Kids are on their tech a lot lately between tech for fun and tech for education. Educational apps can be a great resource to supplement during online learning. It is also important to monitor, manage and use tech in moderation. Here is a round-up some of the best prek to school-aged apps for kids!
- Brain Pop and Brain Pop Jr. – brainpop.com and jr.brainpop.com
- Brain Pop and Brain Pop Jr both require a subscription to access their large library of educational videos. Kids learn many topics with the help of the robot Moby, Tim and Annie.
- Code Combat – codecombat.com
- Although not an app, this is a web-based program. Code Combat helps build the coding skills of the user. Their goal is to make coding fun and to teach real-life skills. (This is a fan favorite my kids!)
- Duolingo – duolingo.com
- A fun and simple way to learn a different language. There are many options including Spanish, French, Italian and German. It is free to download.
- Epic – getepic.com
- Epic provides a massive FREE digital library for kids! With over 40,000 books and videos, it is sure to be any book worms favorite app.
- IXL – ixl.com
- Kids can “play” online or through the app. It includes a K-12 curriculum in language arts, math, Spanish, science and social studies. Kids respond to questions and make progress at each level. If they provide an incorrect answer, they are provided additional instruction and then asked a similar question to ensure the concept is understood. Kids also earn badges as they go!
- Khan Academy and Khan Academy Kids – khanacademy.org and learn.khanacademy.org
- Khan Academy Kids provides fun characters while making your way through many different topics. Kids also earn fun rewards as they go. Khan Academy is a classroom favorite for many teachers. With Khan Academy, “students practice at their own pace, first filling in gaps in their understanding and then accelerating their learning.”
- Messenger Kids – messengerkids.com
- Although not an education app, this app allows parents to connect their children to other children safely. Once connected, kids have the opportunity to socialize with their friends/peers online.
- PBS Parents Play and Learn – pbskids.org/apps/pbs-parents-play–learn.html
- “PBS’ first app designed specifically for parents, PBS Parents Play & Learn provides more than a dozen games parents can play with their kids, each themed around a familiar location – including the new “In the Garden” game, plus the grocery store, a restaurant, the kitchen and many more.”
- Scratch Jr – scratchjr.org
- This programming option involves dragging and dropping to build the skills of kids interested in coding.
- YouTube Kids – youtube.com/intl/ALL_us/kids
- YouTube kids was designed especially for kids and includes many education and entertainment videos for kids. Kids have the option to search for videos on things that interest them and are provided family-friendly videos.