By A. Noelle

Jack o’ Lanterns are starting to appear on front porches, and nieces and nephews are chattering excitedly about their witch, vampire, or Batman costumes. It’s about time to bring out the creepy skeletons, ghost and ghoul decor, and spiderwebs to invoke the spirit of the Halloween season. Here are some thrilling and educational apps to keep the kids busy while you set up this year’s scary attractions around your home or haunted house!

1. Peekaboo Trick or Treat with Ed Emberley by Night & Day Studios, Inc. (Ages 2+)

Young children won’t be frightened by the cute Halloween illustrations of Caldecott winner Ed Emberley in this app. Character names are voiced and spelled out for kids at the corners of the pages, and if they listen closely, they might be able to figure out which character is at the door.

2. FirstWords: Halloween by Learning Touch (Ages 3+)

This word-building game for early readers and spellers delves into favorite Halloween themes that are cute rather than frightening. Words are either spelled out one letter at a time and dragged into boxes or sounded out with phonics.

3. The Berenstain Bears Go on a Ghost Walk by Oceanhouse Media (Ages 4+)

For little nieces and nephews familiar with the classic and loveable Berenstain Bears, this spooky app serves as a perfect Halloween storybook. Papa Bear has another one of his ideas and dresses up in a costume that is just a bit too scary for Mama Bear and the cubs. This interactive tale allows kids to tap on images to hear spooky sounds and learn new vocabulary words.

4. Mickey’s Spooky Night Puzzle Book by Disney (Ages 4+)

Here is another story book, including four jigsaw puzzles with six easy-to-assemble pieces. Children are asked to find ghosts on different pages and then match the ghosts to their silhouettes at the end.

5. The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin by Oceanhouse Media (Ages 5+)

This is an interactive book app that is safe for younger nieces and nephews, helping them practice reading by highlighting the words. The book “reads itself” so younger kids can also enjoy listening to the story.

6. Monster Warrior by Sparkin’ Apps LTD (Ages 8+)

This is a monster-version of the famous Fruit Ninja app that works well for older nieces and nephews this Halloween. Kids use their fingers to “slice” the monsters tossed in the air—the violent aspect of the game is minimal (no blood). Players are allowed to post scores on Facebook, so you should consult with parents before allowing nieces and nephews to play this game on your iPhone or iPad.

Photo: pat138241
Published: October 15, 2013