Our youngest son is five now, and in theory he’s too old for preschool developer Sago Sago’s apps. In practice, they’re so fun, he still enjoys playing the likes of Sago Mini Space Explorer and Sago Mini Music Box.

Now there’s a new one for the collection, which now includes 10 apps. Sago Mini Friends was released for iPhone and iPad last week, while the Apps Playground team (i.e. both of us) were on our summer holiday.

That means we’re just catching up on its charms. And they certainly are charming, as ever. “Go on a playdate with your favourite Sago Mini friends! Take a walk to a friend’s house and let the fun begin,” explains its App Store listing.

“Help Robin the bird fix a birdhouse, play dress-up with Jinja the cat or enjoy a snack with Harvey the dog. With five friends and ten activities, there’s a lot to explore.”

Eagle-eyed parents who are fans of the Sago Sago apps will have noticed the “five friends” there: yes, there are some new characters to play with, besides the familiar cat, dog and bird. We’ll let your children discover them.

What we like about Sago Mini Friends applies to the company’s other apps too: the characters are simple, bold and instantly recognisable, while the on-screen activities are just as accessible even for very young children. They’re also carefully based on the real activities you and your children might do around the house.

Sago Mini Friends costs £1.99 for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, with no in-app purchases or ads. And while it says 2-4 year-olds in the blurb, don’t be surprised if your five or six year-old sneaks a go on it too. Not to mention their 30 or 40something parents…

Read about more Sago Sago apps for kids on Apps Playground, and check out our 100 Best iPad Apps of 2013 e-book – £1.99 from Apple’s iBooks Store