15 Best Educational Apps for Kids
We’ve all been there, putting your hand in your pocket to grab your phone only to realise it’s in the mitts of your child. Apps allow us to keep them quiet in waiting rooms; they allow us to hang up the laundry; they allow us to have a conversation uninterrupted; they allow us to get that email finished. Apps are the modern parent’s survival go-to. However, if you want to be maximising on the value, and minimising the guilt, then it can be worth having the best educational apps for kids on your phone and their devices. In our opinion these top 15 aren’t just about education, but in many ways the best apps for children, full-stop.
So pick which is right for the age of your child, and get it loaded up.
1. Jungle Time (£1.99) By Andrew Short
Life gets easier with kids when they can tell the time. Teaching it, however, would be a great deal easier if you actually had some time. Jungle Time comes to the rescue of the busy parent by making learning to tell the time fun and engaging. Both 12- and 24-hour clocks are covered, as are analogue and digital.
2. Endless Wordplay (Free + IAP) By Originator Inc.
This app is brilliant as a literacy support, but actually there are some nifty mathematical concepts thrown in too. It’s all about rhyming word puzzles with animations that will keep the giggles flowing.
3. Hopscotch (Free) By Hopscotch Technologies
Programming is a must have skill for our kid’s generation. Hopscotch is a brilliant app, inspired by the much-loved Scratch programme, for giving kids a basic understanding of programming.
We believe your little ones deserve the very best care. That's why our local network of babysitters are personally checked and picked by our family for your family www.sitters.co.uk.
4. The Human Body (£1.99) By Tinybop
If you’ve got a budding anatomist, or simply a child with a ‘why’ imagination, then this is the app for them. Explore the human body, figure out what organs do, and how the whole system works.
5. Squeebles Times Tables (£1.49) By KeyStageFun
If you’re sick of repeating them over and over, then get these lovable characters on hand to help motivate your child to learn their tables. There’s nothing boring and rote here.
6. EduGuru Maths (£1.99) By The Game Creators
Specifically designed for EYFS, so aimed at kids aged 3-5, this app brings maths to life with cute animations that will ensure your child loves maths from the start. It focuses on shapes, patterns, sequences, coins, number recognition, and more, and there are plenty of motivational targets.
We believe your little ones deserve the very best care. That's why our local network of babysitters are personally checked and picked by our family for your family www.sitters.co.uk.
7. Pirate Treasure Hunt (Free) By Education Services Australia Ltd.
A great all-rounder app, aimed at young primary children. It involves refining and practicing problem solving in both literacy and maths.
8. Play 123 (Free) By GiggleUp Kids Apps and Educational Games Pty Ltd
An educational kids’ app, designed with pre-schoolers in mind. It covers shapes, colours and numbers, and does it well. It might have an American voice-over, but this one is enthusiastic rather than irritating, perfect for little ones.
9. YouTube Kids (Free) By Google, Inc.
This isn’t just one of the best educational apps, but simply one of the best apps for kids. It’s putting all those educational (and fun) videos through an age appropriate filter and interface. Kids love YouTube, and this makes it safer and more appropriate for younger ones.
We believe your little ones deserve the very best care. That's why our local network of babysitters are personally checked and picked by our family for your family www.sitters.co.uk.
10. Artie’s Magic Pencil (£2.99) By Minilab Ltd
Current generations of kids are squashed for creative time in amongst the priorities of literacy, maths, and computing. The result is many kids lack the confidence to give drawing a go. This app teaches the basics of drawing to 3-6 year olds in a fun and encouraging way.
11. Hoopa City (£2.99) By Dr. Panda Ltd
We love this app as kids can let their imaginations run wild, all the while taking them on an educational journey. It’s about mechanics, engineering, and problem-solving.
12. Toca Lab (£2.49) By Toca Boca AB
This app is the virtual chemistry set that doesn’t accidently blow up your home. It introduces the different elements as funky little characters, whilst introducing the concepts of what happens when they are heated, cooled, mixed and more.
We believe your little ones deserve the very best care. That's why our local network of babysitters are personally checked and picked by our family for your family www.sitters.co.uk.
13. Safari Tales (£2.99) By Kuato Games
This is a beautiful and animal themed app that develops literacy skills in a number of different games. Let your children delve in to the savannah to practice sentence construction, reading, and other literacy skills.
14. Mr Thorne Does Phonics: Letters and Sounds (£2.99) By Mr Thorne Productions
If you’ve not yet met Mr Thorne, the enigmatic primary school teacher who delivers learning through apps, then you’re missing out! This is one of the earliest you can use. It’s a series of tutorial videos which teach phonics in line with the National Curriculum, in a fun and crazy way. This isn’t just great for kids, but also for parents who perhaps weren’t taught phonics.
15. Cursive Writing Wizard (£4.99) By L’Escapadou
This version has got a UK-friendly cursive font, and is perfect for teaching young primary children their letter formation. It’s based on a tracing system, but there’s plenty of motivation and fun. As a parent you can even get reports on progress. Even better, you can create PDF’s for printing, and even import their current spelling list.
We believe your little ones deserve the very best care. That's why our local network of babysitters are personally checked and picked by our family for your family www.sitters.co.uk.