8 Fantastic Educational Learning Apps For Kids

You might have heard a lot about capping your child’s screen time – but while it is a good idea to make sure they’re not spending too much time in front of a screen, you can also use those screens to your advantage. Educational learning apps for kids are your ace in the hole when it comes to engaging a child in learning.

Read on for all you need to know about education apps, and a list of the few of the best education learning apps for kids out there if you want to give them a try.

Are Education Apps Good for Kids?
First, it’s important to tackle the big question that may be on your mind: Are educational apps good for kids? Understandably, some parents are concerned about this, especially when you talk about them in conjunction with overall screen time.

But the answer to this question is yes – educational apps do help children to learn. While there is more research to be done in this area, the evidence available so far suggests that the use of educational apps is valuable to children’s learning. In some studies, various apps helped to improve student performance in common core subjects such as math.

Kids love technology and they love games, so if you can wrap both of them up into one package that helps to reinforce the things they’re learning, the outcome will likely be a positive one. Don’t shy away from learning apps – all evidence so far suggests that they are beneficial.

Do Educational Apps Improve Learning?
Learning today looks different for children than it likely did for you. Technology is at the forefront, and preparing your children for a future profession means they simply have to get comfortable using technology. A lot of the skills that are necessary for using educational apps in the classroom and at home are skills that will be required of them later in life. Using apps simply gets a child used to approaching new technology and not being afraid of it, which is the cornerstone of learning for the rest of their lives.

Education apps also improve learning because they’re individualized. As a parent, you are well aware that children learn in a variety of ways. Some do better with visual aids while others like to use their senses to experience the world and learn. Apps appeal to many different types of learners. Plus, kids can go at their own pace, and apps often won’t advance to a new skill until others are mastered.

Another benefit of education apps is that they can help to break down some of the barriers of learning for special education students. Many apps can help to present information to these students that they can’t get in the classroom. There are apps specifically for dyslexic children, and apps for autistic children too. It’s all about finding the right one to meet your child’s needs.

What Is the Best Educational App?
There isn’t simply one app that is the best. After all, the best is one that fits your child’s particular needs. There are, however, a few that we think are the cream of the app crop.

Which app is best for child education? You be the judge as you look through these fantastic education learning apps for kids:

1. Sago Mini World – If you have a preschooler and want to help them get a jumpstart in their education, consider this app. With Sago Mini World, your child can travel along with the characters in the game as they explore outer space, build robots, drive firetrucks, dive in the sea, design monsters, and even become superheroes – and that’s just the beginning.
2. Khan Academy – Another great game for preschoolers, this education app guides your children through different lessons on an adaptive learning path with animal characters they’re sure to love.
3. MathTango – For older elementary-school kids, this is a great educational app. It takes kids through math lessons involving monsters and missions as they have fun along the way. They may have so much fun that they’ll forget the app is educational!
4. Epic! – This book and video app can provide your grade-schooler with unlimited access to children’s books and videos that allow them to learn and read almost anywhere.
5. Hopscotch – Kids from ages 9 to 11 can enjoy this educational app that includes coding games, stories, and art that they can publish in a fully moderated community. Kids learn and play games created by their peers and can actually tweak other users’ creations to make them their own.
6. Seek by iNaturalist – This is a great educational app to use outdoors as it helps children to identify animals and plants through image recognition technology. They can earn badges for the different things they find, too.
7. Stack the States – Geography is a subject a lot of students find a little dry, but this great app is part educational tool and part game, making the topic fun. Older kids can learn the geography of the United States and fun tidbits about the individual states. Every answer they get right adds to their stack, and once they stack their states to a certain height, they win. Other games are also unlocked along the way.
8. Swift Playgrounds – This is an educational app that was built to help kids and adults alike learn the coding language app developers use around the world. This app will show you the basics of coding language through a series of puzzles, visuals, and targeted lessons. It’s a fun and useful addition to any iPad.

Educational apps can be a healthy part of your child’s learning experience. Don’t overlook their power and their ability to engage your children simply because they involve screen time. Instead, use apps to your child’s advantage and make them a part of your child’s learning experience.

Featured image by Bruce Mars on Unsplash