Here are three applications every iPhone/iTouch-equipped parent should have.

1 A distraction for the kid(s). My 2-year-old likes KidArt, which allows her to choose from 10 colors and four "canvases" for finger-drawing. Drawings are limited to stick figures and outlines. Cost: 99 cents.

Other kid distraction options:

Koi Pond. See three koi swim, "feed" the fish by shaking the iPhone/iTouch and watch them snap up the food. Cost: 99 cents.

Art Gallery is a mobile museum. For younger children it's a good tool for identifying shapes, animals and colors. For older kids, it's a good introduction to popular artists and art forms. Cost: Free

2 Something for the home. I've fallen head over ladle for All Recipes.com's DinnerSpinner. Select a dish type (appetizer, entree, breakfast), an ingredient (vegetable, fish, grain), and how long you want to be in the kitchen cooking (20 minutes or less, 45 minutes or less). Presto, a meal option is presented.

I made the pineapple chicken (substituting pork) last night, which was ready in 40 minutes.

Other home app options:
A "virtual" friend at the Palm Beach Post recommended Zenbe, which allows users to share task and grocery lists with family/co-workers. Cost: $1.99.

Grocery IQ has made shopping for groceries much easier with its favorites, history and list queques. I simply check off the grocery item as I pluck it off the shelf. I've seen a reduction in impulse buys when using the gizmo. Cost: 99 cents.

3 A distraction for you (and your partner). During intermission at a theater production, my sister and I passed the time playing air hockey courtesy of FS5 Hockey. Cost: Free.

Other adult distraction apps:
Word Warp has kept me and my husband busy while out at restaurants during the lag between ordering and diving into the grub. Cost: Free.

A friend swears by Scrabble, but I can't imagine plucking down $4.99 for an app. Yet.

What's your favorite app for distracting the kids, or the one you and your beloved get a kick out of? Let me know!

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