Living in a digital era and in times when technology has kept education going, let’s look at some promising learning apps for kids to explore in 2021.
Prodigy
Math learning can be fun, engaging and almost feel like a game with hands-on this platform. It's a fantasy-based tool that will help kids cover math topics. The interface first tests the kids' knowledge and further works on their knowledge areas as per their age. Kids earn spells when they answer questions correctly and face monster battles as they level up through different fantasy worlds. The basic version of the app is free of cost, and the paid subscription offers more features. The premium version is priced at is $8.95 monthly. Though the app is loved widely by kids, the only downside to the tool could be the in-app purchases.
Age/Grade Appropriate: First to Eighth grade.
Google Arts & Culture
With the best technology of Google, this platform can make your kids go wow in wonder. The tool is a treasure of travel and sightseeing the age-old arts and culture across the world. Kids can travel to museums, learn about various arts and do all things related to it. Users can download their free app for easy and mobile access. User can search by keywords or filter out categories to read relevant editorials about the art collections. Initially, the platform became famous for its selfie feature, which allows the user to compare their face/selfies to great work of arts. The tool contains many information on museum collections, artists, theatre and performing arts, historical figures, and events. This is great resource kids who love to know about history, culture, and art.
Age/Grade Appropriate: Ideal for kids above 10 years old. However, it can be used for younger kids may with elders' assistance.
Stop, Breathe, & Think
The app is ideal for helping kids understand and work on their various emotions. It's natural for kids to be sad, frustrated, and angry; and experience multiple human emotions. The app help kids identify and deal with all type of emotions they experience. The tool promotes healthy social-emotional learning and helps growing kids regulate their emotions. It does so by asking kids to start with a breathing exercise followed by their input on their physical and mental feeling. The tool uses emojis to allow kids to express how they're feeling and guide them with apt meditation "missions" to complete. These meditations last under ten minutes. The app works on a freemium model. A paid subscription of around $9.99 per month is available after the free trial. Stop, Breathe & Think is useful for kids with ADHD (about 5% to 10% of the population) as it helps kids who tend to have trouble focusing, staying on task, and controlling their impulses.
Age/Grade Appropriate: Five to ten years old.
Hopscotch
The platform is ideal for children who want to learn to code. Kids can create their own programs simply by using drag and drop features to script instructions and commands. They can customise their programs by choosing characters, saving and sharing their creations with the Hopscotch community, and commenting on and playing others. With this tool, kids can be creative and start learning how computer programming works without worrying about the fear of coding intricacies. However, one limitation of the app is that it's compatible with iOS-based devices. Hopscotch is free with in-app purchases available.
Age/Grade Appropriate: 10 to 16-year-old
Kyt
Unlike most skill teaching platforms, Kyt stands out by offering extracurricular lessons to children. The platform leverages technology to provide lessons on vocals, dance, yoga, language, and others. Their short duration courses are ideal for young minds wanting to explore, try and learn new things. Kids can try their multiple hands-on activities, including baking, art, magic, animation, doodle, and more. As per the startup, they have more than 1000 students have taken their courses or attended workshops so far on their platform. At present, they have more than 20 teachers onboard.
Age/Grade Appropriate: Five to ten years old.
IXL
The platform offers complete solutions for kids by providing comprehensive, curriculum-aligned maths and English content for LKG to class XII. Kids can practice the available worksheets and access educational games to learn concepts engagingly. The platform's available content is in sync with the national curriculum, making it easy for kids to stay in the loop with their academia while allowing them to learn even more if they desire. The platform is a 360-degree solution to academic needs and will enable kids to learn and ace core subjects quickly. The tool works on a freemium model.
Age/Grade Appropriate: LKG to class 12 students can use the platform.
Mastree
Mastree makes English learning easy and engaging for kids. Kids have a choice to pick from the 3 Capstone Projects they offer. These projects are further distributed across 5 levels, with each level correlating to specific grades. The platform is designed to help children ace the English language across grades 1-12. Mastree's application-based modules improve vocabulary, grammar, communication, and articulation. The platform does offer a free trial to let users get a feel of Mastree's approach before investing in their courses. Age/Grade Appropriate: First to Twelfth grade
Stones2Milestones
Intending to 'Create a Nation of Readers', the platform offers services to help learners cultivate reading habits. They believe that a child who doesn't read at grade-level-expectancy by class 4 will never catch up! They want to make learning to read a conscious design of the curriculum. Their focus is on making the skill easy and develops the will to make it enjoyable. The platform is a great tool to equip children with the English language and develop & cultivate reading habits. They integrate this program with the early school curriculum. Besides providing this to schools, they also equip the parents to support the growth in their children.
Age/Grade Appropriate: kids between 3- to 9-year-old can use the platform.
EPIC!
This is one of the best reading apps available for kids. The tool is an e-book library with a collection of over 35,000 children's books. The app is appropriate when kids want to have screen time, but you don't want them to! The app also has a read-to-me feature to help the little ones enjoy enriching stories. The app is perfect for catering the storytelling or reading needs of kids of various age group. The app is compatible with iOS and Android devices and offers a one-month free trial after which the user can avail subscription for $8 per month.
Age/Grade Appropriate: ideal for kids between two to twelve-year-old.
BrainPOP Jr. Movie of the Week
BrainPOP is known for its video content for kids. They've been providing educational videos on almost everything to kids worldwide for more than a decade now. Brainpop Jr. Movie of the Week gives younger kids access to these videos along with short quizzes on them. The tool offers an optional subscription that will provide you with access to the full library of videos. With the free app, you can still access limited videos, movie of the week and some cool educational videos on the internet safety and other crucial topics. The subscription is priced at $6.99 per month. The tool is compatible with iOS and Android.
Age/Grade Appropriate: the app is appropriate for kids between six to nine years old.
YouTube Kids
YouTube is not just an adults' platform. Hence, the extension specifically for kids. Kids nowadays are getting into social media and video content creation. Kids are actively becoming the "Instagram influencers" and showcasing their skills, arts, and social media experiences. YouTube Kids is specifically designed for kids and shows appropriate content for kids between ages 2-12. With this app, parents can let their child enjoy video content without worrying about them being exposed to inappropriate content. You can customise your kids' experience in the app by choosing what content they can watch, limiting screen time, and blocking videos. You can also access resources to help kids develop healthy digital habits.
Age/Grade Appropriate: the app is appropriate for kids between 2 to 12 years old.
DuoLingo Kids
DuoLingo is widely known for its language learning offerings. Its extension for kids gamifies the learning process and makes it fun and engaging for the young learners. Children who can read and write would make the most out of this tool, and the little ones can enjoy listening in and playing along. The tool creates small and frequent opportunities for learners to work on their language learning skills and "speak like a native." The games are short, and learners can make use of the app anywhere, anytime. Kids will learn basic vocabulary as well as sentence formation. This enables kids to start talking in their second language instantly. The tool offers language learning for Spanish, French and English; and is compatible with Android and iOS devices.
Age/Grade Appropriate: 6 and above.
Stack the States
Part game, part educational tool, the app helps kids learn geography and general knowledge about different states through a game. The users' goal is to stack states to a certain height which is only possible if they answer questions correctly. Every right answer will add a stack. The app has 3 other games which kids can unlock as they progress and complete different rounds. A similar version for countries is also available. The app is compatible with iOS and Android devices and costs $3 per month.
Age/Grade Appropriate: ideal for kids aged 10 years or above.
Science360
Science360 is a creation of Science360 Knowledge Network and sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). This app is all things science and if your kid loves to know about stars, planets and space; this is it! The app features a plethora of exciting videos and high-resolution photos from a dozen disciplines. Kids can spend hours absorbed in discoveries from the depths of space, to the wonders of the unimaginably small, to the far corners of our own planet. Kids can access the latest videos from scientists worldwide with which kids can learn all things science. The app is very easy to use, as you can find all the icons that need to be tapped to navigate on the face of the app itself. You can even save photographs and videos on your phone so that you can access them at any time. The app is compatible with iOS and Android devices.
Age/Grade Appropriate: ideal for kids 8 years old and above.
BYJU'S
The star company of India, BYJU's is all set to bring many surprises in 2021. One of the topmost funded companies of 2020, we can't wait to see their additions to their offerings. If you're still living under the rock and haven't tried their one-stop solution for learning needs, this is the year to get going. The platform offers personalised learning solutions for prekindergarten learners to 12 graders. The platform of useful for aspirants preparing for competitive exams like IAS, JEE and NEET examinations. The platform offers adaptive tests, detailed lessons, and broad support to ensure that every student's learning journey is engaging and smooth.
Age/Grade Appropriate: ideal for prekindergarten to 12-grade learners.
PBS Kids Game
PBS Kids is one of the most popularly known kids' educational brands. It now offers a dedicated platform for gamified learning for kids aged between 2 to 8. PBS Kids Game kids can learn from their adorable and engaging animated characters' games. The platform features top shows, including Super Why, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Wild Kratts, Dinosaur Train, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, and more. New interactive games are added regularly and engage kids in skill-building around math, science and creativity that they play alongside their favourite characters.
Age Appropriate: ideal for kids aged between 2 to 8.
DragonBox
Coming from Kahoot!, DragonBox will solve all your math learning woes. The games offered are designed with educational experts to ensure kids' learning needs are met while the approach of gamified learning is at the core to keep kids interested and engaged. They offer different games, each targeting other topics. The various apps provided are:
For children between age 4 to 9:
- DragonBox Numbers: Ideal to learn what numbers are, how they work and what you can do with them.
- DragonBox Big Numbers: Play with big numbers. Ideal for learning big additions and subtractions.
- DragonBox Algebra 5+: Children as young as 5 can understand the introductory algebra and solve the basic linear equations.
For children aged 9 and above:
- DragonBox Algebra 12+: Take it to the next level with advanced mathematic topics and complex algebra.
- DragonBox Elements: Learn geometry through exciting games.
All the apps mentioned are priced differently. However, three different "Dragon Packs" are available that covers a variety of topics. These packs are categorised as per age, and parents can look into the details to make the right choice and save up a lot.
Age Appropriate: Ideal for kids aged between 4 to 12
ABCMouse
Another classic tool widely picked by parents. The app offers more than 10,000 activities for kids to learn about Math, Science, Reading, and Colour and Art. More than 850 lessons are divided into levels. As children complete levels, they scale up with activities getting harder. This step-by-step learning path engages kids and keeps them motivated to learn and complete their activities. The app offers a free trial for one month and if priced at 9$ per month after.
Age Appropriate: Ideal for kids between age 2 to 8.
TinyTap
This is a one-stop solution for all learning needs. Be it math, science, colours, English, foreign languages or anything else. The platform covers it all. On the website's home page, you can select the age of your child and get handpicked activities in all subjects.
Age Appropriate: Ideal for kids between age 2 to 14.
Khan Academy Kids
Coming from khan academy, this kids dedicated platform will teach younger ones to be lifelong learners. The platform offers supplement resources, worksheets, planners and schedules ideal for distance learning. The platform can be translated and accessed in 10 languages ensuring that the language barrier doesn't hinder learning. With this platform, children can learn across subjects, including early literacy, math, and develop crucial skills like critical thinking and other socio-emotional skills at their own pace.
Age Appropriate: Ideal for kids between age 2 to 7.
Read-Along by Google
This reading app by google helps kids learn to read while they have fun. The app comes with an in-app assistant that helps kids read better. The in-app reading buddy listens young learners read aloud and helps when they struggle reading. This guide along process helps kids improve their reading skills and get better every time they use the tool.
Age Appropriate: the app is ideal for learners who want to work on their reading skills.
Keep adding to the list in the comments section below.
