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Best Educational Apps By Age – The Ultimate Guide!
We've Rounded Up The Top And Latest Educational And Fun Apps For Kids!
Educational apps boasting to make a positive difference in your child’s development and learning are a dime a dozen. There are so many apps for children to choose from – but the problem lies in choosing which apps are scientifically tested, and expert-approved. But through our extensive research, we found the best educational apps by age that are definitely going to make your child’s screen time worthwhile.
THINGS TO TAKE NOTE OF:
*According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, as a guideline, children aged 18 to 24 months should only be allowed to watch educational programs in the presence of a caregiver. For children aged 2 to 5, non-educational screen time should only be 1 hour per weekday and 3 hours during the weekend. You control how many hours your child spends on their device and the age they start to use one. There is no one-size-fits-all guideline, so decide what works best for you and your family.
*Some apps are not available on Android devices, while others are only available on Amazon
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ALL AGES
Kids of all ages will delight with this app!Epic! eBook Subscription
Access to thousands of books for children of all ages is just a subscription away. No worries, if your child can’t read yet, there is a read-aloud option. Whether it's a picture book, a storybook, or a National Geographic nonfiction one, your child will not run out of books to read, perfect for long trips sans luggage.
Cost: Free for one book a day or $9.99/month
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AGES 2+
Apps for first words, storytelling and more!- First Words Baby & Toddler, ages 18 months to 4 years
From the beloved book of the same name, this app is suitable for little ones who are learning their first words. Though it is recommended from 18 months, when to use it for your child is best left to your discretion. The app has recently been updated and features 500 unique words, and child voices and US region voices have been added.
Cost: US$2.17 but the lite version is free
https://www.facebook.com/Munchkin-Studios-100923358313500
- Storytime from CBeebies, ages 0 to 5
For those who love CBeebies, this app has free stories in their library and the best thing is that you can download them and access them offline.
- LEGO Duplo World, ages 2 to 5 years
For fans of Lego Duplo, this app will not only bring the blocks to life but make them sing popular nursery rhymes, too.
Cost: Free (option for additional content to be paid)
Apple | Androidwww.lego.com/en-us/theme/duplo/expand-the-duplo-universe
- Papumba, ages 2 to 7 years
With more than 500 activities for your kids to choose from, Papumba is packed with educational materials. From tracing letters to kids' yoga videos, their screen time is going to be filled with so much learning.
Cost: 7-day free trial then US$5.99/month
Apple | Android- Daniel Tiger's Grr-ific Feelings, ages 2 to 5 years
From the same TV series, this Daniel Tiger app helps your kids explore what they feel and express themselves in their own way. It features a game, a sing-along option, a photo booth, and a drawing easel.
https://pbskids.org/apps/daniel-tigers-grr-ific-feelings.html
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Friends – First Words, age 2 and above
One of the most famous books read to infants, toddlers and preschoolers just got an upgrade. This app comes in several languages and tapping on the images will not only verbalize the word but also make the equivalent animal noises when applicable.
https://storytoys.com/apps/the-very-hungry-caterpillar-friends-first-words/
- Peekaboo Barn, age 2 and above
Identifying animals has never been this fun! The app also features a record your own voice option - instead of having the app read the names of the animals, parents can record their voices so their kids can listen to them.
Cost: US$1.99
Apple | Amazon App Store- Sago Mini World, ages 2 to 5 years
And a world your child will create! From character creation to adventures and storytelling, there is definitely something for every child.
Cost: Free 7-day trial and then US$6.99/month
Apple | Android- Hopster TV, ages 2 to 6 years
It’s like Netflix for kids but it's more than just handpicked educational shows - it also comes packed with learning games, drawing activities, and diverse representation.
Cost: From US$1.99 to US$59.99
Apple | Android- Khan Academy Kids, ages 2 to 8 years
Endless activities for your child, Khan Academy Kids covers all subjects, has a coloring and drawing section, and even has a small library of books that you can access repeatedly.
Cost: Free
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AGES 3+
These apps take them on a journey of learning and discovery!- Bedtime Math, ages 3 and above
If your child likes to read bedtime stories with you at night, why not turn it into an entertaining math problem? This is exactly what Bedtime Math is, it has a lot of bedtime stories and at the end of the story, you have questions to ask your little one (even has options depending on the age).
- Thinkrolls Play & Code, ages 3 to 8 years
Logic and problem-solving game in one, this app does not only let your kids play existing games, but they can also build their own puzzles.
Cost: US$6.99/month or US$46.99/annually
Apple- Teach Your Monster to Read, ages 3 to 6 years
Interactive and extremely fun, this app helps your child recognize letter sounds but that's not all - there are also number games for them to choose from! Counting has never been this fun.
Cost: US$5.99
Apple | Androidhttps://www.teachyourmonster.org/teachyourmonstertoread
- MarcoPolo Ocean, ages 3 to 7 years
Take your child to places they have never been with this app’s more than 500 video adventures. And challenge them with over 3000 games that will ignite their creativity and imagination. They can even create their own aquariums!
https://www.marcopololearning.com
- Duolingo ABC, ages 3 to 6 years
Phonics, handwriting, vocabulary, and sight words are just a few of the things that your child will learn with the help of this app! If Duolingo can help adults learn a new language, surely this children’s version can also carry out their goals.
Cost: Free
- Montessori Preschool, ages 3 to 7 years
With the Montessori curriculum as the basis for the app’s activities, they cover reading, writing, nursery rhymes, numbers, phonics, colors, shapes, coloring, and also coding. And a key feature is the availability in the following languages - French, German, Korean, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, and Traditional Chinese.
Cost: US$9.99/month or US$59.99
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AGES 4+
Apps for STEM, music and more!- Me: A Kid's Diary, ages 4 and above
Ever wondered how your child’s day went? While they may not be able to express everything yet, this cute and creative photo diary will definitely let you get to know them better.
Cost: US$2.99
- Lightbot Jr., ages 4 to 8 years
From the creators of multi-awarded Lightbot, which is designed for first-time coders, Lightbot Jr. is specially designed for younger kids who would like to learn coding in a fun way.
Cost: US$2.99
- Kahoot! Numbers By Dragonbox, ages 4 to 8 years
Getting your child to love Maths from an early age is possible with the help of this app.
Cost: US$9.99
https://dragonbox.com/products/numbers
- BrainPOP Jr., ages 4 to 9 years
Ever wonder how it would be if class subjects were taught by two lovable cartoon characters, Annie and Moby? Wonder no more, as BrainPOP shows you exactly how it’s done.
Cost: US$14.95/month or US$119/annually
- Barefoot Books Atlas, ages 4 and above
Let your child digitally explore the world and get to know where landmarks are, familiarize themselves with different cultures, and develop a thirst for wandering and loving the planet.
Cost: US$4.99
https://www.barefootbooks.com/digital-apps
- Play and Learn Engineering, ages 4 and above
It’s never too early to teach your kids engineering concepts! With this app, they can experiment, do problem-solving, and use their critical thinking skills every step of the way.
Cost: Free
https://pbskids.org/apps/play-and-learn-engineering.html
- Mazaam - Musical Genius, ages 4 to 6 years
Explore five musical concepts (Pitch, Tempo, Intensity, Timbre, and Harmony) in the form of games, puzzles, and classical music recordings.
Cost: Free / Premium version: US$8.99
Apple | Android- Science for Kids by Tappity, ages 4 to 10 years
Let your child explore 500+ science lessons, activities, and stories delivered to them in a one-on-one setting.
Cost: US$9.99/month or US$74.99/annually
Apple -
AGES 5+
Apps to stimulate their curiosity- Scratch Jr., ages 5 to 7 years
Get your child to learn the coding language by creating stories and games. Help your child flourish in the language of the future.
- The Human Body, ages 5 and above
Children are forever curious about what’s happening in their bodies and one way that you could feed this curiosity is by teaching them about it.
Cost: US$3.99 or US$24.99 for the Tinybop Explorer’s Bundle
Apple | Androidhttps://tinybop.com/apps/the-human-body
- Count on me! Math by Akribian, ages 5 to 7 years
With only one game a day opening, you are ensured that your child stays within the screen time limit you set.
- codeSpark, ages 5 to 10 years
There are indeed a lot of coding apps for kids out there, but this one is designed for prereaders, with hundreds of games for them to choose from.
Cost: US$9.99/month or US$79.99/annually
Apple | Android- MathTango, ages 5 to 10 years
There is fun in learning addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division - and with the help of this app, your child will breeze through it without even realizing that they are learning Maths!
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AGES 6+
Apps to hone logic and creativity- Night Zookeeper, ages 6 to 12 years
Not an app, but can be used on the tablet through a browser ie. Safari or Chrome, Night Zookeeper ignites your child’s creative writing skills and helps build their vocabulary.
Cost: 7-day free trial then monthly packages start at US$11.33
https://www.nightzookeeper.com/- Winky Think Logic Puzzles, ages 6 to 8 years
This app helps hone your child’s observation and spatial cognition capabilities through puzzles and games involving logic. Suitable for adults, too.
Cost: US$2.99
Applehttps://www.little10robot.com/
- Quick Math, ages 6 to 11
Improve your child’s Math skills without the pressure - no need to compete against classmates and keep up high grades. This is a fun practice of Maths skills.
Cost: US$1.99
Apple -
AGES 7+
Apps for sciences, astronomy, biology and more- Professor Astro Cat's Solar System, ages 7 to 10 years
Based on the book of the same name, this app lets your child explore the vast solar system whilst enjoying games and they even get to build and design their own rocket.
Cost: US$3.99
Amazonhttps://www.minilabstudios.com/apps/professor-astro-cats-solar-system/
- Droplets by Drops, ages 7 to 16 years
Developed by the fantastic team behind Drops, a language-learning app, Droplets is meant for the younger ones. Through visual learning, the children learn the words and listen to the proper pronunciation.
Cost: US$9.99/month
https://languagedrops.com/droplets
- TABI Learning, Kids STEM Games, ages 8 to 12
With a carefully crafted curriculum, subjects presented in the app are delivered through stories and time-traveling adventures. With daily checklists for your kids to complete, it is also possible to play offline.
Cost: US$7.99/month
- Lightbot, ages 9 and above
Lightbot is designed to teach your child how to program using puzzle games. These games require programming logic, a great way to introduce the kids to Computer Science.
- BrainPOP Featured Movie, ages 9 to 11
There’s a short movie for every subject, for every lesson that kids would enjoy watching with a quiz following each.
Cost: US$6.99/monthly
Apple | Android- Hopscotch, ages 9 to 11
Hopscotch lets your child make their own games that can be shared in the community and played by anyone across the globe.
Cost: US$9.99
Apple- Seek by iNaturalist, ages 13 and above
Have you ever wondered what are the names of the flora and fauna around you? With Seek, you can take a photo, upload it on the platform, and scientists all around the world will identify it. Not only is this helpful for you, but you are also helping build a database for the scientific community.
- Zogo, ages 12 and above
If you’d like your child to learn about financial literacy from a young age, look no further.
Cost: Free
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