Learning apps are the best way to turn on the learning path for young minds. No matter how old or young your child is, they can learn something new through these apps every day. As every parent knows, getting your kids to do anything is often a chore. With these lessons apps for kids, you can have some fun while helping your children learn at the same time. Making learning fun is one of the ways that will help ensure that it will happen.
Learning apps (or learning games) usually refer to apps and games for children and young people, while educational apps usually refer more to school or university use. While some learning app-makers market their apps as educational, keep in mind that there is no standard for this distinction.
ABCmouse.com
More than simply an app, ABCmouse.com is essentially a well-rounded curriculum for preschoolers. It’s designed for children aged two through eight but is best for younger kids who haven’t started kindergarten.
It includes hundreds of interactive games, activities, and videos related to reading, math, science, and art. It’s also a multi-platform program that can be used on a computer or mobile device.
Because it’s a full-fledged curriculum, ABCmouse isn’t cheap—it costs $9.95/month. But if your child doesn’t attend preschool, the app is a great substitute to get them ready for elementary school, as parents can track their progress.
The only reservation some reviewers, such as Common Sense Media, have with ABCmouse is that it rewards children’s progress with tickets, which can be used to purchase virtual items. While this feature is sure to be successful in keeping kids using the program, some would argue it encourages consumerism instead of learning for learning’s sake.
ClassDojo
ClassDojo is an interesting learning app for kids in the category ‘virtual classroom learning apps’. This app allows parents, students, and teachers to interact with each other. For instance, students can communicate with their teachers regarding their educational needs, and parents can stay up to date with their children’s progress; this engages kids, as they can get the required attention in order to get a better education. This app enriches the classroom experience without replacing it, and at the same time it provides positive reinforcement and communication among teachers, learners, and parents.
DragonBox
Full of fun activities, the DragonBox series is an educational game that teaches Math fundamentals making learning fun and interesting. There are 5 learning apps for learning Math in total, including algebra and geometry. Some people take Math very seriously; however, Math can be fun for children if taught at a young age using simple concepts. All 5 games in the app require up-front payment but don’t have in-app purchases charges.
Duolingo
When you are looking a simple way to make your kid learn a foreign language, Duolingo comes as one of the best options. This app offers learners a variety of languages including Spanish, Dutch, Danish, French, German, Italian, Irish, and even English. Completely free to download and use, Duolingo dosn’t have any hidden fees and the in-app purchases are kept optional. On the top of that, this app is incredibly effective and fun.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is the gold standard for educational apps, particularly considering the wide range of courses it offers for students of all ages, and the fact that it’s free. Khan Academy’s YouTube videos cover most subjects at a range of levels: math, science and engineering, arts and humanities (which includes history and social studies), economics, AP courses, and test prep.
English language arts (ELA) seems to be one notable weakness of Khan Academy courses, though it has some beta (work-in-progress) offerings for second to ninth-grade students. There are also no foreign language courses, though Khan Academy instruction is available in dozens of languages, with varying numbers of course offerings.
Khan Academy is popular among students, parents, and educators because its videos are engaging and targeted at visual learners, using photos, maps, and other illustrations, and because it allows students to work at their own pace.
HOMER
HOMER is an early learning app that helps kids build confidence for school and life. Over 1.6 million families trust HOMER’s activities to help their kids build skills in reading, math, creativity, critical thinking, social-emotional learning, and more. The best part is that just 15 minutes a day is proven to increase early reading scores by 74%, keeping screen time limited.
HOMER’s kid-friendly design makes it easy for kids to learn and play on their own, which is great for busy families. HOMER is ad-free and has no in-app purchases, an ideal and safe option for kids to play on their own.
All of HOMER’s activities are research-based, kid-tested, and expert-designed to create playful experiences that make learning fun. With thousands of playful lessons to choose from your kids will be entertained without repeating the same lessons over and over again. Choose from free activities and printables for easy DIY fun all year long.
After a quick quiz, HOMER personalizes your child’s learning journey to their age and learning level, making it ideal for what your child’s specific needs are. The engaging and playful lessons will not even feel like work, which makes learning that much more fun. Families can create up to 4 child profiles which leaves plenty of room for individualization.
Hopscotch
Hopscotch is a coding app designed for kids 10 to 16 years old. It’s built much like Scratch, one of the first programs developed to introduce kids to computer programming, but Hopscotch is built specifically for mobile devices (only iPads and iPhones), while Scratch is web-based.
Hopscotch is free with in-app purchases available.
The way Hopscotch works is that kids can drag and drop commands and instructions into a script to create their own programs. They can customize their programs by choosing characters, and can also save and share their creations with the Hopscotch community, and comment on and play others’ creations.
It’s a great way for kids to be creative and start learning how computer programming works, without worrying about difficult, technical coding language. It’s also a good starter coding app, from which kids can move on to more complex programs like Scratch on a desktop or laptop.
My Molecularium
One of the most entertaining educational apps, My Molecularium is designed so that High School students can study with a fresh mind. The fun games in this app encourage students to easily understand and learn chemistry concepts related to molecular structure, chemical formulas, and skeletal formulas.
PBS Kids Games
PBS has created hundreds of games based on their popular children’s shows. The games for each show fit in with their learning theme. Learn math with Peg + Cat. Explore creature powers with the Kratt Brothers. Or go on a space adventure with the kids from Ready, Jet Go! If your child loves PBS shows, they’re going to love learning with their favorite characters. This app is best for ages 2 and up, and it is for Android and iOS.
Quizlet
Self-directed study is an important skill for high schoolers, and Quizlet is one of the most effective apps on the market for the review of material a student will be tested on. Teachers and students can create study sets/flashcards on many topics—from the periodic table to U.S. presidents to vocabulary words.
The Quizlet Learn feature provides different types of testing, such as true and false questions and multiple-choice, and based on the user’s performance, increases in difficulty over time. Quizlet is particularly good for foreign language study, and its audio pronunciation is better than many other apps.
Quizlet also has 500 million archived study sets already created by users, so new users can search within those to see if a study set has already been created that matches up with their needs.
That said, like Wikipedia, the study sets aren’t fact-checked, so users need to be aware that they may contain errors. However, it’s a free resource, so users should weigh the benefits with the drawbacks.
Todo Math
Designed for kids in pre-K through second grade, Todo Math takes your child on a daily math adventure. There is a 10–15 minute practice drill available each day, a Mission Mode for tackling early word problems, and a Free Play mode. The app has won multiple awards, including a Parents’ Choice Gold Award and a five-star rating on Common Sense Media. The free app contains a basic version of every game, and the full version is available on a subscription basis. This app is best for ages 5 and up, and it is for Android and iOS.
Conclusion
You love being a parent and want the best for your kids. You want to give them everything they need to have a great life, but this inner struggle of wanting to give them your time and education is always on your mind. If you think a tablet or smartphone can solve all their issues, think again. So many apps exist that it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by the number of choices available.
Kids love fun educational games as much as their parents do. Educational apps that are designed as games for kids for preschool, kindergarten or first grade can be a great way to keep them engaged and having fun while learning skills they need during this important time in their life.