10 Best Back-to-School Apps

Life 360 Family Locator
Available for: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Google Android products
Price: Free

That's right, child homing devices aren't just for Halloween anymore. Kid tracking apps have been around for a while, but this one registers a child's cellphone number, tells other family members where that child is and maps out "safety points" and "threats" in the immediate vicinity. Plus, it offers family members free messaging to remove the cost of text messages as an excuse for radio silence. We don't know how often this app results in phones being "forgotten" at a friend's house, but we're guessing its bringing juvenile creativity to near-diabolical levels.

Cozi Family Organizer
Available for: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Google Android products
Price: Free

If you're more comfortable with the title "mom" or "dad" than with "Big Brother," this calendar app gives a family more organization and communication options without drifting into creepy monitoring territory. The app sets up a family calendar of appointments, practices, games and vacations that sync to every family member's device. It also keep shopping lists centralized so a kid out of milk near the kitchen laptop can alert a parent already at the store. Perhaps the best feature is the shared chores list that allows each family member to click off tasks as they're completed and allows parents to know exactly who's not pulling weight.