Yes!!! That’s exactly how great the iPad is! Amazing learning, multi sensory to boot!
The presidents App is from the same people as Stack Countries, which is the all time favorite in this house! I owe someone a karma for that recomendation! Anyone who visits gets challenged to join in 
and they all download it before they leave too! :yes: stack countries has flash cards for little ones, but i have yet to get it to read out the questions? Anyone? It would be good for the kids to hear those long country names they are reading Ethopia is hilarious the way my girl reads it lol
We put random kitchen mixing bowls/ cups/spoons/ladles into the bath and rotate them around…lucky I have plenty of Tupperware! Anything that squirts water is a favorite immediately…for them not me! :wacko:
My almost 2 year old loves Little Reader on my iPhone as well, very handy because we are on the go alot.
As much as I use all the technology available to us, I can’t forget the value of tactile learning. DadDude’s Fleschcards, printed out and cut, were extremely helpful in teaching my 4 year old to read. She liked to turn them around to look at the pictures intently, and then set them aside in an orderly fashion. DadDude’s Readingbear.org website, also fantastic.
The Starfall.com website taught her how to read the words in a sentence.
Our number line floor mat is extremely helpful in teaching my 4 year old addition. (I would say, hop forward 2 times from… for plus 2, etc.). Also our number line desk tapes.
I do like the Montessori manipulatives and how they make abstract concepts concrete. The manipulatives in the Mathtacular set look appealing as well.
MaryOfUs-
Also take a look at Stack the States when you are in the App Store! It is by the same company as Presidents vs. aliens and Stack the Countries and My hubby and I have been SCHOCKED at our daughter’s progress, especially in the ‘pile-up’ section!
I think it is interesting how this post ended up being an iPad debate, but I am going to add my 2 cents anyway. While I do not have an iPad, I would absolutely love one. They are so versatile and can teach so many different skills, if used correctly. I think, like with everything else, parent monitoring is crucial for it. However, as someone else mentioned, the educational apps for the iPads bring early learning to children who’s parents may not have done much for them otherwise. I am working on a masters in education and we end up talking about how best to utilize technology constantly. It is a part of our kids world and will be for the rest of their lives.
Back to toys, we absolutely love the stacking blocks (Melissa and Doug carry some, as well as many other brands). We play with other types of blocks as well. I don’t think anyone else has mentioned it, be we get a ton of mileage out of small manipulatives, like counting bears and porcupine balls. Form sorting and counting to fine motor practice (or just plain scattering across the room), the possibilities are endless. We play with a lot of wooden puzzles, and of course, books are the winner in our house, hands down.