We don’t have Toca Train, Helicopter Taxi, and Birthday Party Playtime (basically a birthday version of the Tea Party app below) but we will probably get them soon. Most of the Apps are universal, although one or two are only available for iPad, and Toca Doctor has two versions: one for iPad and one for iPhone. There is some discreet advertising (in the form of icons promoting other Toca Boca Apps) that appears on the home screen, but you can turn that off. You’d be amazed at how motivated my children will be if I hold up one of these apps as a carrot. The price for each app is more than reasonable.Some, such as the kitchen, hair cut and housework apps, might relate to social situations that the child is learning to deal with. Although designed for young children, the characters still appeal to my older pre-teen children and may be helpful for older children with special needs developing language and turn-taking skills.It is easy to make the links between the App and activities in the real world.They may be good for helping to prepare children for such things as trips to the hair dresser. They are familiar to children, and yet still manage to offer little surprises. The Apps focus on everyday experiences, such as housework, meals and haircuts.

To take advantage of these opportunities, play the Apps with your child, and encourage siblings and friends to play with them too. Even though they have no spoken or written language, the Toca Boca Apps give rise to a lot of oral language opportunities.You don’t need to be able to read or speak any particular language, so every the activities are accessible for everyone. The Apps are intuitive and easy to use.Before they do, let me just a few things that I find great about these Apps: I’ve invited some guest reviewers, my children, to give their opinions. We don’t have all of them, but it is only a matter of time until we do get them. I’ve been downloading Toca Boca games for my children as they earn them by good behaviour, extra jobs around the house, and as the odd treat for sick children. Kids all home sick? Rainy day? Need some kind of tidying-up incentive? Toca Boca to the rescue.

Toca robot lab