Educational software for 4 year olds

10 Best Preschool Learning Apps Your Kids Will Love (2023 Guide)

With the best preschool learning apps, you can not only give your child excellent fundamental early learning but also help them fall in love with it!

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Preschool education has benefits beyond the visible academic framework. When given correctly, it can nurture youngsters to thrive beyond the classroom and help instill crucial skills that will definitely be beneficial throughout their life.

In fact, several pieces of research back this by suggesting that preschool education offers young children an advantage in all areas of learning, including not only academics but also self-control, planning, listening, and social skills. This is true whether you’re homeschooling a preschooler or sending them to a traditional in-person preschool

What’s more is that in today’s world of technology, you can give your young kids quality preschooling education by simply downloading a few of the great preschool educational apps.

The best preschool apps for kids ages 5 and under help your child not only get acquainted with technology but also allow them to grasp important lessons and skills in a playful manner. They’ll be having so much fun they won’t even realize they are learning!

We’ve reviewed and ranked the top educational apps for preschoolers based on a variety of key factors, including ease of use, entertainment factor, educational quality, cost, and more.

We’ve updated this guide completely for 2023 to include the best options currently available so you can be confident you’re getting the most useful guidance around.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost for you, we might get a commission if you click the link and purchase.

What are the Best Preschool Learning Apps?

Once you have decided to make a preschool learning app a part of your child’s early education, the next step is to choose the best one for your child.

With numerous options in the market, one can easily get flustered.

So, in order to make things easy for you, we have compiled a list of 10 of the best preschool apps out there in 2023.

1. Homer

HOMER - The Essential Early Learning Program and App for Kids 2-8

HOMER is a personalized learning app designed to help kids fall in love with learning. There are over 1,000 learning activities across all subjects, and the content is tailored to your child's age and interests.

Try It Free

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Ranked as the best educational learning app for various subjects by parents, Homer is one of the most trusted educational apps by parents and teachers as well.

Made for young kids aged 2-8, this app offers a playful way of learning skills and lessons.

Homer offers a variety of fundamental subjects like Math, Reading, Creativity, Critical Thinking Skills, and Social and emotional learning- almost everything required for a quality preschool education.

Parents can even personalize their kids’ learning experience according to their interests so that children not only learn but also enjoys as well. This also in turn motivates them to keep coming back for playing their favorite “game”. A win for parents and teachers who struggle to gain a child’s attention while teaching them important lessons.

Moreover, your child will never run out of “new” activities as Homer offers more than 1,000 different activities for them to explore.

And what is even better is that Homer has been proven to improve early reading scores by a whopping 74%.

All in all, it’s one of the best apps for all-around preschool learning and development.

• Kid-safe
• Fun app that’s also educational
• Interactive game-like interface
• Easy to use for kids
• Great way to teach creative thinking and problem-solving skills
• Safe as it has no popup advertisements in-app
• Compatible with all kinds of smartphones, laptops, and computers

HOMER pricing is as follows:

• Annual Plan: $59. 99 per year
• Lifetime Plan: $99.99 one-time purchase

HOMER offers a 30 days full access free trial.

Another staple in the list of educational apps for preschoolers is Khan Academy for Kids. This free preschool app is a junior version of Khan Academy and is made for toddlers to second graders.

Khan Academy Kids covers a range of fundamental subjects like math, English, reading, social skills, etc that are extremely important for preschoolers. It uses a range of interactive methods like games, animations, songs, and cute characters to keep young kids engaged and also to help them grasp important lessons.

Khan Academy Kids offers a curriculum that is expertly designed and complies with Common Core Standards and Early Learning Outcomes Framework, so you can rest assured that your kid gets the best quality preschool education.

Furthermore, it offers two great learning paths to make learning customized for your kid. Adaptive Learning Path and Independent learning. Parents can choose either one of them which best suits their kid’s learning requirements.

In addition to this, Khan Academy for kids is a research-backed app with proven results. Research by a psychologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst shows that children of lower-income families who used this educational app for 3 months made significant increases in their pre-literacy skills, bringing them close to the national norm.

• Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
• Kid-friendly app for preschoolers
• Colorful and eye-catching visuals
• Off-screen videos and printables
• 100 % ad-free app
• Curated by experts
• Available for all smartphones, laptops, and computers

Khan Academy Kids is a completely free preschool app.

Click here to learn more.

This math app, created by Duck Duck Moose (which was acquired by educational technology giant Khan Academy in 2016) is designed to expose young children to basic math principles. So If you want to give your child a strong mathematical base, then this preschool app can be a great choice for you.

Moose Math teaches and builds on 5 basic early math skills for young learners: Numbers, Geometry, Counting, Addition and subtraction, and measurement. The curriculum offered by this preschool app is in line with Common Core State Standards so if you are preparing to send your kid to elementary school then this app can help you to do so hassle-free!

It teaches these areas of math by using fun interactive activities and math games like joining the dots, Pet Bingo, Paint pet, Moose Juice, and lost and found. There are five distinct levels of games, and students must move through them in order to advance. It even generates reports so that parents and teachers can keep track of their preschoolers progress.

• The curriculum complies with Common Core State Standards
• A great app for preschoolers with an interactive elements and a game-like interface
• Available on Amazon AppStore, Google Play, Apple Store
• Reward system to motivate kids and keep your child entertained
• Generates reports

Moose Math just like Khan Academy Kids is a completely free preschool app with no hidden in-app purchases.

Click here to learn more.

Teaching kids the alphabet and phonics at an early age can prove to be very beneficial in helping them develop sound literacy abilities.

AlphaTots Alphabets helps toddlers learn their ABCs in a fun and game-like way. With 26 different puzzles and games for the 26 letters of the alphabet, this preschool app teaches kids the alphabet by using an action word for each letter, basically, the kid performs that action for each letter. For example, for the letter “B” they will “build a robot” and for the letter “z” they will “Zap’ aliens.

This innovative, unique and diverse way of teaching alphabets is what makes this preschooling app stand out amongst the others. It introduces a letter, its name, and the letter sounds it produces using vivid, vibrant images and outstanding pronunciation so that your child clearly absorbs these literary skills all while playing!

• Colorful and interactive interface
• Large and colorful letter images in games and songs that children can read in both upper and lower case
• Great way to start building early reading skills
• Equipped with Parent Gate to keep the app kid safe
• No third-party advertisements
• Available for Android, iPhone, and Ipad.

AlphaTots Alphabet is available for $2.99 for iOS and Android users.

For parents whose youngsters are just getting a hang of technology, this app is a great way to help them get equipped with it while also making sure their screen time has positive effects.

Busy Shapes is an award-winning self-directed, hands-on learning app inspired by the Montessori approach, to help develop a child’s fine motor skills.

Busy Shapes does so by allowing children to learn about how items connect to one other and how they may be manipulated by forcing kids to put their logic and reasoning abilities to use. It has great features like practice mode to help parents allow their toddlers to replay a hard concept. It also has a cute penguin animation to keep children motivated to go further.

What’s more, is that as a toddler progresses through levels, they face new problems to keep them interested and engaged. There are no instructions available so that the child can direct its way on their own- teaching them independence while they are young!

• Available in 15 languages
• 150 levels of continuous progressive play
• Multitouch play
• Colorful and fun interface
• Available on AppStore, Google Play, Apple Store

Busy shapes can be bought for $2.99 and further items in the app can be purchased for $3.99.

Click here to learn more.

This preschool app has everything that you may need to introduce your toddler to the world of education. From shapes, letters, numbers, and counting to the identification of patterns your toddler will learn all the fundamentals of preschool in a fun and engaging manner.

It offers a set of seven fun educational activities for your preschooler. The ultimate goal in each of these fun activities is to fill the monkey’s box with fruit. To do so, the child will learn to count fruits with the monkey, learn which letter they start with, match them with pictures, and solve puzzles

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox allows children to select a cartoon sticker and set it on a personalized virtual canvas board once a series of activities are completed successfully. This helps them gain a sense of accomplishment and also keeps them motivated.

• Available in 8 languages: German, English, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Korean, and Japanese(only on Google Play)
• Intended for use by children so no complicated menus or navigation.
• Unlimited playing with a continuous flow of games
• Adorable characters and friendly interface
• No.1 in the app store for preschool apps
• Available on Google Play and App store

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox retails for $1.99 for iPhone and Ipads and $4.99 for Android.

Click here to learn more.

Toca Nature was created to bring Nature to your child’s fingertips. Suitable for older preschoolers this app helps them to explore creativity in a clear and open-ended way.

Almost like Minecraft, this app allows youngsters to grow plants to create a forest, pick berries, mushrooms, or nuts to feed various animals, elevate a mountain and take in the scenery, Travel around various locations and make friends with a fox or even capture a shot of a bird building a nest. It basically allows them to enjoy nature digitally without the hazards of a natural environment.

Preschoolers learn a lot of non-academic skills with this app. By dragging and dropping to create their personalized scenery, kids learn hand-eye coordination while also helping them to broaden their imaginations.

Children can also make new friends which help them build their social skills early on. It also has a few challenges to spark their cognitive abilities. What’s more is that by playing this game, children may learn to appreciate nature and their environment even more!

• Extremely creative
• Calm Aura
• Imaginative and creative interface
• Child-friendly app for preschoolers
• Available on Google Play and app store

This app costs $3.99 on Google Play as well as on the Apple App Store. There are several in-app purchases available, ranging in price from $.99 to $13.99.

Click here to learn more.

Fairy Tales is a reading app specially made for Preschoolers and toddlers to help them learn to read. It combines whimsical stories with games to make reading a fun activity for them.

Children can choose from their vast variety of popular tales like Puss in boots, The Princess and the Pea, Ugly Duckling, Sleeping Beauty, Goldilocks and the three bears, The Three Spinners, The Three Little Pigs, and The Realm of Sweet Dreams by Asa Guves to name a few.

It has two modes “read to me” and “Read it Myself” so that preschoolers who are just learning to read can use the former mode and the older preschoolers who have a hang of reading can practice their literary skills by using the latter mode.

What’s more, is that this app can act as a great bedtime activity alternative as it has a professional speaker that reads stories aloud for kids.

Reading is a key skill that helps way beyond the classroom. Starting your kids young can ensure that your kid not only picks up this skill easily but also retains it as core memory. Fairy Tales is a great way to get them acquainted to reading.

• Offline reading
• Safe and kid-friendly
• A large variety of storybooks to choose from
• Interface created specifically for preschoolers
• Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and Android devices
• Great app for preschoolers
• A plethora of games for children under the age of 5.

This app is completely free to download but has in-app purchases ranging from $2.99 – $15.99 per item. Click here for iOS and here for Android.

If your child loves Sesame Street, then this app will be a great treat for them.

This is an interactive edition of the popular Sesame Street book from the 1970s, in which Grover advises children not to flip the pages so they can avoid the monster at the conclusion of the book. It offers different activities for kids on every page of the book.

All of these features are hands-on,  with youngsters being asked to untie ropes, touch a knot to make it unravel, knock down brick barriers, and tickle Grover by touching on his image.

Along with building hand-eye coordination, this app also helps build a child’s literary skills. Grover the main Character and various other characters in the book read out the words aloud for kids as they appear on screen, keeping them well interacted. They also give hints helping children to use their thinking abilities.

Aside from being fun for tiny kids, The Monster at the End of this Book may provide a chance for parents to discuss with their children when they are terrified of anything- letting kids know that their parents are a safe space to open up to!

• Interactive interface
• Fun activities
• Popular Character
• Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and Android devices

The Monster at the End of This Book app costs $4.99 for iPhone and Ipad users and the same for Android devices.

For all those parents on a budget looking for a great preschooling app to teach their kids spelling and phonics, then this app is the one for you.

This completely free app is made to help toddlers and preschoolers learn spelling in a playful manner. Even parents can play with their kids. This not only helps children to grasp spellings more quickly but also is a great useful bonding time.

With this preschool learning app, children will learn the alphabet, their shape, phonics, word pronunciation and will also learn to connect pictures with their names. To teach them this, this app offers a different variety of game modes such as fill in the blanks, blank spelling, and Consonant vowel-consonant mode.

Even more, it also produces report cards to help parents and children know their accomplishments and areas that require more attention.

• Certificates and stickers to motivate kids
• Clear sounds to aid with learning phonics
• Colorful visuals
• No third-party advertisements
• Kid-friendly app for preschoolers
• Free of cost

Spelling and Phonics: Kids Games is a completely free-of-cost app. It also does not offer any in-app purchases as well

Click here to learn more.

Downloading the right app for your toddler is extremely crucial.

Some apps are more engaging and interactive than others, and some are better suited for specific learning objectives.

When selecting an app for a preschooler, it is important to consider the child’s age, interests, and ability level.

Additionally, it is worth taking the time to read reviews from other parents to get an idea of what other people think of the app.

To help you match your child with the right app, we have combined a list of all the tips you would need to download the best preschool app for your kid.

Make sure:

• The app you download is kid-friendly with no pop-up advertisements.
• They are filled with colorful pictures and videos to catch your young ones’ attention.
• They have cute and adorable animation/characters to keep them invested.
• Sing-along songs are also an excellent feature to keep children engaged.
• The app is compatible with the device your toddler is most acquainted with.
• Has offline features to allow your toddler to use the apps anywhere and anytime.

Preschooling apps offer a wide variety of features that can help your child excel in their early education. Some of these benefits include:

Accessible 24/7

These preschool learning apps are a handy tool that can be accessed by you and your child anytime and any day. these apps are at one’s fingertips and come in handy as they can be downloaded easily and quickly on your phone or tablet.

Positive use of screentime

In the current times of technology, screentime is inevitable. However, parents do have the option to use this disadvantage to their child’s benefit. By downloading one of the best preschooling apps listed above, parents can not only keep their children engaged in a fun manner but also can teach them useful core skills.

Most of the apps mentioned above teach preschool-aged children a lot of important social and cognitive skills. They also teach certain skills like singing, coloring, and dancing along with academic skills. So if your child uses preschooling apps before entering the academic environment, they may have better chances of doing well in classrooms than their peers.

Almost all of the apps mentioned above offer game-like interfaces with loads of colorful animations, songs, and playful characters. All of these features make them extremely attractive for kids making them “play” these games more often. So they learn without even realizing it!

These preschool apps can be a great way to pass time. Whether you are on a road trip or have work to do, these apps can be used to distract your little ones all while not being guilty of negative screen time. They not only keep them interacting but also teaches them valuable lessons and with most of the apps offering offline services, distracting kids can be even easier to do so.

All in all, preschool learning apps are a great way to teach your child basic fundamentals of education and also to keep them engaged in an interactive and playful manner!

Other Useful Resources

• The best educational apps for kids
• The best homeschool apps
• The best educational game apps
• The best coding apps for kids

A Final Word on Preschool Learning Apps

Whether you’re looking to supplement your homeschooling, give your little ones a head start on their educational journey, or just want to make their screen time more productive, the best preschool learning apps offer a host of benefits for kids and parents alike.

Educational apps for preschoolers can help children to develop a variety of skills, including language, math, and social-emotional skills.

And the best part about many preschool learning apps is that they can be tailored to each child’s individual needs. For example, if a child is struggling with a particular concept, the app can provide extra support and practice.

In addition, learning apps can be used to supplement traditional teaching methods. So if a child is having difficulty understanding a concept in their schooling, the app can provide another way of presenting the information.

Simply put, the importance of mobile apps in education can’t be overstated.

Finding the right preschool app for your kid doesn’t have to be difficult. Remember, most of the apps on our list above offer free trials or a free version. So you can try out a few different ones to see which ones work best for your child.

Do you have any other suggestions for the best preschool learning apps? Let us know in the comments below!

• Author
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Fatima Mansoor

Fatima Mansoor is a freelance writer covering education technology. She has a Master of Arts (MA) in English Language Teaching.

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11 Best Apps for Kids 2023

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Best Overall App for Kids: ABCmouse.com

This pick is an overwhelming favorite among all of our testers. ABCmouse.com is available both as an app and a website. It uses fun storyline-based videos, quizzes, and activities — there's even a virtual map outlining your child’s learning path to keep kids and toddlers engaged. Our parent testers said they loved ABCmouse.com even before we started testing the best apps for kids!

• Ages: 2-8
• Cost: One-month free trial, then $10/month subscription
• Get it for: iOS, Android, or on the Amazon App Store

RELATED: The Best Toddler Apps That Teach Letters, Colors, Shapes, and Numbers

Best for All Ages: Khan Academy

Teachers, parents, and kids are all a fan of the Khan Academy app that features thousands of free resources on everything from early math to art history. From preschool to high school, children of all ages can enjoy and learn on this non-profit's platform. All of its programming is entirely free, so you don't have to worry about subscription fees. Parents of our testers say that the videos helped each kid learn at their own pace. For those with kids under 4, check out their child-friendly counterpart, Khan Academy Kids on iOS or Android, which features a lot of the great elements of the older app at an age appropriate level.

• Ages: 4+
• Cost: Free
• Get it for: iOS or Android

Best Reading App for Kids: Epic!

Epic! is an app for kids with an e-book library that contains over 35,000 children's books (and it includes a read-to-me feature for little ones who are still learning to read). One of our parent testers says it's “a great app to have when the kids want screen time, but you don't!” This app is a perfect way to take reading wherever your device goes, and it's great for families with kids of various ages.

• Ages: 2-12
• Cost: one-month free trial, then $8/month
• Get it for: iOS or Android

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Best App for Kids in Preschool: Nick Jr.

Nick Jr.’s app offers parents the chance to let their kids enjoy their favorite shows on the go — no TV required! The app has videos from all of Nick Jr.’s shows and a collection of games (both educational and not-so educational) based on Nick Jr. shows that feature your kids’ favorite characters.

To unlock some parts of the app, you'll need to enter your cable provider's information. Even without it, your kid will still be able to use the features they’ll be most excited about: full episodes and lots of games!

• Ages: 2-7
• Cost: free, some content requires cable provider information
• Get it for: iOS, Android, or on the Amazon App Store

Best App for Kids in Elementary School: Quick Math Jr.

Kids know that math can be boring, but this app transforms numbers into something more creative and interactive. Quick Math Jr. is an app for kids with 12 different math games that feature fundamental math skills and concepts. It has unique graphics and buildable characters to keep kids engaged, and all answers are handwritten or drawn on the screen so kids can also practice handwriting.

• Ages: 4-8
• Cost: Free
• Get it for: iOS

Best App for Kids in High School: Duolingo

The Duolingo Owl (the app's mascot and icon) has been popping up as a meme all over social media in recent months, so chances are your high schooler knows what Duolingo is. Encourage them to take it one step further and download the app so they can learn a different language.

They can practice through audio, word identification, and oral exercises for over 30 languages — it's a great way for your child to keep their language-learning skills sharp over the summer. P.S.: Parents can use this app, too!

• Ages: 10+
• Cost: Free, optional ad-free Duolingo Plus is $6.99/month
• Get it for: iOS or Android

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Best App for Kids Learning the Alphabet: Starfall ABCs

This app gives kids a fun, animated introduction to learning letters, vowels, and words. It also includes the sign language alphabet. If you upgrade to the paid version of Starfall ABCs, you'll get some extra perks like lessons on math and social skills — but the free version is still pretty impressive!

• Ages: 2-5
• Cost: Free, option to upgrade for $35/year
• Get it for: iOS or Android

Best App for Multiple Kids: Homer Learn & Grow

Homer Learn & Grow is great for families with lots of littles, since you can add up to four kid profiles on your account and not have to worry about messing up your customization. Testers love how personalized the learning experience is — while onboarding, you'll fill out a series of questions about your child's task performance skills. They also enjoy the cool features like the "record your voice" option in phonics. Kids get to learn thoughtfully about numbers, letters and social skills. Note, the free trial can be difficult to cancel if you're not interested in paying for the subscription.

• Ages: 2-8
• Cost: $7.99/month
• Get it for: iOS or Android

Best Video App for Kids: Brainpop Jr. Movie of the Week

For 20 years, Brainpop has been providing kids all over the world with in-depth, yet easy to understand educational videos on everything ranging from Mozart to food allergies. Brainpop Jr. Movie of the Week is an app that gives younger kids access to these videos, plus short quizzes on them.

You’ll need a subscription to access to the full library of videos, but the free version still gets you the movie of the week, plus more free videos on internet safety, bullying and other subjects. Brainpop also has a version for older kids too!

• Ages: 6-9
• Cost: Free, optional subscription is $6.99/month
• Get it for: iOS, Android, or on the Amazon App Store

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Best Kids' App for Coding: Swift Playgrounds

Swift Playgrounds is an app for older kids (and adults!) that was created by Apple to introduce people to the coding language that app developers across the globe use. In the app, you can learn the basics of coding language through puzzles, targeted lessons and dynamic visuals. The app is gorgeous to look at and fun to play, but it works best on iPads.

• Ages: 9+
• Cost: Free
• Get it for: iOS

Best App for Learning Piano: Simply Piano

Whether you're a novice pianist or someone who wants to brush up on lost skills, Simply Piano is a fun, interactive way to learn the piano. All of our testers found that the app helped them learn piano and found it to be a motivating, enjoyable way to learn to play. One tester lauded the program saying she “loved its accessibility and simplistic nature of the lessons.” Another noted her appreciation for the highly guided program, providing the discipline and accountability she needed.

• Ages: 4+
• Cost: Free week trial, $120/year
• Get it for: iOS or Android

How we test educational apps

The technology and parenting experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute know very well just how dizzying it can be to figure out which kids' apps are worth downloading and buying (and which are safe and truly kid-friendly) — which is why we tested to find the best ones on the market.

We consulted our consumer panel made up of real parents and their children to whittle down the field to the apps that are age-appropriate, easy to use, informative and fun. Our experts evaluate each app to see how easy it is for children to use independently, how engaging the content is, whether or not it's worth its price, how long and effectively it can keep children interested, any tech pitfalls and whether it aids children's development in the ways it indicates.

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What to look for in the best educational apps for your kids

✔️ Safety: It's important to protect your personal information and avoid getting scammed.Consider how much information the is app requesting from you and if the app requests additional verification when you log in. Aside from personal safety, is the app even safe to download? Check out the number of times the app has been downloaded, the rating, reviews and look over the permissions list as well as the app description before hitting download. We evaluated each of the apps we've recommended for safety to help alleviate concerns for you, your family and your devices.

✔️ Features: Consider what you are hoping to get out of this app: Are you just looking for something that will play fun videos or do you want your little one to be able to engage in educational learning games? Some apps offer personalized learning plans that let you check your progress as you move forward, while others are just for one-off entertainment. Depending on what subject you're hoping for your child to master and how your child learns best, keep an eye out for the extra features of each app to ensure that they're the right fit for your family.

✔️ Ease of use: One of the best parts about learning apps is the ability for your child to navigate them on their own. Not only will this help them develop their independence and strengthen their problem-solving skills, but will give you a much needed break while they're entertained. Make sure the app is intuitive enough for them to handle on their own.

✔️ Age: Make sure your picks are age appropriate for your little one. They are sure to be frustrated and upset if you accidentally put them in 7th grade math while they're only 8! To get the most benefit out of each app experience, make sure that they're not learning at too low or too high of a level.

✔️ Price: Many of our favorite picks are free, but a few of the more specialized apps feature paid upgrades or monthly subscriptions with access to all of their unlimited games and videos. Consider how much you're willing to shell out on apps on a regular basis — if your kids are learning and entertained, it may be worth the splurge!

✔️ Engagement: Keeping your child entertained and engaged is one of the most important aspects of a good app. If your kid isn't excited to hop on and spend time learning new things, watching videos or playing the app's games, then it doesn't matter how helpful the app is if they can't even be bothered to log in.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

The Good Housekeeping Institute provides expert reviews and advice on everything a parent and their kids needs, including educational apps. The testing for this article was overseen by Rachel Rothman, the GH Institute's Chief Technologist & Director of Engineering. For more than 15 years, Rachel has put her training in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics to work by researching, testing and writing about parenting products. Plus, as a mom to three kids under 5, she has plenty of first-hand experience.

In her role as Parenting & Pets Reviews Analyst, Jamie Spain brings years of experience to the Institute, having reviewed products for Good Housekeeping, as well as BuzzFeed; she has also covered parenting at People.

Rachel Rothman

Chief Technologist & Executive Technical Director

Rachel Rothman (she/her) is the chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also manages GH’s growing research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. During her 15 years at Good Housekeeping, Rachel has had the opportunity to evaluate thousands of products, including toys and cars for GH’s annual awards programs and countless innovative breakthroughs in consumer tech and home improvement. 

Jamie Spain

Parenting & Pets Reviews Analyst

Jamie (she/her) is a parenting and pets reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she spends her time testing, researching and writing about pet and family products. Prior to starting at GH in 2021, she worked at BuzzFeed and People, covering a combination of product reviews and lifestyle content. She's a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and psychology and a master’s degree in journalism.

14 educational apps for kids for free

I work remotely and try to keep my child busy so that I can earn money.

Maria Kolenkova

found something to do with the child

Author profile

At first I wanted to teach him how to play chess and study English in traditional "tutorials". But too formalized classes turned out to be boring. After them, my five-year-old son said: "Mom, please, let's not play anymore."

Therefore, I have collected games that develop logic, thinking, memory, teach counting and writing, but at the same time are interesting for the child.

Cut The Rope

Age: 2-4 years old
What will be taught: Logically think
Price: free
download or open: Android, iOS

9000 Green Montrustika Nyami from the same name cartoon character loves candy. The whole game is built on this: you need to feed the hero. But to do this is not so easy. The child needs to cut the ropes that the candy is tied to and watch how gravity works, in which direction the sweet will fly off or swing. Complicating the passage of the level are bubbles that can pick up the candy and take it upstairs - then you have to start over.

The logic and laws of physics in the game are not presented boringly and formally, but are explained in practice. The creators of the game marked it 0+, and even kindergarteners can really handle the very first levels. But then it can be difficult for younger students.

/list/online-games-for-children/

English, programming and logic: 9 educational online games for children0019 Price: for free, but many drawings can only be opened with a paid subscription — 1490 R per year
Download: Android, iOS

Drawer develops fine motor skills in children over two years old. The characters of the game teach how to draw animals: all you have to do is trace the dotted lines with your finger. If the child succeeds, then the picture comes to life - animation is built into the application.

Funny food!

Age: 3-5 years old
What will teach: think logically, determine color and shape
Price: free
Download: Android

The name of the application says it all: the child really has to deal with funny food that smiles and sings. On the example of vegetables and fruits, children learn the color and shape of objects, the concept of part and whole, and master sorting. The advantage of the application is that all subjects are familiar to the child, so he will learn new skills easily.

Math and numbers for kids

Age: 2-6 years old
What will teach: to count, including in a foreign language
Price: several levels for free, the full version is 99 R
Download: iOS

Math and numbers app for kids for children from two years old. The child will be able to count the objects in the picture aloud, circle the number with his finger, hear how it is pronounced, and even see how to show it on the fingers. This is ideal for an early introduction to numbers.

And for children 5-6 years old, there are more difficult tasks: you need to learn numbers in one of 20 languages ​​- including Chinese, Hindi, Norwegian and Romanian.

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Board games for kids

Letters: learning to read fun

Age: 5-6 years old
What the price will teach: to read several syllables, for free full version — 2290 Р
Download: Android, iOS

This application is useful in the period when the child has already learned the letters, but he still cannot combine them into syllables. It helps to learn how to read the unicorn Ray, which divides words into parts and pronounces each syllable - so the child understands how to pronounce the whole word. The application is designed in such a way that the child learns to read on his own, without the help of adults.

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1Line

Age: 4-7 years Teach think spatially
Price: for free, for additional tasks they will take 1090 Р
Download or open: Android, iOS

The rules of the game are as simple as possible: you need to connect all the dots with one continuous line. A child of 3-4 years old will cope with the first levels, but the task gradually becomes more complicated: there are more and more dots, and the pattern is more and more intricate. The game trains spatial thinking, allows you to go through the same level many times until you find the right solution.

Line Puzzle

Age: 4-7 years old
What will teach: to think logically
Price: for free, for additional tasks they will take from 449 to 899 R

The first levels are very simple and perfect even for a three-year-old. But the further, the more difficult - the latter will also interest adults. 16 online platforms free
Download: Android, iOS

This is the children's version of Star Walk star charting app. If you give the application access to geolocation, it will show the constellations in the night sky and talk about them.

In addition, the child can explore the structure of the universe in a playful way and even find the Hubble telescope and the International Space Station in the sky. This is a complete encyclopedia about space that will answer all the questions of children.

Puzzles with matches

Age: from 6 years old
What will teach: Logically think, count
Price: Free, but you can buy tips - 6 pieces for 199 r or 300 for 3790 r
download: download: Android, iOS

The classic match-shifting puzzle has taken on an absolutely safe form. There are more than a thousand different tasks in the application. Moreover, the complexity increases very slowly - the child will be able to gradually master the game. In addition to the usual graphical puzzles, there are counting tasks, so you can also improve math in the process.

Sea of ​​words

Age: 4-7 years old
What will teach: to read and compose words
Price: free, you will have to pay for hints from 449Р
Download or open: Android, iOS, desktop

"Sea of ​​words" invites the child to make as many words as possible from a certain set of letters. The higher the level, the more initial letters and the more words to be composed. But the length of the words is known, so some of them can simply be guessed. In addition, there are hints - children will see the first letter of one of the hidden words.

The game has more than 2000 levels and 6 languages, so you can learn more than just Russian words. The only drawback is that there is no built-in dictionary. Therefore, at more complex levels, the child may encounter words that he does not know. Parents will have to explain them.

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What to buy in ikea children

Words from words

Age: from 6 years
What will teach: Read and be attentive
Free
77777 Download: Android, iOS