provided so that they can be dragged into the position to guide the ball's direction while it is mid-air. A meow is your reward (as well as the next level) as well as bonus points for efficiency. As it gets harder though, i am usually called in for a consult... (and we are now over my head, a separate app for help is available if you are stuck.)

Click HERE for Cat Physics

Both games are fun and may be addictive to adults as well. They offer plenty of opportunities for planning ahead, something especially useful for a child with ADHD.

Cut the Rope

Your adorable monster has arrived, and it wants candy.

Using the laws of physics, including pendulum swings, gravity and elastic rebounding, you can deliver the candy to the little cutie.

So why is this app so great for the ADHD kid?

Instant gratification helps. While there is a scoring system for the execution of each level, each level can be attained fairly easily. (levels go on, and new monsters arrive in new packages)

Persistence is required, but mistakes can easily be rectified quickly, thus keeping frustration levels fairly low.

To succeed, one has to try and fail, but remember what didn't work. This uses working memory (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory to understand how working memory present sas attention, something my child naturally lacks.

 The game can be played by kids as young as three but entertains those of us well into our forties...

Click here for 99 cents of fun (and the music is addictive too)

Not an App but VERY Fun

Sometimes, you just need the real thing... and when it comes to ADHD kiddos, you need it squishy too. Check out "Electric Playdough" on Toys Are Tools.

Traditional "Memory Game"

When kiddo was three, Hubbie and I particpated in an NYU ADHD study allowing us (free!) weekly positive behavior modification training for eight weeks. (Yes, by three, it was clear he was impulsive, lacked focus and hyperactive).

One of the great ideas that came from those sessions was that we COULD play games with Tyler. Until then, we had given up on the usual board games (assuming he would not be able to stay with the games for that long). Our psychologist and trainer brought us a simple memory game and we saw Tyler's memory suddenly sharply focus beyond what we thought possible. Finding the matching pair in a grid of cards was simply magical for Tyler. We were amazed that he caught on right away. He also wanted to play over and over again (beating us both many times).

In addition to focus, the game memory requires impulse control (when you need to let the other person take a turn).

When we found memory games for the iPhone, I knew we hit pay dirt. So simple and even easier than cards. (It wasn't always easy for Tyler to turn the cards and put them precisely back into the grid).

He has enjoyed both of these games and even better, they are free!

1. Toy Story Memory Match

This cute app has both timed and untimed options. Levels of difficulty means a choice of 12 or 20 card lay out. Kids can earn wall papers for winning.

If your child likes Toy Story, all the better but other than using the familiar characters for the pairs, it is still the traditional memory game.

It can be played alone or with another player (remember, impulse control practice occurs when someone else takes a turn)

2. Preschool Memory Match

This app has more range as far as ease and variety. It has traditional child oriented objects for the cards and the objects are grouped in themes (music, transportation...).

It also has has a choice of 12, 20 and 30 cards in the grid and objects. The settings and graphics are very nice for a free app.

You can't go wrong with either of these apps and there's no guilt for this mom, since it is no different from playing with cards at home.

Where's My Water by DIsney

One of my son’s favorite apps (and truth be told, one of my favorites too) starts with a sweet story of Swampy the alligator, who lives below the streets in the sewers.

Swampy needs fresh water to take his bath and though it’s easy to “dig” away the dirt at the beginning of the game, the more difficult levels involve obstacles which means a lot of planning and experimenting.

I’ve learned a lot about working memory from the blog ToysAreTools and I’m pretty certain that I’ve been improving my own working memory when I play (shhh, don’t tell my kiddo).

One of the things that impresses me most about this well executed app is that there are a variety of physics involved. Besides gravity (you can’t get the water to go anywhere but across or down) there is shooting water, levers, and waves.

It’s not easy for my son to plan and less easy for him to focus, but this game has drawn him in and he is willing to do both, just to get that alligator his bath water.

I’d suggest this to anyone with a child who enjoys figuring out how things work (kiddo and i spend a lot of time peering into construction sites). It may be too hard for a child under 4 depending on the child. It doesn’t require tilting or a great deal of manual dexterity but in the harder levels, a few moves need to be executed quickly.



For 99 cents of pure fun, click here to get yours.