Even though we often strive to limit our children’s screentime, it’s not always the easiest thing to do. There are long car rides, dinner time busyness, or just downtime that leaves the kids needing something to keep them busy and learning.
Now, we’re fans of crafting (of course 😉) and we try to keep it simple for busy families with our craft kits. But during those times when crafting just isn’t on the table and you can’t get them outside, don’t stress over a little tablet time. Instead, keep it fun and educational with some of our favorite apps for kids.
There are LOADS of educational apps out there — everything from fun math help to social-emotional learning resources. And of course, plenty of puzzle games to keep them learning too. Check out our list and find your child’s new favorites!
Educational apps for young learners
Apps are a great way to help your child master the early childhood basics. From early reading to basic math, your child can have fun while they learn. Here are a few of our favorite apps for your youngest kiddos.
Metamorphabet
Price — $4.99
Available for both IOS and Android
Metamorphabet is a playful way to help your children learn letters and sounds. Your little one can interact with each letter, discovering words and animations that will keep them entertained for hours. It’s a beautifully-designed family favorite that is well worth the price.
Originator games
Price — Free to $8.99 depending on the game
Available on IOS, Android, and Amazon (not all games are available on all platforms)
Endless Alphabet and Endless Numbers by Originator are interactive learning games your child will love. Cute, little monsters help your young child practice their letters and numbers. And as they grow they can enjoy more complicated games, such as Math Tango and Endless Wordplay. All of Originator’s games are fun and engaging, perfect for screentime learning!
PBS Kids Games
Price — Many are free
Available on IOS, Android, and Amazon
Your preschooler can play with some of their favorite PBS kids characters with the PBS Kids Games apps. These are great resources for phonics and math practice, and for building social-emotional skills. And you can relax knowing everything is approved by the PBS Kids’ team. Explore their wide range of games on their website and download your favorites.
Khan Academy Kids
Price — Free
Available on IOS, Android, and Amazon
The most trusted online learning resource is now available for your youngest learners. Khan Academy Kids has a ton of resources to get your preschooler ready for elementary. It incorporates fun and engaging characters with playful games to keep your child learning and happy. And even though it’s free, the app has zero ads! That’s a huge win!
Homer
Price — Free for 30 days, then $9.99/month or $59.99/year
Available on IOS, Android, and Amazon
If you’re looking for a personalized learning experience for your toddler or preschooler, check out Homer. Their program covers reading, early math, social-emotional skills, and creative thinking to give your little one a strong educational start. They have a great mix of resources and apps to cover every childhood interest — from trains to space, princesses to dinosaurs. It’s a one-stop learning shop.
Lego Duplo World
Price — Free
Available on IOS, Android, and Amazon
If your little one loves Legos, then this game is an easy choice. Lego Duplo World comes with three scenes — number train, rescue adventure, and world animals — with more available for purchase. In each scene your child can interact with the blocks and Duplo people, fighting fires or stacking number cargo onto the train. This game is a great way to encourage creative thinking and real-world Lego fun!
Puzzle games to encourage critical thinking
Not every app needs to be strictly educational. Your child can boost their critical thinking skills and increase their problem-solving confidence with popular (and fun!) puzzle games!
Cut the Rope
Price — Free
Available on IOS, Android, and Amazon
Help the adorable character Om Nom get his favorite candy with this physics-based game. Your child will work through solving the puzzles, either by simply getting the candy to Om Nom, or trying the extra challenge of collecting stars as they play. Your child will enjoy swinging and cutting ropes while discovering gravity in this fun game!
Angry Birds
Price — Free
Available on IOS, Android, and Amazon
This classic is a great physics-style puzzle game to introduce to your kids. Your children may even be already familiar with the characters after watching the movies or some of the shorts available on Netflix. Try to knock down the pigs’ towers and win! This is also a lot of fun to recreate with blocks later during playtime.
Monument Valley
Price — $3.99
Available on IOS and Android
This beautiful puzzle game requires out-of-the-box thinking, making it a perfect choice for stretching young brains. Your child can manipulate complex architecture, working through interesting optical illusions to help a princess find her way. This puzzle is well-loved by kids and adults alike and well worth the small fee.
Where’s My Water
Price — $1.99
Available on IOS and Android
A crocodile is trying to take a bath, but first he needs some water. Your child can help him with this fun puzzle maze game. Adjust the pipes to help the croc get the water he needs before moving on to more challenging levels. The animation is cute and the physics of the game are real. This is an excellent way for your child to learn while passing the time.
Learning apps for elementary and middle schoolers
Math and science apps are a great way for older kids to practice their skills without the boredom of worksheets. Check out these apps to help them boost their learning without the homework struggle.
Prodigy Math Game
Price — Free
Available on IOS, Android, and Amazon
Prodigy is a fantasy role-playing game that helps kids practice their math skills. Your child may already be using Prodigy at school. But if not, you can sign up for a free parent account to get them started. They even have a new language arts game for more learning fun.
Slice Fractions
Price — Free on Android, $5.49 on IOS
Available on IOS, Android, and Amazon
Fractions aren’t exactly everyone’s favorite topic. But this fun game can help your child practice their math skills without the stress. Your kiddo helps their mammoth clear its path by slicing through ice and lava. It’s a great visual representation of fractions. And as they progress through the game their mammoth collects some seriously cool hats. Fun!
Skyview Lite
Price — Free
Available on IOS and Android
The night sky holds many wonders. Now your child can explore them all with the cool astronomy app Skyview Lite. Simply point your phone at the sky to discover constellations and other celestial objects, or track satellites as they fly by. This app is an exciting introduction to the world of astronomy.
Roblox
If you have an elementary-aged kiddo or tween, you’re likely already familiar with Roblox. This app holds thousands of mini-games your child can explore and enjoy. Most are simple to learn and encourage collaborative play with chats. Though you may not immediately see the educational aspects, your child really is learning.
They can explore obstacle courses, start a burger shop, or play as dinosaurs in one of the app’s many simulators. If you’re interested in learning more about the educational side of Roblox, check out the soon-to-launch Kinjo app to get all the details.
Keep your children engaged and find learning everywhere with apps and games!
Learning doesn’t have to always feel like a chore. Keep your child engaged while tackling tricky math topics or practicing their reading skills with one of the fun apps on our list.
Do you have a favorite we missed? Let us know in the comments! We are always looking for new ways to learn.
