No matter how you define family: nuclear, extended, step, adopted, foster, complex, or traditional… one more word that needs to be included is hectic. Let’s face it: parenting is stressful. The day-to-day demands can be overwhelming: making it to all the appointments, taking the medications on time, keeping the game schedules straight, knocking out the chores, arranging and dropping off for playdates, not to mention, shopping for necessities, carpooling, and pet care. Did someone remember to walk the dog? Did someone feed the dog? Thankfully, there are apps that can help.
Each family has different needs and demands to meet, with the parents leading the charge. You might be managing and struggling to keep straight multiple activities and schedules for your multiple family members that count on you to keep “the fam” running. Throw in shopping for groceries, simple meal management, special dietary needs, and getting the dishes done, too, and it’s clear you might need some help. It’s enough to overwhelm even the most seasoned childcare provider. We feel you, and we want to help. There’s no shortage of family apps out there for Apple and Android (we even have some of this list that work with Amazon Fire and Windows). We’ve rounded up some of the best family apps available and organized them by category so you can quickly find what you need.
We’ve collected the best family apps that can help save you time and keep everyone organized. These apps will allow you to streamline your schedule so you can kick back and enjoy the little moments. Get ready to sync those to-do lists and family calendars with your spouse’s and kids’ phones, and start downloading your way to the good life! These apps will help you find peace of mind in knowing everyone is where they need to be and that everything is in its place.
ChoreMonster
Chores never end. The laundry, dishes, and dust will pile up around you until your home looks like a nightmarish scene from Hoarders, if you let it. Bathrooms need to be cleaned and floors need to be swept. Consider using an app like ChoreMonster that’s designed to help motivate the kiddos to roll up their sleeves and help. It’s a popular family app that makes helping out around the house a fun activity. The kids follow the chore list you create and earn points… and fun monster rewards along the way. Get it on Android and Apple devices.
Cozi
Who doesn’t want their family life simplified? Strike another item and appointment off the list! Use Cozi to keep track of everyone’s schedules, activities and appointments, create and share grocery lists, to-dos, and chores in real time. It can even store all your recipes, which you can view from any mobile device or computer. Cozi is available for Apple, Android, Amazon Fire, and Windows 8.1.
Remember the Milk
Another app that helps scratch items off your to-do list and never forget the milk (or anything else on your list) is Remember the Milk. It’s an easy way to remember and manage tasks, and you can use it to sync your tasks across multiple devices. The app is available for Apple, Android, and Blackberry devices.
Grocery IQ
When it comes to knocking out the grocery shopping give GroceryIQ a whirl. With this grocery shopping list creator you can use text, barcodes, or voice search to find products from the app’s extensive product database. Once you’ve created your list, you can sync and share lists with other devices, and find related coupons. You can use this free app on Android and Apple devices.
52 Organizing Missions
Need to handle some quick life improvements or maybe you’re finally ready to clean out the closets? 52 Organizing Missions claims it can take your life from chaos to order – in just 30 minutes a week! If you need some motivation to get organized, this app is it. By creating “missions,” the app helps you conquer clutter in small bursts of time. Just follow the steps and set the 30-minute timer in each mission to organize an area in your home or office. The app is only available on Apple devices.
Life360
Tired of using multiple methods to communicate with family members? Life360 offers simplified communication for your family or circle of friends. Features include flexible location sharing, check-ins so everyone’s location is known, group chats and more. Use the app on Android and Apple devices.
CareZone
Many families are also helping to care for their adult parents. Managing their health care, medications, and appointments is a large responsibility. CareZone helps you to stay organized and makes it simpler to take care of yourself and your family. Use the app to keep everything coordinated with a journal, calendar, and all your contacts. You can also scan medication bottles, and all the info is imported into a list that you can share. Get it on Apple and Android devices.
Babysitter Pro
This one is especially for you, parents! The key to harmony in the home is making sure you take some time for yourself. Call up the sitter and schedule a date out with the spouse. A great app for the babysitters or nanny on duty is Babysitter Pro. With this app, the babysitter can log children’s activities, share info with parents, and track important details like allergies, bedtimes, schedules, and payments. Parents can receive a summary of the time spent with their children via SMS or email. Available for Apple and Android devices.
Once you’re feeling more organized, you might need to keep the kids engaged to keep things running smooth. Download a few apps for the kids that are entertaining and also educational. From preschool to college bound, we’ve recommended the best we’ve found out there and sorted it by age group:
The Playmatic
Looking for baby’s first app? The Playmatic is a fun musical app that includes three simple games that a baby can explore: Magic Wand, Bubble Bath, and Hot Air. It’s simple and easy to use! Even older children can play and pass time with this app. Get it for your Apple devices.
Kidzongs
Another darling musical app for little ones is Kidzongs. It features simple animation accompanied by music played by acoustic instruments. Share the classic songs you loved as a child with your kids, and experience their excitement in their first musical encounter. Available on the Apple iPhone.
Toddler Flashcards
Ready to teach your little one how to read? Toddler Flashcards is a great tool to help children, even babies, learn basic words. If you have a young toddler, it’s a must-have. Perfect for at home, on the road, or while flying and in need of entertainment, Toddler Flashcards helps keep a child engaged, entertained, and learning. It comes with 20 cards, animal sound effects, and spoken pronunciations in 13 languages: English, Spanish, French, Chinese, German, Russian, Farsi, Greek, Hindi, Arabic, Portuguese, and Japanese. Get it for your Apple device.
Peekaboo Barn
Use Peekaboo Barn to work with your child to learn the names of animals in the barn and hear the sounds they make. Younger children will love opening the barn doors to find a new animal animation, as they learn about cause and effect, and become familiar with animal names and sounds. Older children can guess animals by sound, rather than seeing the animal names, which helps develop early literacy skills. It also has multiple language features. Available for Android and Apple devices.
ABC Mouse
With more than 5,000 fun and interactive learning activities that teach reading, math, beginning science, art, music, and more, ABCmouse.com is full of educational activities. You’ll find parent tips, videos to help teach the letters in the alphabet, animal animations, and songs to help kids master the basics. There is also an accompanying desktop app. Get it on Android, Amazon, and Apple devices.
PBS KIDS Video
Watch videos from your favorite PBS KIDS television series anytime, anywhere (in the USA). PBS KIDS Video features thousands of streaming videos from top PBS KIDS television series, including Curious George, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Wild Kratts, Peg + Cat, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That, Dinosaur Train, SUPER WHY!, Sesame Street, and Wild Kratts. There is also a special section for parents, where they can favorite shows, stream videos to a TV using Chromecast, and more. It’s PBS, so you know it’s safe for the kids to watch. The app is available on Apple, Amazon, Android, Nook, and Windows Phone.
InClass
Kids get a lot of homework these days, no matter what grade they’re in. The InClass app for Apple iOS devices helps your student organize and stay on track with their schedule, share notes on classes, and make the grade. The app features multimedia notes, class schedules, tasks, and course alarms to help keep your favorite student on track.
StudyBlue Flashcards
Flashcards have always been a great way to memorize things. StudyBlue Flashcards are the same concept; the only difference is that your kids don’t need to carry a stack of index cards with them. This app offers over 250 million study aids including flashcard sets for art, literature, social studies, match science, AP test prep, and more. You can use the app on iPhone/iPad, Android, and Evernote.
Duolingo
Learning a language can be difficult and often kids need a little help outside of the classroom. Duolingo is a fun way to learn new languages (French, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, German, Irish, Portuguese, and more). The app uses challenges and an award system to keep students interested in learning. The free app is available for Apple devices, Android, and Windows Phone.
iTunes U
Have a student at home getting ready for college? Help get them prepared for their new responsibilities with Apple’s iTunes University (iTunes U for short). It features curriculum course material from many universities and colleges. If your school’s course materials isn’t on iTunes U, you might find similar content from the equivalent courses at other schools. The app is only available for Apple iPad, and content is a mix of text (multiple formats), and audio and video files.
Timetable
An app that’s perfect for managing school or university life, Timetable is a personal organizer for students. Use the app to save tasks from homework to exams. Timetable syncs across all Android devices, and automatically mutes your phone during lessons. Available for Android or Apple (including Apple Watch) devices.
Who doesn’t love a game night? It’s the one thing on the calendar that the family can look forward to all week. These apps are perfect for a social gathering in the home or just a Saturday with your family.
Heads Up!
Traditional board games are all right, and will always have their place. Now games can be so much more interactive. Case in point: Try playing a game of Heads Up! The game made famous by Ellen DeGeneres will entertain for hours. Simply shake the phone, lift it to your head and guess what it is based on the clues provided from family and friends. There’s something for everyone, as the categories cover all interests and age groups. Available on Andorid and Apple devices.
Charades
Who doesn’t love participating in a classic game of Charades? Forego the tiny pieces of paper and use the Charades! app instead. Entertain each other for hours singing, dancing, and acting out the provided phrases in your living room. Get it on Apple or Android devices.
Once you’re organized and can kick back watching a harmonious day roll on from activity-to-activity flawlessly, you can start to focus on capturing better photos of the kids, grandparents, and pets. All those are precious – remember to take pictures and document the little moments. Now, that we’ve helped free up some time, you’ll be able to organize your family photos and videos. We can help with that, too. Just use RealTimes to create video montages of all those kids’ firsts, smiles, parties, vacations, graduations, competitions, and holidays.
It’s free to get started. You can even use the app to edit your photos, add captions and music. It’s fun, takes just a few minutes, and best of all it’s free. With all these app options, you’re well on your way to a harmonious household on Easy Street!
