by Stephanie Phoenix, Social Media Apprentice, Healthy Child Healthy World

Smart phones are nothing if not useful. And in this day and age, most parents have one (and often a tablet, too). If we’re going to have these know-it-all devices, we might as well put them to work for us, right? Which is why we’re happy to present this round-up of great apps for parents that we’ve collected from the Healthy Child archives and our community. They range from apps that will help you create a healthier home to apps that will help you track development. Enjoy! (And, please feel free to let us know in the comments if we’ve missed any of your favorites!)

From the Healthy Child archives:

• We gathered some great apps a few months ago to help families eat clean and healthy. Check them out here.
• For new parents, we also like The Peaceful Nursery, which is a comprehensive guide to creating a clean and healthy nursery for baby.

From our Facebook community:

• Teresa and Colleen both love Baby ESP (Android) to help keep track of nursing, naps and diaper changes.
• Michelle: Yours! 🙂 I think the GoodGuide will be great once it is built up. Also like Greenopia
• Estee: All of the EWG Environmental Working Group apps are good ones.
• Sarah Jayne: Total Baby (iPhone) Can track nursing/feedings, naps, diaper changes, baths, growth, doctor’s visits, milestones, and has a diary (plus more)…love it!
• Jenny: I love this app. Helps you to identify dangerous food additives and cosmetic ingredients The Chemical Maze

And a few great app suggestions from our Tweeps, too:

• MindfulMomma: @GoodGuide has a product ratings app!
• GoodGuide: GoodGuide’s new Transparency Toolbar!
• KimRosas: my Cloth Diaper Resources App for iPhone/ Droid

A few more apps that look great for parents…

• Parents of eco-minded older children will love Al Gore’s Our Choice app for teaching their children all kinds of important information about global warming.
• Web MD Mobile is a great free medical resource. Check symptoms, access drug & treatment information, get first aid essentials, and check local health listings on the go, from the most trusted brand in health information.
• If you’re potty training, have a small child, or are pregnant, SitorSquat is vital. SitorSquat: Bathroom Finder lets you know what bathrooms are nearby. They’ll show up on a map based on your current location, and you can see which ones are open as well as read reviews from actual restroom users. It also notes which restrooms have changing stations.

And, of course, there’s our very favorite app of all: Our own! Download our free guide to safer shopping that includes label reading tips, brand recommendations, DIY cleaning and care product recipes, and more!

Note: We do have one word of caution about these modern day conveniences. While these apps may be handy, there are recent studies showing that radiation from cellular phones may be dangerous. You can find information about the studies here. If you are going to use a cell phone or tablet, please be sure to do it safely – use headsets or speakerphones when talking and avoid keeping the phone directly on your body for extended periods. Here are ten ways to reduce your risk from cell phone radiation exposure.

What are your favorite apps?