Apps for kids, the new golden goose?

As the popularity of tablet devices continues to increase, a new and exciting market is emerging. A new article on the topic of smartphone and tablet apps for children, has been published in the Financial Times.

Children as young as nine months old are skillful enough to be able to use apps and this provides immense business opportunities for those who manage to capitalise on children’s interest. Children are simply fascinated by touchscreens, both psychologists and parents know. A recent survey in the UK and the US reveals that while less than 10% of pre-schoolers are able to tie their shoelaces, 20% are able to use a smartphone app.

Meanwhile, research among UK and US parents shows that the vast majority of them find tablets beneficial for their kids’ development. In fact, more than three-quarters of those polled claim that using tablets enables their children to become more creative and to learn how to solve problems.

Moreover, results from the research reveal that the average UK and US parent downloads 27 apps for their children, spending about $100 (£64) per year, with UK parents willing to pay up to £2.70 for a single app on average.

A number of publishers and media companies have already taken advantage of the new market and are producing a wide array of apps for kids, ranging from e-books to role play. According to figures published in the Financial Times, HarperCollins offers between 25 and 30 apps specifically targeted at children, while Penguin recently announced plans to adapt The Tale of Peter Rabbit for iPad.