Our two sons are now well beyond pre-school age, but they still have fond memories of the apps of Sago Sago – the pre-school sister studio of apps publisher Toca Boca.

Until now, its playful apps have only been available for iPhone and iPad, but last week the Canadian developer launched four of them for Android devices too.

Sago Mini Friends is the company’s calling card: a free app that introduces children to its colourful characters: Harvey the dog, Robin the bird, Jinja the cat and their friends.

“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 Google Play listing. The idea is that children make up their own stories around the characters’ playdates.

Sago Mini Space Explorer (£1.99) focuses on Harvey, as he explores the galaxy dressed in a spacesuit. The app is simple for young children to play: they just move their finger around the screen to make Harvey follow, triggering animations when they reach ‘hotspots’.

“Make new alien friends, zip around in a flying saucer, meet the lovable hug-bot, and enjoy an interstellar picnic,” explains the Google Play listing.

Sago Mini Sound Box (£1.99) takes a different approach: it’s all about sound and music, with Jinja in the driving seat this time.

“Just shake, rattle and tap! Listen for cheerful chimes, horns, drums, animals and more,” explains Sago Sago. “Add notes by tapping the screen, then fling them around or tilt to see them tumble. Sounds play as they bounce, creating fun soundscapes.”

Finally, Sago Mini Monsters (£1.99) is another creative app: this time, it gets kids to make their own monsters, even cleaning their teeth before showing them off to their parents and siblings.

“Make your monster happy with paint, food, and decorations,” explains its app listing. “Sago Mini Monsters is a carefully-crafted activity which fosters feelings of pride, ownership, and nurturing.”

We’ve seen our sons (and our nephew, who remains within the pre-school age range) love these apps on iOS: their open-ended play and sense of fun makes them well worth a couple of quid each.