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In this new age world, smartphones and tablets have become part of our daily lives. This habit has affected today’s kids as well but it can be used in a positive way. Let’s explore some of the best educational apps for kids available for both iOS and Android.
Khan Academy Kids
Khan Academy is a popular learning app for students up to 12th class or grade. Similarly, Khan Academy Kids is one of the best educational apps for kids, ages 2-8. The app features over 5000 educational and interactive videos and games. Additionally, the contents are of high-quality graphics and animation. The app requires parents to verify email and then set up the app. Additionally, there is a parents tab from where we can hide or unhide categories and manage the account.
Moreover, the main screen features a single play button which opens up random educational videos or games. However, there is a library option that features the whole list of videos and games. Additionally, the content is divided into categories like stories, math, logic, reading, etc. Moreover, some of these categories have the option to change the lessons according to grade. Overall, Khan Academy Kids is definitely one of the best educational apps for kids.
For Kids Ages 2-8
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TinyTap – Best Educational Apps for Kids
This educational app for kids is quite similar to the one we talked about before. However, we don’t have the option to sign up using Google or social media accounts. The interface is clean, ad-free and also specifically designed for children. Moreover, we can create multiple profiles for kids and also assign different languages. There are also contents specially catered to the language assigned. TinyTap claims to have over 200,000 pieces of educational content on their app.
The categories for the content vary from stories, math, language, science, puzzles and more. Also, the high-quality videos and games make up for a great learning experience. Additionally, while setting up a kid’s profile, we can choose the age group to filter content accordingly. The voiceover and animation of the content are well done and easy to understand. Overall, TinyTap is one of the best educational apps for kids.
For Kids Ages 2-8
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Duolingo ABC
This app aims to help kids learn and improve their reading. Duolingo ABC features a colourful app design and is quite easy to use. The app has a collection of various short stories that will help kids read along and learn new words. Additionally, the stories have beautiful illustrations and great voiceovers. There are lessons catered to kids in preschool, kindergarten and up to grade 1.
Moreover, as the lessons progress, the learning level also advances. The app also provides notifications for weekly progress and practice reminders. While the kids can move up a level as they complete each level. There’s also an option to unlock further options and requires adults to type in the codes. Also, all the stories available are available in the library option on the home page.
For Kids Ages 3-7
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Duolingo – Best Educational Apps for Kids
This is another excellent educational app for kids ages 3 and above. Duolingo is a popular language learning app even for adults. However, studies show that it is easier to learn a new language at an early age. Moreover, the app claims to use science-based methodology to curate their learning courses. It has over 40 language learning courses available and that is also for free. The lessons are presented in the form of short games where we can practice reading, writing and speaking.
Moreover, it features various characters and animations to keep the kids hooked on the lesson. Duolingo encourages users to practice every day by providing various flexible schedules. Additionally, it has a learning streak and various achievements and rewards. This way it helps keep the motivation and also scolds you if broken. The interface of the app is simple and easy to use but the free version does contain ads. Parents should supervise their children while using this app. Overall, Duolingo is one of the best educational apps for kids to learn a new language.
For Ages 5 and above
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Moose Math
Now this is an educational game that teaches math in a fun way. Also, the game comes from the Khan Academy Kids team that we talked about earlier. Therefore, the game has great animation and sound effects. Coming to the gameplay, we can play three types of games in three different shops. As we progress, we can upgrade the shops with new furniture, floors, and accessories, Moreover, the attention to detail is admirable, as we can interact with the characters by touching them.
The first game is in a juice shop, where we have to use fruits to make delicious juice. Here, the kids can learn addition, by putting the correct number of ingredients together. Similarly, the other two games are in a pet shop and a lost and found shop. There, the kids can learn about counting, addition, subtraction, and more. As we progress, we can unlock achievements and rewards. Overall, Moose Math is fun and one of the best educational apps for kids.
For Kids Ages 3-7
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More Games from Duck Duck Moose
From the same developers as Moose Maths, there are many mini-games available as separate educational games. The first one is called Fish School. This game is focused on lessons about the alphabet, shapes, colours, numbers, etc.
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The second game is called Pet Bingo, where kids can learn about various mathematics functions like addition, subtraction, multiplication, etc. All these lessons are in the form of the popular Bingo game.
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Lastly, the third game is called Duck Duck Moose Reading and it provides lessons in alphabets and reading. There are interactive games with various animals and alphabets. Additionally, the game level progresses from easy to hard as the lessons proceed.
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YouTube Kids – Best Educational Apps for Kids
The popular video platform is also available as a kid-friendly app. There are all kinds of content on the main YouTube app which isn’t safe for kids. However, YouTube kids have the option to either manually approve each content or choose the default age range. The app features content for kids aged under 4 (preschool), 5-8 (young) or 9-12. Furthermore, this curates the content of the app accordingly.
Moreover, video categories include shows, music, learning, seasonal exclusives, etc. Additionally, there are no ads in videos which are needed in a kid-friendly app. The videos consist of mostly 2D or 3D cartoons which appeal to younger audiences. Another advantage is that the videos are available in multiple languages. Also, since there are endless videos available on the YouTube platform, kids can enjoy videos of all types and genres. Overall, YouTube Kids is definitely one of the best educational apps for kids.
For Kids Ages 3-12
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Google Read Along
This educational app aims to improve kid’s reading and speaking skills. Also, the app comes from the company Google and is completely ad-free. The app features many stories and books with illustrations as well. Additionally, there are many languages including a lot of Indian languages. Therefore, kids can learn not only English but multiple languages using Google Read Along.
Moreover, the app has an assistant who helps navigate the app. The app requires us to read the story on-screen and then the assistant can correct it if there’s any mistake. I found speech recognition to be quite accurate even with fast speech. Moreover, we can track our daily and weekly progress from the dashboard screen. We can earn stars while reading stories and then redeem them for rewards. Overall, one of the best educational apps for kids.
For Kids Ages 5+
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Verdict
So those were some of the best educational apps for kids. The apps mentioned above are suitable for kids in preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school. However, parents should always keep an eye on the app for any unwanted content. Educational apps like Khan Academy Kids and TinyTap provide multiple interactive learning content. And for learning a new language at an early age, Duolingo can be a great choice. Moreover, educational games from Duck Duck Moose can be great for fun and interactive learning experiences.
