How many times have you seen children open up their iPad and play some ridiculous zombie chasing, ice cream making, basketball game? Yes, it is working on their eye-hand coordination but in no way is it educational. I prefer if the children are using an iPad that there is some purpose to it, rather than just as some brain-numbing device.

I encourage families to download these apps so time on technology is beneficial rather than detrimental and just a babysitter and time filler. My top suggestions include:

• Teach Your Monster To Read - is a phonics and reading app. For early primary and those learning to read

• Mathletics Students - sign up and pay but worth it with curriculum aligned activities and fun games. Able to track and review your child’s progress

• Fairlady Big Kids Pack 2 - learn in context through apps such as Grandpa’s Workshop, Grandma’s Kitchen, Grandpa in Space, Music With Grandma - aimed at preschool and early infants

• Vooks - animated storybooks kids can listen to and watch online

• Epic - another digital library for kids. They can choose their own books that interest them

• Kahoot! Play & Create Quizzes - fun quizzes on a huge variety of topics. Sign up for free. Play as a family or against your family

• Turtle Diary - must pay to sign up but offers videos, quizzes, lessons and games related to reading, maths, science, art and music and more

• ABCya Games - created by teachers, a popular educational gaming app. Features six free games each week.

• SplashLearn - reading and maths games

• PlayKids - Cartoons and Games - learn ABC while having fun, aimed at preschool and younger infant students

• Word To Word: Fun Brain Games - exercise kids brains through puzzles, trivia, and search word games

• Bluster! - this develops vocabulary and word understanding. You can match rhyming words, prefixes and suffixes, synonyms, homophones, adjectives

What worthwhile educational apps can you recommend? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.