The iPad is a great device for parents of children of all ages to own. What are the best iPad apps for parents with teenagers? There can be a lot of learning mixed in between all the music, fun and games. Here are ten great iPad apps for high school-aged kids that are worth downloading right away.
CourseNotes ($4.99)
High schoolers can organize class notes by subject and keep track of all of their assignments within this app, which also syncs deadlines with the iPad calendar. CourseNotes allows for sharing notes via Facebook (I’d prefer DropBox support myself, but I don’t know any high school kids who aren’t on Facebook all the time). Notes can be emailed, and (best of all) searched.
SAT ® and ACT ® Vocabulary Builder by AccelaStudy ® ($4.99)
Juniors and seniors can prepare for standardized college-entrance tests with this flashcard-based vocabulary study app. The app lets you test yourself with the quiz feature, and includes sample sentences, definitions and synonyms. This would have added a couple of hundred points to my verbal score if I had it while in high school!
The Elements: A Visual Exploration ($13.99)
Chemistry students in particular will find this beautiful visual guide to the elements to be an invaluable source when studying. And it’s a lot more user-friendly than those periodic tables above the chalk board in the science lab.
Wikipanion for iPad (Free)
While we encourage students of all ages to access multiple sources beyond just user-generated encyclopedias, Wikipedia is a great resource of information. This free app is the best place for accessing Wikipedia entries on the iPad. It’s table of contents and multiple search methods make Wikipanion a great research tool. It’s also fun to have by your side while watching Jeopardy after school.
Aweditorium (free)
Let’s face it—no matter how cool we think we are, high school students are probably cooler—especially when it comes to music. Aweditorium is an amazing way to explore new music. It’s the iPad version of hanging out in a record store. The app encourages you to flip through album covers, and listen to the ones that interest you. You can also see photographs of the artists and read interviews with them.
iStudiez Pro ($2.99)
For students who want more than simple push reminders (but want those too), and need more powerful tracking of their assignments, tests, and extracurricular activities, iStudiez Pro is a great solution. Calendar-based, the app allows students to enter their class and activities schedules and track them in multiple ways that make the most sense for them.
Webster’s New World Dictionary ($14.99)
While it’s easy to look up words via the internet, connections are not always available. Webster’s requires no wifi, so it can be tapped into on the bus or anywhere your kid travels beyond Internet access. It’s powerful search tool displays results immediately as queries are typed in.
Facebook Touch HD ($2.99)
Until Facebook comes out with its own official iPad app, this is the best alternative among independently developed clients. Facebook Touch HD allows for instant messaging within the app, as well as uploading of photos, sharing, and messages (not all iPad Facebook apps include all of these features). The app also lets you customize colors and fonts. Teenagers of all ages will love it.
PhotoPuppet ($4.99)
This app lets you create silly movies by animating photos of your friends and sharing them via YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. If your kids are not art students capable of creating a movie from scratch, there are several cute templates available to get them started.
NotifyMe 2 Control Center ($9.99)
Kids’ lives are busier than ever, and there are a hundreds of to-do apps in the App Store. NotifyMe works best for teenagers because it is the least complicated. The app allows for syncing with the iPhone and iPod touch via a free NotifyMe account, so your kids can access the service at home or on the go.
Others in this series:
Apps for parents: Best iPad apps for babies and toddlers
Apps for parents: Best apps for elementary school kids
