Tens of millions of children are using tablets now, with parents able to choose from a wealth of inventive and engaging apps – from games and educational tools through to creativity apps and digital toys. So which ones will make your children learn, play and smile?

Apps Playground is the UK's leading website reviewing children's apps, and this is a hand-picked selection of our favourite iPad apps from 2013. Discover the best apps from famous children's brands and new developers alike. We've sorted them by category and age level, and if they use in-app purchases, we've clearly explained how they work.