Gardening and nature apps for children

A walk in the countryside is beneficial on many levels but not always possible

There is no substitute for experiencing the great outdoors first hand but sometimes the weather can be so bad that technology could be the answer. There are masses and masses of gardening and nature apps, a huge number of which are from the US. Some work for some people and not for others so it’s just a case of trying them out. If the weather is fine then all you need are waterproofs, warm layers, binoculars and an ID book. In a lot of cases a book is much easier to navigate than some of the apps. There’s no getting away from the fact that a walk in the countryside has so much more value than just the educational side; with children now becoming more obese getting them into the habit of regularly going for a walk can only be beneficial and hopefully stay with them for life.  

They vary in content from the pure identification guides, through interactive games and a mixture of games and fascinating facts.

5 and under

• Dr Panda’s Veggie Garden
• Grandma’s Garden
• Happy Little Farmer
• Magic Garden with Letters and Numbers

5 – 6

• Hippo Seasons
• Marco Polo Ocean
• Plants by Tiny Bop
• Plants HD
• Toca Nature
• WWF Together

6 – 8

• Gro Garden
• Roos’ Fabulous Edible Garden

8+

• Bugs and Insects
• iRecord Butterfly
• Leafsnap UK (iTunes only)
• Wild Flower ID
• World Atlas (National Geographic)

10+

• Essential Garden Guide
• Garden Answers
• Geocaching
• Let’s Go Pond Dipping

Generic

• National Geographic Kids  -  features a number of apps
• Nature finder  -  Wildlife Trusts reserves and recommended walks
• Pocket Explorer  -  lists a variety of activities, attractions and walks
• Wild Time  -  search for various activities by how much time you have available