Cherry Hill, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/29/2011 -- Parents and grandparents of young children know the change of seasons from summer to autumn means less time for outdoor activities and more for activities indoors. This can be a challenge for younger kids who’ve relished their hot summer days at playgrounds and the beach and warm evenings catching fireflies and eating ice cream on the porch.

Glenn and Chris Smith are app developers and founders of Micro Integration Services, Inc. (http://www.misdb.com) who have reviewed and picked several new educational and entertaining apps for children that should occupy the attention of even the most precocious young minds.

“There is an abundance of free and inexpensive educational and entertaining apps available for smartphones and iPad type devices that should keep 2- to 7-year-old- youngsters busy as we hunker down for the colder weather and the coming holiday season,” says Smith.

“Our picks were evaluated based on educational and entertainment value, as well as ease of use and value versus the cost.”

Super Why - $2.99 for iPhone/iPod touch, $3.99 for iPad, Ages 3 to 6

What it is:
Super Why features characters from the popular PBS TV series in four different games which gently guide children to help improve reading and writing skills.

Why we like it:
Having a popular TV character in an app will increase and hold the initial interest of any kid. Factor in the excellent themed mini-games and the multiple paths to learn letters and words, and you have a well-paced and entertaining app—just slow enough so players understand what they need to do without ever losing their attention.

Toca Tea Party for iPad, $2.99, Ages 3 & up

What it is:
For the little girl in your life who loves tea parties, Toca Tea Party brings the pastime of tea parties to the digital world.

The iPad becomes a virtual tea party setting that allows children to pick the right tablecloth, drag and drop dishes, and serve the right tea cookies and cakes. Toca Tea Party even allows cleanup for guest spills, using simple taps and swipes.

Why We Like It:
Tea Parties are the rage for every little girl, and this app should make them feel like a real party host and will provide hours of entertainment. It is easy to use and an excellent value for the price.

Catculator - Price: $0.99 - For iPhone and iPad, Ages 6 & 7

What it is:
The Catculator is half cat, half calculator that introduces math in a fun and imaginative way.

Why We like It:
A calculator is a magnet for any young child. They simple love to push buttons. When you make a calculator into a cat that is great with numbers and has a tendency to climb trees, it makes the whole process of learning math much more appealing, entertaining and fun. It is also well worth the price.

Story Land for iPad, $2.99, Ages 3-7

What it is:
A digital way for children and adults to create the scenes, characters, settings, backgrounds, music and more for your own stories. Endless possibilities.

Why We Like It:
Story Land provides a wealth of creative digital tools for virtually endless combinations of imaginative story possibilities. It is a beautiful and unique living storybook full of fun for you and your kids to learn from and play in. It has an extremely flexible, solidly built interface with a wide range of choices of music, scenery, weather (with animations), clothes, characters and much more. You can even use your digital camera to take a picture to create your own custom scene. This app can provide unlimited hours of entertainment and fun for a price that can’t be beat.

Free TV Station Apps
When the kids grow tired of storytelling, coloring and playing with puzzles, it might be time to turn your smartphone and iPad devices into a miniature and portable television with several free apps.

There is an ever expanding range of TV apps from networks like CBS and the Cartoon Network that allows users to watch full-length episodes for selected shows through their iPhone or iPad where a WiFi or 3G connection is available.

Cartoon Network App - Price: Free
View videos and clips from popular Cartoon Network shows for free. Or, if your television provider supports online usage, you can sign in with your cable or satellite account provider information and check out full episodes.

Tv.com App - Price: Free
Through Tv.com, you can access full shows from Viacom TV networks like CBS, The CW and Showtime, with a Wi-Fi connection.

Convert Your DVD’s:
You can also turn the stack of your kid’s favorite DVD’s into digital downloads that can be played back on a computer or smartphone. To be converted for download and playback on your iPhone, the DVD files must be compressed on a computer and synced to an iPhone. In order to complete the process, you will need to download compression software to your computer, many of which are available to download on the Internet.

“These are just a few of the apps available that caught our attention, and there are many more that are equally as good if not better” says Smith.

“We wanted apps that were fun but had educational or instructional value, as well.”

About Micro Integration Services, Inc.
Micro Integration Services, Inc. allows extension of data to the mobile user, which includes clients, work force, and vendors. They also provide reporting and admin features via custom, web-based software, providing their customers with the most flexible approach using today's cutting-edge technologies. Most of their work is centered on integration of Smartphone and databases.