Feed kids' brains with these fun learning apps

These apps are healthy brain snacks that give students (and parents) fun ways to learn – even while waiting for the bus.

The youngest bus stop visitors can build reading skills by playing Word Wagon with Mozzarella and Coco to learn the names and sounds of the letters, and how to spell words with up to six letters (Preschool – Grade 1, $1.99 Duck Duck Moose).

For students interested in testing their cartooning talents and sharpening writing skills, Toontastic (Ages 5-10, $2.99) lets users create animated stories from predefined settings and characters, or digitally draw scenes and characters of their own. A narrator guides users through the traditional storytelling arc of Setup, Conflict, Challenge, Climax and Resolution.

Savings Spree (ages 7-12, $2.99, Money Savvy Generation) teaches children to be smart about money. Age-appropriate and fun-filled lessons demonstrate how what we decide to do with our money today affects what we can do with it tomorrow. Politicians, are you listening?

Solitaire Chess (Ages 8+, ThinkFun) is an Olympic training course for problem solving. There are 40 challenges in the free version; 400 challenges in the paid version ($2.99).

Parents waiting for the bus to arrive can browse the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) mobile app. This tremendous free resource has content ratings for over 19,000 software applications and video games. The ESRB app searches games by title, ratings (E, T, M, etc.) or game platform (Nintendo, Xbox, Kinect, Wii). Before the bus pulls away from the curb, you’ll have a well-researched “yes” or “no.”