In today’s digital age, education apps offer a fun and interactive way for kids to learn and develop important skills. The apps listed below cater to a range of subjects, from math and science to language and critical thinking.

Staff Picks

Tynker

A coding app that teaches kids how to code and create their own games and animations. Tynker offers a range of interactive courses that teach kids the basics of coding and how to create their own projects. The app is designed to be easy and fun to use, with a drag-and-drop interface that makes it simple for kids to get started.

Tynker offers a limited set of free courses for kids to try coding. There are paid plans for more advanced courses. One summer, I introduced Tynker to my 7 year old, and assigned him a lesson everyday. At first he was resistant because “learning sucks”. Then he discovered the Minecraft courses on developing mods and became engaged. To encourage the learning, I gamified the learning experience by assiging points to each courses; and he would earn points for every Tynker course he had passed. Advanced courses like Python and Javascript would worth more points. The points were for him to trade for video game time. We had a good run for about a year; then he “leveled up” and decided that Tynker was for babies. (lol)

Scratch Jr

A block-based programming app that introduces kids to coding concepts. ScratchJr is designed for young children who are just starting to learn about coding. The app uses a visual interface, where kids can drag and drop blocks to create animations and games. This helps kids learn how to program and develop important problem-solving skills.

Drag and drop programming was perfect for beginners to learn coding visually. Scratch’s website offered great learning materials for people to learn programming using Scratch. Scratch Jr. was a lite version designed specifically for children. Scratch Jr was no different than Scratch, except advanced features and complexity were removed for simplicity. My child enjoyed creating silly animations and basic games using Scratch Jr.

PBS Kids Games

A collection of educational games based on popular PBS Kids shows. PBS Kids Games features a range of educational games based on popular PBS Kids shows, such as Sesame Street and Curious George. The games cover a range of subjects, including math, science, and literacy, and are designed to be fun and engaging for kids.

Between 1 to 4 years old, my toddler would play the PBS kids app on my iPad. He loved Curious George and Daniel Tiger, which was the primary reason he enjoyed the game app.

Prodigy Math Game

A fun and interactive math game. Prodigy is designed to make math practice enjoyable for kids. It features a gamified approach to learning, where kids can earn rewards and progress through different levels as they build their math skills. The app covers a wide range of math topics and adapts to a child’s individual learning pace.

Prodigy Math Game is endorsed by teachers and schools. My son loved to go on Prodigy to play game while learning math.

Kahoot!

This app is a game-based learning platform that allows kids to participate in quizzes and games on a wide range of subjects, from history to science and math. The app is perfect for kids who love to learn and play games at the same time.

I didn’t know about Kahoot! until my son and his elementary school buddies were using Kahoot! at school. Teachers would use Kahoot! for giving pop quiz. My son would frequent Kahoot to answer questions for fun.

More Favorites

Khan Academy Kids

A free, interactive app that teaches math, language arts, and social-emotional skills. The app provides personalized learning experiences for children and encourages them to progress at their own pace. It features interactive lessons, games, and videos to help kids develop key skills in a fun and engaging way.

Duolingo

A language learning app that makes learning fun. Duolingo offers a fun and interactive way for kids to learn new languages. The app features a gamified approach to learning, where kids can earn rewards and progress through different levels as they build their language skills. It covers a range of languages, including Spanish, French, German, and more.

Lightbot

A puzzle game that teaches kids how to code. Lightbot is a fun and engaging way for kids to learn about coding. The game challenges kids to program a robot to light up squares on a grid by using commands. This helps kids develop important coding concepts and problem-solving skills.

Endless Reader

A fun app that helps kids learn to read and build their vocabulary. Endless Reader is an interactive app that helps kids learn to read and expand their vocabulary. The app features a range of games and activities that make learning fun and engaging. Kids can practice reading words and sentences, and the app adapts to their individual learning pace.

Botley the Coding Robot

An interactive coding app that teaches kids about coding and logic. Botley is a fun and engaging way for kids to learn about coding and programming. The app features interactive games and activities that teach kids how to program a robot to perform different tasks. It’s a great way for kids to learn about coding and develop important problem-solving skills.

Toontastic 3D

A storytelling app that lets kids create their own animations. Toontastic 3Dfor 10 year olds. It provides various challenges and quests to keep the kids engaged and help them develop their math skills.
Spelling City – This app is a comprehensive spelling program that teaches kids to spell and learn vocabulary words. The app features interactive games, activities and quizzes to help kids improve their spelling and vocabulary skills in a fun and engaging way.

Classcraft

This app is a gamified learning platform that helps kids learn in an engaging and interactive way. With features like virtual quests and adventures, kids can experience the excitement of learning while developing important skills in a fun and meaningful way.