Toddler learning software

This app has easy mini games for the littlest kids, including balloon-popping games, virtual instruments to play, and even fireworks. It was created by a dad who, after having his first kid, felt the need to give back and create parent- and child-friendly games.
Price: Free

GET FOR iOS GET FOR ANDROID

Cosmic Kids

Cosmic Kids

For little ones looking to get into yoga, this app offers videos of workout geared for kids. (Your toddler may have to do modified versions of the moves.) The host, Jaime, puts routines together that are themed to Frozen, Star Wars, Minecraft and other kid faves.
Price: Free, but offers in-app purchases

GET FOR iOS GET FOR ANDROID

Sago Mini Friends

This adorable app lets kids go on virtual playdates with cute animal characters, doing things like playing dress-up or having a snack together. There are no ads, no in-app purchases, and you can even play it without wi-fi.
Price: $4

GET FOR iOS GET FOR ANDROID

Peek-a-Zoo

Peek-a-Zoo

It's a little bit like the game Guess Who, where kids have to identify animals who are dancing, wagging their tails, or crying. There's a social/emotional learning component to it, since sometimes they have to identify animals by what they're feeling.
Price: Free

GET FOR iOS

Beck and Bo

Beck and Bo

This beautifully animated app lets kids put characters in different scenes, from everyday locations like the grocery store to exotic locales like the jungle. They can place characters and objects in the scene, or tap on items to find out what things are called and learn new words.
Price: $3

GET FOR iOS GET FOR ANDROID

Lego Duplo World

Lego Duplo World

Winner of the KAPI Best App award in 2020, this open-ended app lets kids explore the in-app world and build 3D structures. When they get older, they can connect and play with friends.
Price: Free, but offers in-app purchases

GET FOR iOS GET FOR ANDROID

Moo, Baa, La La La!

Moo, Baa, La La La!

Sandra Boynton is known for her dozens of board books for little one. With this app, her Moo, Baa, La La La! book becomes interactive, and little one can hear animal sounds and do things like tap the screen to turn day to night.
Price: $3

GET FOR iOS GET FOR ANDROID

Marisa LaScala Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother.

Is It Ever Okay to Scare Kids?

Kids' Movies on Netflix the Whole Family Will Love

How a Single Grandmother Raises Five Grandkids

Here's What to Tell Kids About Santa When They Ask

100+ Beautiful Hispanic Baby Girl Names

100+ Strong Hispanic Baby Boy Names

We're Teaching Our Kids These Funny Jokes ASAP

The 30 Best Spanish Books for Kids

55 Riddles for Clever Kids

The Best "Dad" Jokes for Corny Parents

Best learning apps for toddlers | Quality screen time

We’re back with this list of best apps for toddlers for healthy screen-time fun! While it is true that according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) tablets and smartphones aren’t the first choice for learning, research shows that even kids as young as 15 months can benefit from the right kind of digital content in moderation. So if you feel the need to pass over your iPhone, iPad or Android tablet to your toddler, you can feel comfortable with the quality of their screen time with these educational apps.

There’s a wealth of learning apps on the market today that can teach toddlers and preschoolers vocab, phonics and basic problem-solving. The best apps for preschoolers use simple designs and offer content tailored to their age groups. Many on this list have learning games aimed at developing cognitive skills and knowledge like numbers, shapes and ABCs. And all of them are rated 4+ stars on Common Sense Media. 

A fun app designed for kids aged 2-5 years old, Busy Shapes was built to be a simple, digital playground for toddlers.

What we love: 

Kids can freely explore shapes, drag them to different holes and spaces, and learn how objects relate to each other. The app responds to the child’s actions, presents harder challenges and motivates them to find solutions through experimentation.

Busy Shapes has a great parent feature where adults can review the concepts their child explored. With the app’s clean and elegant design, kids can explore and learn without navigating a confusing screen. Busy Shapes is not about memorizing shape names, but rather about supporting cognitive development, spacial reasoning and basic logic skills. 

Possible downsides:

Some parents report that the app doesn’t load as well on new iOS systems. Gameplay can lag and the audio doesn’t always work consistently. 

Price: 1.99

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android

This free app is one of the best learning apps for toddlers out there. It feels like having your own digital preschool teacher! The Khan Academy Kids app features a huge database of creative early-learning activities and educational games.

What we love: 

With content focused on developing language and math skills, cognitive thinking, and social-emotional learning, Khan Academy has tons of value for your little one. The mini games and activities for 3- to 7-year-olds are all introduced playfully with no disruptive ads.

Parents can create multiple user accounts with their kids’ names, avatars and ages. Each child has their own friendly “animal guide” who introduces activities, games, songs and digital books curated just for them. We love that parents can let their kids’ free play on the app, and give them opportunities to explore, experiment and even express themselves with drawing and narration games.

Possible downsides:

Some parents have reported that they have to reset their password every time they log in.

Price: Free

Available on:  iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire

This adorable app is one of the few created to teach toddlers how to manage their emotions. It’s a fun way to help kids learn to slow down, problem solve and tackle everyday frustrations, all through a Sesame Street baby monster. The blue monster has five different challenges to work through.

With animated video clips and clear narration, kids can help the monster calm down and choose a strategy to help him solve his problem.

What we love:

We love that this app teaches kids 2-4 years-old to move through obstacles, handle stress and practice mindfulness while letting you take a breather, yourself. 

Possible downsides: 

Toddlers can easily switch the language from Spanish to English by accident and can get frustrated when they don’t understand the instructions. 

Price: Free

Available on  iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android 

Who says you need full episodes of your kid’s favorite shows? With the PBS Kids Video app, you can let them watch shorter, snackable video clips from over a dozen of the top PBS Kids shows.

What we love: 

The videos run on autoplay so there is no need for parent involvement to keep the fun going. Because the clips are short, they can hold the attention of the wiggliest toddlers. This no-frills app is simple and easy to navigate for even the youngest of users. 

Possible downsides:

It may be too easy for young kids to purchase a full-length video. So if you have a credit card linked and don’t keep a close eye, you could end up with a surprise purchase.

Price: Free

Available on  iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire

Silly Street is one of the best learning apps for toddlers to flex their imaginations. It lets ’em build their own characters through gameplay both on and off the screen. The games include content that teaches empathy, curiosity and situational adaptability. 

What we love: 

This unique app comes with a physical game that kids play off screen in real life. They can complete certain tasks in the physical game, using the narration and sound within the app. We love that this is a digital learning tool that promotes kinesthetic movement and embodied play off screen. 

The physical game comes with cards and activities to teach emotional development and creative expression. The activities in the app and game have kids telling jokes, developing storylines and singing songs. Kids will love the group-play element that allows up to six players to play together and track progress on a scoreboard. 

Possible downsides:

While the app is free, you need to purchase character card decks and have other players to play the game. And if you’re looking for an easy way to let your kid learn on screen, there are more simple apps out there for that. There are also in-app purchases that are a bit too easy for a child to download. 

Price: Free

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

All Toca Boca apps are among the best learning apps for toddlers, but we chose to feature Toca Doctor. It’s kid-safe and super fun! This app features a fun collection of puzzles and challenges based on medical aid and healing. The games and activities can help ease a young toddler’s fears about visiting the doctor while also teaching some basic reasoning skills. If they love animals, they can also try Toca Pet Doctor!

What we love: 

Toca Doctor has the perfect combination of learning and pure fun. There are no written words in the app. It relies almost entirely on smart visuals and sound effects to target even the youngest of users. The design is simple and easy to navigate without distracting buttons for a 2-year old to push.

Possible downsides:

While this app is perfect for young toddlers, many of the activities lack a strong learning component. 

Price: $1.99

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

Want to fine-tune your kid’s reading and language skills? Homer Learn and Grow is the perfect app for that! This research-based reading program lets kids personalize their learning preferences as it teaches phonics and reading comprehension.

What we love:

The focus of Homer is on reading, but the app also incorporates other learning themes like foundational math and creative expression. If your child isn’t reading yet, you can still find value with Homer. This app lets pre-readers play independently thanks to verbal instructions and clear visual prompts. 

Parents can help customize their child’s learning path within the app by answering questions about what your kids already know. You can also select your child’s interests and favorite topics so the games feel personalized and engaging. 

Possible downsides: 

There are more in-app purchases than many parents would like as well as ads. The app also takes up a lot of space and has some glitches that can frustrate little ones.

Price: 9.99/month or 59.99/year

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire

The Bedtime Math app delivers a new story-based math problem each night for you to do with your child, making math a fun, nightly habit!

What we love: 

This app encourages real-life interaction with your kid, giving you an easy way to connect AND learn at the end of each day. Together you can bond over a simple, 2-minute ritual each night before bed. With math problems ranging from pre-K all the way to high school, this is an app that can grow with your child’s skills. And hey, you may get to brush up on your own math along the way! All answers are included in case you get stuck.

Possible downsides:

Some may feel the word problems lack variety.

Price: Free

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android

This app is a great way to introduce math to any toddler who loves to play chef or cook up imaginary foods! Tiggly Chef lets preschoolers play in the digital kitchen, cook up silly recipes and learn foundational math and counting.

What we love: 

If you’re in need of some guilt-free screen time, it’s easy to whip out Tiggly Chef while your toddler whips up new recipes and math skills. You can choose to play with your fingers like a traditional app, or buy a $29. 99 Tiggly Count hybrid toy for more realistic cooking fun. 

Possible downsides:

Some games require multiple fingers in use at the same time, which might be too complicated for some users. 

Price: Free

Available on iPad, Kindle Fire

Let your child step into your role as caregiver in this playful app for tots 2 and up. This app is full of adorable character-based games that teach toddlers empathy and social development. Kids will love playing caregiver to cute, baby-like animals. Within the game, toddlers can feed, clothe, change diapers and play with the animal characters, which interact with your kid.

What we love: 

The design is simple and realistic, with characters giving emotional responses based on your child’s actions. This helps kids better understand the impact of their actions on others, and read facial cues and emotional expressions.  

Possible downside: 

The app has only eight activities and can get repetitive fast for older toddlers. 

Price: $3.99

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android

No list of best learning apps for toddlers is complete without Epic! With a selection of thousands of popular, high quality titles, our digital library is filled with opportunities for readers and pre-readers alike to become strong, confident lifelong learners.

What we love:

Epic Basic has tons of great books for kids to enjoy, and with Epic Unlimited, kids can choose from 40,000+ books, audiobooks, Read-To-Me books and animated storybooks. With a huge variety for every age, interest and reading level, Epic grows with your kid.

Price: Free on Epic Basic, Epic Unlimited for $9.99/month or $71.99/year

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Chromebook

That’s our list of best learning apps for toddlers! Next time you need a little help occupying your kid for a bit, you can hand over the tablet with these apps and feel confident your toddler has quality digital media that will help them learn and grow.

10 applications that will teach children to program

Bubble

April 28, 2022, 09:42

? - it's time to do something about it. We have collected 10 useful games for children of different ages that will help you learn programming.

How to teach a child to code? You can probably try to leave it alone with a thick programming textbook, but the result is unlikely to be successful. And certainly not fast. A more effective way is to maintain interest and offer to comprehend the basics with the help of exciting app games.

Contents

🎯 the most useful life hacks in mini-format live in our telegram. We post once a day, short and to the point.

Games for teaching kids to code

Applications for the youngest programmers are extremely simple to operate: the buttons are labeled with familiar symbols, so you don't even need to be able to read. A child will not learn to program in the usual sense, but will definitely develop logical and algorithmic thinking. By the way, not only developers need them. You can start playing from 4-5 years old, but often parents also get stuck in applications.

LightBot

This puzzle contains the basics of programming for kids and has been played by over 20 million kids around the world. Teachers use it to explain what procedures and cycles are. The child will control a cute robot whose task is to turn on light bulbs on a 3D platform. At the first levels it is easy, but then you have to think. To solve the puzzle, the child will have to write cycles and it is desirable that they have a minimum of actions.

The child sees the code from the blocks on the right side of the screen. When the robot executes the program, each block is highlighted so that the error can be tracked.

Game features:

• 50 levels available;
• has Russian localization;
• teaches children how to plan, test and debug a program.

Where to download: on the App Store. There is a browser version that you can play for free for an hour.

Price: $2.99.

Piktomir

A game in Russian to learn programming from scratch for kids who don't know how to write yet or don't really like to do it. The principle is the same as in LightBot. The child writes a program for different robots. One must fix all the tiles on the platform, the second must move the boxes and barrels, and the third must light the lanterns so that the astronauts can rest in the garden.

The game is colorful, bright - it will definitely attract the attention of a five-year-old child. The code is displayed on the right. The main part of the blocks is intuitive, but the child may have difficulty with the meaning of some. So adults need to be ready to prompt.

Game features:

• there are levels for teaching programming to preschoolers and primary school students;
• if the child is learning English, you can switch to this language and consolidate knowledge;
• The game introduces children to different types of algorithms: linear, if-then, loop with repetition, while loop.

Where to download: App Store, Google Play. You can play in a browser or install the game on a computer - versions for Windows, Linux, MacOS are available.

How much: free.

Useful video courses and master classes for children from 5 to 16 years old with a 50% discount - the DIY.org platform offers an annual subscription for half the price with promo code EARTHDAY50 . Only until April 30th inclusive.

Scratch Junior

This game has been downloaded over 5 million times from Google Play. Scratch Junior is especially interesting because it is a real development environment. There are no specific tasks here as in the previous applications. The child acts as a director and screenwriter who will write his own cartoon or game. To do this, there are many blocks that need to be assembled like LEGO.

The main character is a red cat. He can be accompanied by a crab, a starfish or a polar bear. For each character, you can write your own code, make an exciting cartoon and share it with other guys.

Features of the game:

• introduces children to linear algorithms, cycles;
• you can draw your character in a graphic editor - the scope for creativity is very large;
• you can watch the games of other children and evaluate their code;
• clear controls, although the game is mostly in English.

Where to download: App Store, Google Play.

How much: free.

Cargo-Bot

The developers of this puzzle decided to move away from programming robots. Instead, they offer to move multi-colored containers around the sample using a manipulator. But this must be done in the minimum number of actions, if you want to get three stars.

In Cargo-Bot, the child will learn how to write cycles and optimize the code. The number of actions available for each cycle is limited. For example, the first cycle may contain 8 actions, and the fourth one may contain five. This serves as a hint for the child and forces him to look for more optimal solutions at each level.

Features of the game:

• there are six levels of difficulty, the last one is called "impossible", which already awakens excitement;
• has hints, but to use them, you need to know English.

Where to download: App Store. There is a web version - you do not need to register.

How much: free.

Applications for teaching programming to younger students

In these games, the programs that children will write will not be displayed as a sequence of blocks, but will look like a real script, and in English. Therefore, it is necessary to know the simple words step, left, right.

CodeMonkey

CodeMonkey is an educational platform with cartoon characters. It is used by teachers in Great Britain, China, and the USA. And in Israel, CodeMonkey games are included in programming competitions for elementary grades.

In CodeMonkey, a child takes courses. In the free trial version, which lasts 14 days, 10 courses are available, in the paid one - 20. The developers suggest starting by studying the sequences and cycles that are available in the basic course. And then you can move on to a more difficult level and learn the basics of Python, CoffeeScript, and game design.

Two versions are available for programming: block and text. In the second case, the child will see a text version of the code, the lines in which can be changed and the correctness of the script can be checked immediately.

Features of the game:

• gives a serious knowledge base - the child will learn the basics of programming, game design and improve mathematics;
• intuitive operation;
• you can create your own games, however, only in the paid version;
• has Russian localization, but the code will still be visible in English.

Where to download: web version only available. You need to register, but an eight-year-old cannot do this on his own - there are age restrictions.

Cost: free for the first two weeks. Then you need to buy a subscription.

If your young programmer decides to get acquainted with the Python language, it does not hurt to supplement the learning process with books:

• Bryson Payne "Python for kids and parents".
• Adriana Taquet “Programming with children. Create 50 awesome Python games."
• Schumann Hans-Georg "Python for children".

Popular books, available not only in Russian. The originals were published in English, but there are translations into many other languages.

Scratch

If Scratch Junior is designed mainly for preschoolers, then Scratch will simply be of interest to younger students and teenagers who are starting to learn programming.

Scratch is a development environment in which you can write games and create cartoons. To do this, the child needs to make a program of colored blocks: blocks of one color are responsible for movement, the other - for position in space. As a result, the program looks like a LEGO set assembled from many colorful pieces.

In addition to the building blocks, the child can create their own and give them the necessary functions. This is not an easy task and may require the help of an adult.

Game features:

• on YouTube - a huge number of Scratch lessons. For example, the child will be able to write the game "Snake", football or racing;
• has a forum where you can meet other young programmers and become part of a large community;
• you can share your games and watch someone else's code;
• there is a Russian version.

Where to download: you can play directly in your browser after registration, download the application on Google Play, and install it on your computer.

How much: free.

You can explore the world of Scratch from books:

• Majed Marji “Scratch for Children”.
• Aludden Johan, Vallasindi Federico “Video games on Scratch. Programming for children.
• Matthew Hyland “We program with children. Create 10 fun games with Scratch."

Available in English, Russian and other languages.

Gamefroot

This is a platform for those who want to create animations and games. Similar to Scratch in functionality: the child will also code using colored blocks, of which there are a lot. At the same time, the program for each element of the game opens in a separate window, which simplifies the work of young developers.

On the platform, a child can create a game from scratch or practice on a school project. The blank already has a background, layers and characters have been created. It remains to study how the code works, check its operation and make your own changes.

Game features:

• allows you to create complex logic, which means that the child can write an exciting game;
• has an animation editor in which you can set the desired movements for the character;
• you can upload ready-made scripts and upload your own;
• is available only in English, so that the child can improve their knowledge.

Where to download: platform is available in the browser. Registration required.

How much: free.

Programs for teaching coding to older students

This is almost a professional level - applications for teenagers who already know how to think logically, understand mathematics and are quite familiar with the English language.

Grasshopper

Project from Google for those who want to learn how to program in JavaScript. And although the web service is designed for beginners, a young developer will immediately have to dive into scripts.

Platform training is broken down into blocks. First, a teenager will learn the basics of JavaScript: various operators, working with lists and variables. Next - get acquainted with animation and task automation.

At first, programming is offered with the help of blocks, which are converted into lines of code. And then the child will write the scripts by hand - all in an adult way.

Application features:

• there is a gallery where you can experiment with the code: change it in the proposed projects or create your own from scratch;
• users immediately see the result of the program;
• is only available in English.

Where to download: has a web version that requires a Google account to sign up. Grasshopper can also be installed on a smartphone by downloading it from Google Play or the App Store.

How much: free.

Additional reading:

• Nick Morgan “JavaScript for kids. Programming Tutorial".
• David Whitney Programming for kids. Five of the coolest games on HTML and JavaScrip.
• Moritz Jeremy "Learning to code in JavaScript".

Swift Playgrounds

The app's developers call their product revolutionary. Compared to other games, Swift Playgrounds impresses with bright 3D graphics with an unusual character. I want to immediately run the program and start coding.

A Swift Playgrounds user will code in the popular Swift language, which is used for writing applications for Apple. It is proposed to get acquainted with the language by solving puzzles of different difficulty levels. Then you can move on to interactive lessons and dive deeper into development. The result of the code execution will be immediately shown on the screen - this makes learning more interesting and visual.

App features:

• code elements can be easily dragged and dropped, which simplifies development;
• created applications can be transferred to full screen mode and admire your work;
• Finished projects can be sent to friends if they also code in Swift Playgrounds;
• is only available in English.

Where to download: is available in the App Store for Mac and iPad.

How much: free.

More to read:

Matt McCarthy and Gloria Winquist wrote Swift for Kids. Tutorial on creating apps for iOS. For a young programmer, this book can become a desktop.

CodeCombat

This application is a godsend for parents whose children are ready to play computer games for hours. The environment for learning is the colorful worlds of the Middle Ages, hot deserts and majestic mountains. To lead the hero to their destination or defeat the enemy, you need to write a code that is displayed on the right side of the screen. If the code is wrong, a warning will appear.

CodeCombat introduces you to JavaScript and Python programming. Users get acquainted with the code elements gradually, immediately applying them in the game space.

App features:

• users immediately write text code, without the help of graphic blocks;
• you can edit levels and objects for your classmates and friends;
• app is available in more languages.

Where to download: game is available in web version.

How much: there are free levels and a paid subscription.

TL;DR

Apps that teach coding are often skeptical, but they help keep kids interested in coding. When you're six or eight, building a program out of colored blocks is much more fun and interesting than writing lines of code in C++ or Python.

Games provide an opportunity to explain complex terms in a language understandable to children. If a cycle is asked for in a block program that a child has compiled, you can tell what it is and offer to make the code simpler. And it's also a great opportunity to spend time with children.

Games and puzzles are the very first steps in teaching children to code. Do not put off getting to know them and offer your child suitable applications right now. And then you can move on to more serious training - courses for beginners. For older students, Coursera's Fundamentals of Python Programming, Envato's How to Become a Web Developer, or, for example, Introduction to JavaScript on edX, are suitable.

You can read bubble in micro and even nano format on instagram. connect 🤳

"‎‎The main mistake of social security is to customize answers"‎. Recruiters told about hiring in IT

Where IT recruiters come from, what difficulties they face in trying to fill positions and what mistakes they themselves make during interviews - it is useful to know before looking for a job.

Programming for kids: 10 learning apps

To teach a child the basics of programming, he should not only understand, but also be interested. We've rounded up 10 fun game apps for kids of all ages.

1. Preschool programming
2. Programming for schoolchildren

Preschool Programming

Box Island

The most understandable mobile game in which you need to roam the island, overcome obstacles and collect stars. Teaching kids the basics of programming through sequences and loops is a great start. Box Island develops logical thinking, pattern recognition and memory. Russian language is supported. Download Box Island

ScratchJr

Scratch is known as the best introductory programming language, and ScratchJr is an adapted version for kids ages 5 and up. With it, you can animate characters, create your own games and scenarios. Develops not only algorithmic, but also creative thinking. Almost the entire application consists of pictures, so the language of the interface does not matter. Download ScratchJr Well, if you've outgrown Scratch, but would also like to learn how to code in a fun way, keep 20 free online games for programmers.

Lightbot

Another mobile application in which the child will have to control the robot, direct it and turn on the light at the right points. Each new stage of the game is more difficult than the previous one, there are more and more repeating commands, as a result of which peculiar cycles appear. You can choose Russian. Download Lightbot

PictoMir

But teaching children to code is not limited to foreign applications. PictoMir from Russian developers is very similar to Lightbot, but instead of turning on the light, you need to paint over the squares passed by the robot. The default is in Russian, but you can also switch to English. Play PictoWorld online

SpriteBox

The game is somewhat reminiscent of the good old Mario, but with a brighter picture and puzzle quests that introduce children to sequences, loops and basic programming operations. All assignments are in English. Download SpriteBox

School Programming

Scratch

There is also a visual programming language Scratch - for children aged 10 years and older. The program differs from ScratchJr in a more advanced graphics editor and project editor. So, Scratch teaches children not only how to write programs, but also the basics of design. The Russian interface language is supported. Create your first Scratch 9 project0003

Minecraft

Programming with Minecraft is the best solution for modern children. Not only can a child be interested in such a popular game, but in it you can still complete tasks within the 3D world. In addition to the presence of puzzles, Minecraft also develops the imagination and allows you to build relationships of cause and effect. Note In Minecraft, you can create unique scenarios and tasks for your child. In the settings, you can select the Russian language. Buy Minecraft

Kodu Game Lab

Programming for kids who are interested in game development should start with this app. Kodu is Microsoft's visual programming game. With it, the child will not only learn programming and design, but also create a real 3D game that can be played on PC or Xbox. Only in English. Download Kodu

Tynker

This is not a game, but a whole platform with educational applications for different languages.

Learn more

• 
  Teaching long vowel sounds lesson plans
• 
  Books bedtime stories
• 
  Identify numbers games
• 
  Can do games
• 
  Funny stories tell kids
• 
  Name this sound
• 
  What are some adjectives
• 
  Identifying feelings and emotions
• 
  Child social interaction
• 
  Farmer brown story
• 
  Internet reading programs