Kids learning program: Free Educational Websites to Keep Kids Learning During Coronavirus

15 Best Educational Apps For Kids and Students (2022)

With the best educational apps for kids, you can leverage technology to help your children or students learn new things in a fun, engaging, and highly effective manner.

Look, the reality is that screen time is inevitable in this day and age.

That’s why it’s important to ensure your kids are using their screen time wisely by learning something new or honing a skill.

Thankfully, there are some great educational apps out there that can help kids learn a variety of different things, from math and science to reading and writing.

The best kids educational apps not only offer a personalized learning plan but also provide engaging content that keeps kids coming back for more.

Even teachers can utilize learning apps for kids as a supplement to further aid their students’ development, particularly in virtual learning environments. But even in traditional classroom settings apps have a place as many teachers have started using tablets in their classrooms.

Of course, the app stores are flooded with educational content for kids, which can make finding the right app a bit overwhelming.

That’s why we’ve put together this list of the best educational apps for kids, covering a variety of different subjects and age groups. We’ve spent hours reviewing all of the apps on this list, putting them through the paces and also having them used by kids to ensure they are fun and engaging while also being educational.

We’ve reviewed and ranked the top educational apps for children based on a number of important factors, including educational value, curriculum quality, fun/engagement, ease of use, and age appropriateness.

Let’s get started…

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 Kids Learning Apps?

Here are our picks for the best educational apps for kids available today:

• HOMER Learning
• codeSpark
• Night Zookeeper
• ABCmouse
• Epic!
• Starfall
• Duolingo
• Hopscotch
• DragonBox Math
• ClassDojo
• Khan Academy Kids
• Busy Shapes
• Prodigy
• Quizlet

1.

Best Overall Educational App: HOMER Learning

Best Overall

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.

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From toddlers to second-graders, this educational app is a fit for every eager kid ready to learn something new, especially younger kids early in their development.

HOMER is an early learning software designed to help children develop their critical thinking skills. It helps them build their confidence for the future by leading them on their customized educational journey.

It features a variety of interactive lessons, stories, and activities that are tailored according to the student’s individual skills, age, and interests. Because the lessons are tailored to your child’s interests and abilities, not to mention they’re fun and entertaining, the app keeps their attention and ensures their screen time is productive.

The personalization is what really sets HOMER apart from other kids educational apps, and it’s why this is our favorite app for keeping children of various ages and skills engaged and learning.

When you’re first setting up a profile for your child, the app asks a series of questions to gauge where your child is in their educational journey, like these:

At the end of the questionnaire, HOMER then recommends a curriculum for your child based on their interests and level of education:

Key Features & Benefits

• Wide range of informative games and stories are available.
• Fantastic for early childhood education.
• Teaches creativity as well as critical thinking and social skills.
• Provides fun learning activities for different subjects like math, reading, creativity, and
  thinking skills.
• Library is enriched with a wide variety of genres.
• Stories, games, lessons, and songs are very interactive and interesting for kids.
• App is kid-friendly and a child can easily touch, hold or drag objects with a
  simple tap.
• Hassle-free app with no advertisements.
• Printable, videos and expert tips are the resources available for parents.

Pricing

HOMER pricing across its 3 plans is as follows:

• Monthly Plan: $12.99 per month (starting May 17, 2022)
• Annually Plan: $59.99 per year
• Annual Digital Plan + Hands-On Bundle: $99.99 per year

HOMER offers a 30 days full access free trial.

2. Best Coding App for Kids: codeSpark

Best Coding App for Kids

codeSpark Academy

codeSpark is a fun, engaging coding app that teaches kids basic problem solving, critical thinking skills, creativity, and a host of other valuable skills. Kids will enjoy playing on the app, not even realizing how much they’re learning along the way as they get prepared for the world of tomorrow.

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Want your kids to be prepared for the world of tomorrow? Want them to improve their problem solving skills?

codeSpark is a popular coding app for kids that includes exciting games and challenges designed to teach children basic coding skills in a fun way that doesn’t even feel like learning.

With an intuitive, word-free interface, kids can learn to code before they even know how to read — talk about getting a head start!

Kids can learn basic coding concepts like sequencing, loops, conditionals, and more through fun, interactive activities and games.

The app is also designed to appeal to both girls and boys with the goal of helping close the gender gap in STEM.

Here are some compelling facts and figures showing just how effective this app is:

• Used by over 62,000 educators worldwide
• Used in over 35,000 schools worldwide
• After 90 minutes of coding with codeSpark Academy, 55% showed increased confidence in problem-solving abilities.
• After 90 minutes of coding with codeSpark Academy, 22% showed an increase in accuracy with moderate sequencing tasks.
• In 2020, kids created 11 million games and stories on codeSpark Academy

Key Features & Benefits

• Teaches kids to code before they even know how to read (great for younger kids!)
• Promotes problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Unlimited coding challenges
• Fun, engaging games and activities makes learning exciting
• Tons of creativity-inspiring activities
• Great for young learners 5 and up
• Teaches valuable coding skills that prepare kids for the world of tomorrow

Pricing

Start with a free 7-day trial. codeSpark pricing is then either $79.99 billed annually ($6.67 a month) or $9.99 on a monthly basis.

3. Best Educational App for Online Writing: Night Zookeeper

Night Zookeeper

This highly rated online learning program helps kids with reading and writing, and unleashes their full creativity.

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In an ideal world, all kids love reading and writing. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case! If you have a reluctant reader or writer at home, Night Zookeeper may be just what you’ve been looking for.

Aimed at children aged 6+, Night Zookeeper makes reading and writing fun and engaging for kids with their innovative approach to learning. The online program offers a full Language Arts curriculum, which is taught through games, challenges, interactive lessons, collaborative projects and creative writing prompts.

Night Zookeeper allows children to have a completely immersive learning experience, as they’ll be introduced to the world of the Night Zoo as soon as they start and will even be in charge of creating their own zoo!

Night Zookeeper.com’s best feature is that users receive personalized feedback from a team of professional tutors, who closely monitor, review and publish all the writing submitted by children on the program.

Parents have access to their own dashboard, where they can track progress, assign specific lessons and manage features. All settings are flexible and there are lots of options to adapt the program to best suit your child’s learning style and pace.

Key Features & Benefits

• Strong focus on developing reading and writing skills
• Personalized tutoring
• Gamified learning approach at the child’s own pace
• No ads – so no distractions!
• Full Language Arts curriculum planned by teachers
• Risk-free 7-day trial
• New content added regularly
• Community features to encourage teamwork
• Easy accessibility through all web devices
• Strong privacy policies

Pricing

Night Zookeeper offers 3 different subscription options. These are:

Monthly: $12.99 per month

Quarterly: $33.99 every 3 months

Yearly: $59.99 per year (50% discount!)

(prices based on a 1-child subscription)

Click here to check out the latest special offers and savings on Night Zookeeper today.

4. Also Great for Kids 8 & Under: ABCmouse

Great Choice

ABCmouse

ABCmouse is one of most popular learning apps for little kids ages 2-8. It includes educational games, books, puzzles, and more to help kids learn in a fun, effective manner.

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ABCmouse is one of the best kids learning apps out there for young learners. It was created for educating younger children from ages 2 to 8, helping them learn and master everything from letter recognition to reading to math and more.

The curriculum involves story videos, puzzles, engaging activities, songs, and a lot more in the field of math, science, art, and reading. Parents can always change the level of learning to ensure that the kid is not playing around with the same skills.

ABCmouse offers a fun bonus that will make your kids love every bit of it. They will get a ticket reward on every completed lesson to purchase items for decorating their virtual classroom.

Where ABCmouse really shines is its Learning Path. While kids can do one-off activities and games, the Learning Path is a specially designed curriculum that takes your child step-by-step lessons and activities to help them learn foundational skills to prepare them for school.

Also, there is a child-friendly environment at ABC Mouse so you don’t need to worry about the appearance of pop-ups or advertisements leading to dangerous content.

Key Features & Benefits

• Designed for two to eight years of children (preschool and elementary school kids)
• Curriculum planned by teaching experts
• Offers learning in various range of subjects
• Personalized learning path to keep kids engaged
• Fun educational games and activities
• Different learning programs for different skill levels
• Safe to use with COPPA-verification
• Offers free tickets to kids upon completion of the lesson
• Assessment center to monitor student progress
• Up to three kids’ registration allowed per account
• Available in the form of app and website
• 30-day free trial

Pricing

ABCmouse pricing is as follows:

• Monthly: $12. 99 per month
• Short-Term: $29.99 every 6 months
• Annually: $59.99 per year (up to 60% off the regular price)

Click here to check out the 30-day free trial.

5. Best For Online Reading: EPIC!

Great Reading App for Kids

Epic

Want your kids to fall in love with reading? Epic includes a huge library of 40,000+ books and helps kids progress in their reading, making it fun and exciting.

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This incredible kids learning app contains over 40,000 books, audiobooks, and videos for children that can be accessed from several devices like computers, laptops, mobile phones, and others. It is a great platform for educators and homeschooling parents to encourage kids for interactive reading.

Simply put, Epic is one of the most popular learn to read apps for kids.

You’ll be impressed by how user-friendly and easy to navigate Epic is. Kids can sort the library with the help of refined search options like age, reading level, interests, and so on.

Also, those who want to learn a second language can look for multilingual content. These options induce a feeling of personalization and make your kids enthusiastic readers.

Due to the downloading feature provided by Epic, the problem with portability is not a thing anymore. The badges awarded to readers serve as a motivational incentive and make them want to read more and accomplish more.

Also, the parents can track the progress of your children and have an insight into how far their reading interest has developed.

Key Features & Benefits

• Stores 40,000+ library
• Designed for two to twelve years old children
• Great for school and home use
• Easy navigation options
• Kid-friendly application
• Reading incentives like badges and awards
• Offline accessibility with download option
• Collaboration with many renowned academic platforms
• Compatible with most android and apple devices
• Up to 4 person accounts can be registered

Pricing

EPIC has 2 paid plans:

• $7. 99 monthly payment
• $71.99 annual prepayment

Epic gives access to a one-month free trial for new users. It is completely free for teachers and librarians.

6. Best For Phonics Learning: Starfall

Starfall is a digital learning app for kids that teaches letters, words, and sounds to children in an animated language. Thumbs up, the free version of this app is quite remarkable with access to a number of useful resources!

However, the paid version involves premium access to arts curriculum that helps children in mastering fundamental math skills and social science skills.

From allowing your kids great memorization to having fun while learning, Starfall knows how to make the most of their screen time.

This app uses a fantasy-based approach to learning for creating curiosity in children to get more knowledge. Children bond with the Starfall characters in their virtual classroom through games, stories, songs, and other fun activities. All of these activities are built on the same concept and introduce a new challenge and excitement as you move on to the next level.  Parents can monitor the pace of progress simultaneously.

Starfall’s teaching method focuses on the development of phonemic recognition, systematic phonics, words, communication, and comprehension. It is a great way to homeschool kids and make them learn without supervision.

The entertaining graphics and vibrant colors of the website ensure that children stay engaged throughout the lessons and learn to navigate the site.

Key Features & Benefits

• Made for children of 2-5 years
• Offers interactive learning program
• Helps with language learning skills
• Easy to filter through content
• Ideal for home and classroom use
• Supported by android and apple devices

Pricing

Starfall offers free service to users. However, it can be upgraded to one-year membership costing $35 per year for accessing premium features.

7. Best For Language Learning: Duolingo

Are you contemplating getting your child to learn a new language? Well, it may seem a daunting task at first, but the advent of online kids learning apps such as Duolingo has made it easier.

Duolingo is one of the most raved about free language learning apps. It is great for kids who have just started speaking or may have a language deficiency. All preschoolers and school-aged children can benefit from this app’s seamless learning approach.

Duolingo consists of more than 34 languages! And for now, we’re just counting the ones that use English as the base language. They are plenty of other base languages along with their subsequent language courses. Overall, it’s like an enormous library!

The best part is Duolingo’s well-targeted and organized lesson plans. Each course has a set of modules, which includes lessons for each level. Once you pass a certain number of modules, the other module will be unlocked.

At first, kids will have to attempt a placement test to gauge their current understanding. Next, the app will devise appropriate lessons based on the user’s skillset.

Also, the lessons progress in chronological order, but kids have full liberty to go back and revise a particular lesson if they want.

Key Features & Benefits

• Each lesson takes three to four minutes to complete
• 20-minute podcasts available to listen and learn from native speakers
• Strengthens reading, writing and speaking skills
• Option to access regular practice exercises
• Ability to track daily progress
• Sleek, easy to use interface

Pricing

Although Duolingo is free for everyone, it offers one paid plan if you want more advanced features

• Duolingo Plus: $12.99 per month

8. Also Great For Learning Coding: Hopscotch

We all know how difficult it is to learn programming, right? And when we are talking about programming for kids, it is no easy task for sure!

However, with the great user-friendly interface provided by Hopscotch, it makes coding far easier to learn for kids than generally assumed.

It is based on open-ended learning to stimulate the logical thinking ability of children. They are completely independent to experiment with and personalize their program or even formulate their own projects.

The animation and gaming options are a great way to keep children engaged while learning. The rich range of avatars is another entertaining thing about this app. And you know what’s more? Kids can also interact with their friends and the whole Hopscotch community by sharing their programs.

Key Features & Benefits

• Great programming app for beginners
• Specifically for children of 10 to 16 years
• Encourages to think intellectually
• Designed to be an open-ended platform
• Easy to navigate the site
• Variety of avatars to choose from
• Allows kids to personalize their program
• Promotes interaction with fellow users
• Compatible with only Apple mobile devices

Pricing

Hopscotch gives free access to all users. However, there are many in-app purchases available to make programming even more fun for children.

9. Best For Learning Mathematical Skills: DragonBox Math

Mathematics is a difficult subject to both learn and teach.

But it is now absolutely fun to learn with DragonBox as it teaches kids with the help of games and exciting activities. There are no quizzes and assessments so they don’t even realize that they are being taught. They just keep enjoying their screen time while their mind grasps mathematical skills and the concepts stay there lifelong.

This innovative math app for kids has the most eye-pleasing graphics and motivating techniques to keep the children hooked throughout the lesson. A couple of simple directions are given to learners on each level for their better understanding of the game. They can delve deeper into the basic and advanced concepts and explore as much as they want.

Key Features & Benefits

• For children of four to nine years old
• Five geometric and algebraic learning apps
• Award-winning teaching platform
• Easy to follow instructions at every step
• Level-based and age-based learning
• Allows for creativity and experimentation
• Captivating graphics for an interesting experience

Pricing

DragonBox offers four paid plans:

• Basic Version: Free for all
• Home version: $5 per month and $60 per year
• Family version 33. 33% discount on $7.5 per month and $90 per year
• Premier Version: $15 per month and $180 per year

10. Best For Behavior Management: ClassDojo

Class Dojo is an online classroom teaching app and supports positive student behavior and classroom culture like no other. With COPPA and FERPA verification, it ensures a safe learning environment for children. It is operational on almost all devices such as computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices.

It offers plenty of innovative resources to educators in the form of video lectures and tutorials. Each instructor can customize class values based on a particular classroom’s needs. The students are awarded dojo points by their teachers based on their performance which encourages them to work hard and get more appreciation.

Class Dojo is uniquely designed with immense ease of communication and receiving notifications. Students can connect to their instructors in case of academic-related problems. Parents can get timely feedback about their child’s progress and interact with the teachers to discuss his/her behavioral development.

Key Features & Benefits

• Promotes a positive student culture
• Verified by COPPA and FERPA
• Encourages communication between parents and teachers
• Allows to track the progress of children
• Customizable class values for teachers
• Offers performance appraisal in the form of points
• Accessible on most Android and Apple devices

Pricing

ClassDojo is an all-free teaching program for educators, administration, and parents.

11. Best For Personalized Learning: Khan Academy Kids

An all-in-one educational app for kids of all ages. Khan Academy Kids provides all the resources for free and is successful in providing every person with their in-depth study material. It’s among the best free educational apps out there.

Khan Academy Kids provides practice problems, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard, allowing students to study at their own speed. It has a library of thousands of educational videos on hundreds of topics and additional resources like practice questions etc.

Khan Academy Kids consists of a variety of subjects at different levels like math, science, arts, and humanities as well as AP courses. Test Preparation like SAT, GMAT, and IELTS are also inclusive of their study material.

Key Features & Benefits

• Provides thousands of videos and explanations for different courses.
• Uses high-quality images, videos, and other illustrations, making the learning journey easier
  and interesting.
• From core courses like math, science, economics, and history to different languages, many
  courses are offered for free.
• Over 50,000 practice questions provided with step-by-step guidelines and instant feedback.
• Download all the study material, from videos to entire topics, and access it easily any time
  and anywhere.
• Keeps track of student work and lets you pick up from where you left off.
• Easy to set up and use.

Pricing

Khan Academy is free for all and does not need the creation of an account as well.

12. Best For Toddlers: Busy Shapes

Busy Shapes is a smart learning app designed to assist toddlers and preschoolers. The app uses AI to strengthen child’s intelligence and their cognitive skills.

It features a digital playground full of geometric shapes in different colors and sizes that toddlers can explore and match into their corresponding holes. It is a clever method that encourages the kids to start thinking logically instead of rote learning.

The challenges presented before the toddlers evolves with each level through the use of AI and the screen offers a simple and clean ground with no instructions to let the child explore.

Key Features & Benefits

• Progress is tracked and can be picked up right from where they left off
• Most difficult stages also demand some problem-solving.
• Helps kid develop their cognitive skills and not just memorize shapes and colors.
• Screen determines when a child’s finger contacts the block even if there are other
  fingers touching the screen.
• App is child-friendly and ad-free keeping the child hooked.
• Parents can set up accounts as many as 40 for several kids.

Pricing

Busy Shapes offers a standardized plan of $1.99 at the time of download only (Apple, Android).

13. Best For Elementary School Kids: Prodigy

Prodigy is an online interactive mathematics game designed for elementary and middle school students. It assesses students’ proficiency in mathematics while they are immersed in a different fantasy world full of battles, treasures, and characters.

In order to proceed in-game, the student needs to answer the mathematical questions that are aligned with the concepts they are learning.

Key Features & Benefits

• Students are immersed in a fascinating fantasy world where success is based on their
  mathematical skills.
• Students are motivated to study more via in-game questions that are targeted to them and
  the questions can be customized to their needs.
• Keeps the kids engaged with their different characters, items, quests, and battles.
• Progress can be tracked easily by the teacher or parents.
• In-game support like a pen tool to show their working
• Provides immediate feedback which clarifies their misconceptions and encourages students
  to learn independently and try again.

Pricing

Prodigy is a free game where all the educational content is free of cost. However, it provides a premium subscription that gives access to in-app features such as more characters, items, treasure chests, and pets.

• Premium monthly plan: $8.95 per month
• Premium Annual plan: $59.88 per year.

14. Best For Teenagers: Quizlet

Quizlet is a study tool that enables you to create your own flashcards and features high-quality graphics, diagrams, several languages, and text-to-speech audio uploads.

Students can discover a variety of pre-made study sets made by instructors and other students on many topics. It provides them with options of flashcards, games, adaptive questions, and quizzes to learn, revise and review their practice in a timely manner.

It has a website as well as mobile apps for both iOS and Android, which enables mobile learning and ease of accessibility.

Key Features & Benefits

• Create your own set of flashcards for memorizing facts and key information.
• Perfect for independent rote learning.
• Tests your memory and lets you race against the clock through different study activities.
• Allows your flashcards and notes to be shared with others.
• Uses graphics and audio to assist in effective learning.
• Automatic pronunciation is available in 18 languages.
• Offline support is available through offline downloading.

Pricing

Quizlet is a free tool, however, it features an optional upgrade for more advanced features for both students and teachers.

• Teacher: $35.99 per year
• Go: $11. 99 per year
• Plus: $19.99 per year

All the plans offer a 7-day free trial.

15. Best For Science: Science 360

Science 360 is a perfect learning and discovery platform for all science geeks. It provides quick and effortless access to intriguing engineering and science videos, images as well as providing all-time access to the latest scientific news and discovery from NSF-funded organizations.

This app is developed by the science360 knowledge network and is funded by the National Science Foundation.

All the data collected is provided by the NSF or from renowned scientists or various educational institutions like colleges and universities as well as science and engineering centers. Any amateur can use it to his own benefit easily as it is intuitive and very user-friendly.

Key Features & Benefits

• A thorough explanation appears when you tap the image.
• Provides fun and engaging images, texts, and videos on a wide range of scientific topics.
• Access to high-quality images from NSF-funded organization which are also available for
  download.
• Download and view any image or video within the app with a simple tap.
• Explore interesting content through keywords or navigate in an engaging 360 view.
• Provides up to date information on the latest scientific discoveries using the in-app
  newsfeed feature

Pricing

Science 360 is a free educational app available for download on iPad and Android devices

Why Are Educational Apps Important?

Educational apps now serve as an enhanced caregiver to kids. Children now resort to gadgets and internet for answers instead of reaching out to adults.

These applications have the most recent and updated information, in comparison to different channels. No longer do you have to keep on buying new books for kids to help them gain more knowledge, everything is under one application now.

Learning on the best educational applications is personalized for every student, helping them develop key skills to fit their unique needs.

Unlike in a classroom, where you have one teacher for 30+ students, the applications create a one-on-one learning environment with age-appropriate lessons, content, and interactive games. All progress is kept private to ensure no student is embarrassed by poor progress. Students who have social anxiety find such an environment beneficial for their learning.

Educational applications also promote literacy in areas where there is poor infrastructure for education.

Educational apps require no infrastructure, such as teachers, a good building, power, running water, etc. — you only need a device and access to the internet.

When the kids learn in a comfortable environment, they enjoy it.

And education experts also advocate for apps since they have shown improved test scores. They can even be used in certain moments to keep kids from getting bored in online class.

Features To Look For In Educational Apps

Parents need to ensure that the application they select and download for their kids is actually beneficial. They may use a few tips to ensure that kids will be learning and using their time efficiently. Below are some of the features parents should look for in educational applications:

Customizable Settings

They are a very important feature to ensure that learning is according to students’ standards. A grade two student would neither be interested nor comprehend the content for a grade eight student.

Speech and pronunciation

Such speaking tools for young kids are essential to building up their pronunciation skills and also to keep them engaged since they aren’t proficient at reading.

Parental control

Option for parental control should be present in the application, to control whatever the parents want. It could be something as small as the music of the game or something like preventing the kids from opening the lessons of higher levels so that you’re certain the lessons are age appropriate.

Systematic learning

An application should have a plethora of information, but nothing too overwhelming for kids. It should be organized and categorized into a systematic learning procedure combining live and recorded sessions.

Assessments and Feedback

It should have an option to test information. For young kids, it could be as simple as a question, whereas for older students it could be quizzes or mock tests. This provides quantitative feedback to parents and show them the improvement in learning.

Base Language

To ensure inclusivity, the application should have an option to choose languages the student is comfortable in. In underdeveloped countries, English language is not very common to students. They usually are fluent in their native languages and mother tongue.

Visual Enhancement Tools

Video-based content and gamified version of activities keep the kids engaged which is why parents should also try to find such apps. However, it should be noted that advertisements should be kept to a minimum, especially advertisements of other games and TV show promotions since they can be distracting for the student and negatively impact their learning.

Benefits of Kids Learning Apps

Why should you be convinced that educational applications are important? Why should you place your trust in an application?

Here is why:

• These applications are more motivating than physical classrooms. Students find it taxing to get up, get dressed, and travel to school. Getting onto an educational application is easier and from the comfort of their bed
• Learning has no geographical or political boundaries. They can be learning any language or any kind of information that is inaccessible in physical learning spaces.
• Applications, unlike teachers, are available 24/7 to students. Students can open them in the middle of the night, or early morning for learning, whatever fits their schedule.
• Educational applications are environmentally friendly since they save on the papers used for printing the books, and also the learning material used for writing.
• Kids learning apps are constantly updated for new research and errors. While humans can miscommunicate or teach a wrong fact sometimes, the applications have the latest and the correct information
• Unlike teachers who may communicate different things to different students, an application provides a systematic way of informed learning.
• Learning apps for kids are highly engaging and interactive, more than books which is why they are more efficient and give a better learning experience

A Final Word on Children’s Apps for Learning

No doubt, traditional learning methods linger a feeling of boredom. Monotonous learning patterns restrict children’s creativity and critical thinking skills.

With the best educational apps for kids, it’s the other way round!

Novel learning methods incorporating the element of fun and engagement are best to amp up your child’s confidence and improve their learning habits.

Have any questions about the best learning apps for kids? Comment below and we’ll help.

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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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25 Best Free Online Classes for Kids

There are more free online classes for kids now than ever before, which can make it confusing to choose the right class. Is the curriculum well-designed? Will your kid be engaged? What skills will they build, and how will they apply them? Is the price worth it?

Getting your child the best education should be simple, so we rounded up a list of some of the best free online classes for kids in all sorts of subjects—from science and technology to music, arts, life skills, and more. Discover one-time activities and semester-long classes, as well as clubs for kids to meet friends and develop lifelong skills.

Discover the best free online classes for kids

Explore self-directed and interactive classes in computer science, math, baking, arts, and so much more. All classes are kid-friendly and free!

1. Create & Learn

Help your child boost their skills in computer science, coding, and more through small-group virtual classes taught by live instructors. With a max of five students per class and a comprehensive curriculum designed by experts, Create & Learn sets up learners for success.

Ages: K-12

Subjects: Computer science, coding, math, science, engineering, art

Popular class: Free Intro to Scratch Coding

2. Minecraft Coding

In this fun live online class, kids get introduced to the platform for coding on Minecraft. It is easy to use and very powerful. They will also start building their very first mod! They will complete two challenges in this free class.

Ages: 10-14

Subjects: Coding, game design

Popular class: Free Intro to Minecraft Coding

3.

Khan Academy

A non-profit organization on a mission to prove free, world-class education to learners around the world, Khan Academy helps students grow their skills and meet grade-level standards. The classes are designed by a team of experts, including software engineers, program managers, and content creators, and offer a variety of subjects across grade levels. The platform also provides free resources to teachers so they can ensure students are on track and have the content they need to accelerate learning.

Ages: K-14

Subjects: Math, science, arts, humanities, reading, computing, economics, life skills, test prep

Popular class: Learning programming

4. ActivityHero

It’s easy to find free online classes and workshops on ActivityHero, a platform that hosts e-courses from teachers from around the nation. You can browse by activity, like arts & crafts, cooking, coding, social skills, and more, to find the class that’s right for your student. Filter by time of day, date, length, and age groups, and read through descriptions before signing up for a class.

Ages: K-12

Subjects: Art, math, science, baking, coding, music, yoga, writing, languages

Popular class: Mighty Coders

5. Skillshare

Skillshare helps students explore their creative sides with classes on drawing, painting, animation, coding, paper crafts, and more. The platform has a variety of classes for kids that feature short lessons and fun projects, yet all are taught by experts and experienced artists. It’s free to sign up for a membership, and you can browse classes by skills learned, class length, and a paid or free option.

Ages: K-12+

Subjects: Arts, graphic design, writing, UI/UX design, photography, leadership, coding

Popular class: Watercolor for Kids

6. National Geographic Kids

Discover free games, videos, experiments, and articles that teach kids about science, animals, history, and more. National Geographic Kids is a great resource for short, engaging lessons that kids can read through and try on their own or with the help of a parent or teacher. While the platform isn’t designed like a typical classroom experience, it offers hands-on learning opportunities for kids of all grade levels. For teenagers, National Geographic Education offers more advanced lessons and learning opportunities.

Ages: K-8

Subjects: Science, history, geography

Popular class: Kids vs. Plastic

7. Sawyer

Sawyer makes it simple to browse and book hundreds of free online classes for kids. Students of all ages can explore their interest in topics, like coding, performing arts, or music, with free beginner classes. Once they know what subjects they want to learn, schedule time for focused learning with classes, clubs, and workshops. The class schedule is organized by date, so you can see what classes are available today, this coming week, or several months out.

Ages: Pre-K-12

Subjects: Arts, music, computer science, reading, languages, technology, science

Popular class: Online LEGO Studio Winter Village

8. iRobot Education

Future programmers rejoice! iRobot Education is the place for learning about robotics, computer science, coding, and more. The online classes are designed for the platform’s robots and use storytelling to teach students how to program. From creating flower shapes to space adventures, the classes revolve around short 5-15 minute video explanations and offer resources for helping students solve the problems at hand. For little learners, the platform offers activities and stories to build a foundation in robotics.

Ages: K-9

Subjects: Robotics, coding, programming, science, art, English language arts

Popular class: Simulator Code Break

9. Varsity Tutors

Explore hundreds of free online classes for kids in science, art, math, English, languages, and more. While Varsity Tutors offers small and medium-size paid classes, the large classes are free for anyone to join. Students learn from experts who design engaging curriculums, like how to perform science-based magic tricks, discover what it’s like to be an astronaut, and show how science can help you survive on a desert island.

Ages: K-12

Subjects: Art, math, languages, science, social studies, coding, technology, test prep

Popular class: It’s Not Magic. It’s Science!

10. GoNoodle

GoNoodle’s mindfulness and meditation videos are used in schools across the US, but the platform also offers free online videos, activities, and blog posts in STEM, cooking, music, nature, and adventure. Students watch short 1-5 minute videos to learn about topics like composting, creating healthy routines, and coordination. Then, they can do an activity to test their knowledge of what they learned.

Ages: Pre-K-6

Subjects: Health, music, science, social studies, English language arts, reading, Spanish

Popular class: Melting

Bonus.

MoMath

If your student has shown interest in mathematics or simply needs to work on fundamental skills, the National Museum of Mathematics offers a number of free online classes for kids of all ages. You can see the class schedule for the current and upcoming week and read through descriptions of each session to see if it’s right for your student. Classes marked as “free” are free to all, while the other classes charge a fee to attend—but free spots have been set aside in every paid class for families in need.

Ages: Pre-K-12

Subjects: Geometry, arithmetic, discrete mathematics

Popular class: Magic Squares

You can find even more free educational programs for kids here.

Explore Free Zoom classes for kids

There are so many free online classes to choose from, so we rounded up a few recommendations that are sure to engage kids and help them build lifelong skills.

11. Create & Learn events

Get an inside look at the life of computer scientists and tech experts with free hour-long classes that are designed with kids in mind. Students find out what coding has to do with their favorite sports, discover how NASA scientists study the ocean from space, learn about the power of GPU and its impact on movies like Star Wars, and much more.

Ages: Grades 2-10

12. Stop Motion Animation

Kids can explore their creativity in this free 90-minute online class from xQ Creativity that teaches the art of storytelling through stop motion animation. Students will get an intro to the basics of stop motion, tips to make an animated video, and the chance to join the xQ Stop Motion Animation Championship.

Ages: Grades 4-8

13. Javascript Game Development

Discover how to create a Javascript game with a text editor and browser in this free online class from Penguin Coding School. Kids will learn the basics of Javascript and use variables, functions, loops, and conditionals to develop their own web-based games.

Ages: Grades 3-7

14. How to Draw Dynamic Poses

Students can let their inner cartoonist loose in this free online video class about drawing dynamic poses. An intro to the Winged Canvas Cartooning & Anime class, this video explains how to create natural-looking poses by creating a classic manga character. For in-depth steps, you can register for the paid cartooning for kids class.

Ages: Grades 4-12+

15. Fun with Fractions

Learn how fractions are used in everyday life in this engaging online class from Varsity Tutors. With a free membership, elementary students can get a refresh of what they learned about fractions in school so they better understand the basic concepts.

Ages: Grades 2-3

Online classes are great for learning new skills and creating structure, but activity classes are a great way for kids to apply what they learned in school.

Discover online activity classes for kids

The following activity classes were hand-picked by our team and allow kids to express their creativity, practice life skills, make friends, and so much more.

16. MoMath Color Grids

This National Museum of Mathematics workshop teaches kids how to create interesting color patterns using simple math rules. Simple materials, like pencils or markers, graph paper, and a provided printout are all kids need for 45 minutes of fun.

Ages: Grades 3-6

17. From Mindless to Mindful

Teach kids to calm down from the chaos of school and life with this GoNoodle guided meditation activity. The short video helps kids practice mindfulness so they learn to focus their attention in the present moment.

Ages: Grades 1-5

18. Roblox Coding

If your gamer loves Roblox, this is the perfect online activity class to meet other gaming coders, and learn new techniques and strategies for coding awesome versions of the game. Create & Learn hosts this free 55-minute meetup every week, with a small group of students who learn new Roblox coding skills and create fun projects.

Ages: Grades 4-8

19. How to Draw and Watercolor Paint a Cool Space Robot

Learning how to code a robot is fun, but this online activity class is all about art and creativity. Kids will learn how to organize shapes and lines into a robot drawing, and then bring their creation to life with basic watercolor techniques that encourage self-expression.

Ages: 6+ years old

20. Khan Academy Kids

This program from the Khan Academy is designed to set little learners up for a lifetime of discovery, with charming characters to guide kids through activities and stories. Kids will learn early literacy, reading, writing, math, and social-emotional skills as they interact with the app’s animated lessons.

Ages: 2-8 years old

Have a future programmer on your hands? You can discover free STEM-based online activity classes for kids here.

Try live online homeschool classes

Online homeschool classes can teach your kids the subject-based skills they need to succeed while also letting them learn alongside other students. For a guided learning path, there are even homeschool STEM curriculum. Here we chose a handful of classes that engage students and help them develop skills that aren’t typically taught in the classroom.

21. Homeschool computer science

Introduce students to new STEM concepts with seven free coding classes for kids from Create & Learn. Our online classes cover a range of computer science topics, from beginner coding with Scratch coding to more advanced programming with Python. Each expert-designed curriculum uses lessons, games, and hands-on projects to teach students real-life skills, like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and much more.

Ages: K-12

12. Homeschool art classes

Students of all ages can express their inner artist with a variety of online homeschool art classes in subjects such as drawing, watercolor, mixed media, performing arts, dance, and more. Each class outlines the learning goals, teacher expertise, homework, supply lists, time commitment, parental guidance, and resources needed, so you know exactly what’s required. Prices vary by class, but you can read reviews from previous students and see samples of class projects before registering.

Ages: Pre-K-12

23. Homeschool math classes

Let students learn at their own pace with Khan Academy online homeschool math classes. With hundreds of free courses designed by experts, you can find classes that fit your student’s skills—from advanced precalculus and statistics to simple addition and subtraction. Classes are broken down into core concepts that build on previous knowledge, with a challenge at the end of each course to test students’ understanding and skills.

Ages: K-12+

24. Homeschool languages

Kids will develop Mandarin Chinese language skills and a global mindset with interactive, online classes from LingoBus. Thousands of experienced teachers walk kids through research-based curriculums for learning listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. One-on-one sessions, post-class exercises, and an extensive e-Library provide all the resources students need to pick up a second language.

Ages: 4-15 years old

25.

Homeschool music

The interactive, one-on-one online classes from the Blue Balloon School are perfect for creative-minded kids who want to learn an instrument. Students learn how to play by writing their own songs, with lessons on lyric writing, rhythm, and song structure. If you’re located in New York, Nashville, or the Hamptons, you can sign kids up for in-person classes. For everyone else, long-distance lessons are available for the guitar, ukulele, piano, drums, voice, bass, violin, cello, and more.

Ages: K-12

If your whiz kid is looking for a challenge, you can find more online classes for kids here. Or explore the best online classes for kids

Join the best free online classes for kids

Bookmark the classes, fun activities, homeschool classes, and Zoom meet-ups that are just right for your students, and share the curriculums to get them excited to learn something new.

Up next, jump right into learning fun online with a fun tutorial for making a jumping game in beginner-friendly Scratch.

Online Education that Actually Works

Educational Apps

IntellectoKids apps for everyone: for toddlers, pre-schoolers, first graders, and even their parents!

IntellectoKids
Learning Games

Help your child to prepare for school & succeed in Grade 1. The app has three sections:

Progress with Oxford

• Math & Phonics activities
• Based on Progress with Oxford books
• Ages 3+

Classroom section

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• Ages 5-7

Learning Games

• Preschool level games
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English for Kids

Activities to learn English in a fun & effective way! Your child will develop speaking skills, rich vocabulary, and ability to hold conversations without shyness.

Progress with Oxford

• Learn English through activities
• Based on Progress with Oxford books
• Ages 3+

Key English vocabulary

Common phrases for situational dialogues

IntellectoKids
Stories & Songs

Perfect addition to your reading or night-time routine. Stories to teach big concepts in a way that little ones can comprehend! Practice reading, create common topics to discuss, sing along, and make story time the best time of the day!

Big concepts in children’s language

Fun way to get into the habit of reading

Stories about kindness, friendship & teamwork

IntellectoKids
Learning Games

Help your child to prepare for school & succeed in Grade 1. The app has three sections:

Progress with Oxford

• Math & Phonics activities
• Based on Progress with Oxford books
• Ages 3+

Classroom section

• Kindergarten & Grade 1 materials
• Activities, videos & songs
• Ages 5-7

Learning Games

• Preschool level games
• Math, Phonics, Logic & Memory
• Science, Music & Art

IntellectoKids
Super Parents

It takes a village to raise a child! We get it! Let us be your village! Tips and guides for parents to navigate through the exciting and challenging world of parenthood!

Emotional Intelligence for Parents

Managing parenting challenges

Improvements for learning & communication

IntellectoKids
English for Kids

Activities to learn English in a fun & effective way! Your child will develop speaking skills, rich vocabulary, and ability to hold conversations without shyness.

Progress with Oxford

• Learn English through activities
• Based on Progress with Oxford books
• Ages 3+

Key English vocabulary

Common phrases for situational dialogues

IntellectoKids
Stories & Songs

Perfect addition to your reading or night-time routine. Stories to teach big concepts in a way that little ones can comprehend! Practice reading, create common topics to discuss, sing along, and make story time the best time of the day!

Big concepts in children’s language

Fun way to get into the habit of reading

Stories about kindness, friendship & teamwork

IntellectoKids
Learning Games

Help your child to prepare for school & succeed in Grade 1. The app has three sections:

Progress with Oxford

• Math & Phonics activities
• Based on Progress with Oxford books
• Ages 3+

Classroom section

• Kindergarten & Grade 1 materials
• Activities, videos & songs
• Ages 5-7

Learning Games

• Preschool level games
• Math, Phonics, Logic & Memory
• Science, Music & Art

IntellectoKids
Super Parents

It takes a village to raise a child! We get it! Let us be your village! Tips and guides for parents to navigate through the exciting and challenging world of parenthood!

Emotional Intelligence for Parents

Managing parenting challenges

Improvements for learning & communication

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Online lessons

Our learners develop thorough knowledge of educational concepts while playing and experimenting

Our online learners will get access to:

Personalized Learning

Individual, 1-on-1 approach, 30-minute lessons

Top-notch educators

Experienced native teachers

Education through Play & Experiments

Engaging activities to keep kids engaged

Recognized Curriculum

Curriculum aligned with national standards

Essential Subjects

Math, Science & English Language Arts

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Self-paced courses

Each course addresses a single umbrella topic and divides it into bite-sized lessons. By the end of the course, children will master the topic through a set of videos, games, and offline activities.

IntellectoKids courses for your little one to learn at their own time!

20+ Lessons

Properly structured lessons include kids-friendly video content and fun gamified exercises on the same topic

Quality curriculum

Kids learn the most relevant subjects with a well-structured curriculum developed by early childhood education experts

Favorite character in the games

Combination of different formats won’t allow your child to get bored

Safe and focused

Each lesson is about 10-15 min long – an optimal length for a mix of different formats

Learn more

Educational cartoons

Team Mendeleev is our cartoon series that educates children about science! Fun & easy early Science education for absolutely FREE!

Educational cartoons about chemical elements on YouTube

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training programs for the development of first-graders

Types of programs for elementary school

Traditional and developmental systems of education are distinguished in pedagogy:

• Traditional. Training is built according to the scheme “we study – we fix – we check.” This system is used both in the beginning and in subsequent classes.
• Developmental. Training is built according to the scheme “we study – we independently draw conclusions – we practice.” As a rule, it is aimed exclusively at elementary grades and is not used in middle and high schools.

Each system has a variety of curricula. Consider the most popular.

Source: freepik.com
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Program L.V. Zankova

📌 Developmental curriculum for primary school

Fundamentals of the theory – works of L.S. Vygotsky. According to the program, one should not be afraid of mistakes – they learn from them. The schoolboy jumps above his head, but his own, and not someone else’s. Disadvantages of the system: a fast pace of learning and a high level of difficulty is not suitable for every child.

D.B. system Elkonin – V.V. Davydova

📌 Developing curriculum for elementary grades

Daniil Elkonin and Vasily Davydov are Soviet scientists. According to their program, students in elementary school are not graded, it is assumed that students must independently assess the level of their knowledge.

Most of the parents in this program are afraid that due to the lack of grades, the level of knowledge will be low. Elkonin and Davydov assure that learning is more effective if the student is not demotivated by subjective scores. By the way, elementary Waldorf schools adhere to a similar methodology – children are not graded there either.

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“School of Russia”

📌 Traditional curriculum for elementary grades

“School of Russia” is the most popular curriculum. Complies with GEF and is used in most schools. The main goal is spiritual and moral development, which is formed in specially created conditions. The main vector is aimed at the adaptation of the child in the team.

Training under the program is aimed at adaptation in a team, accumulation of knowledge and skills for further training. But feedback from parents is not always positive. Many note that the world around us can be greatly reduced, and the four-year program is too long.

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“RITM”

📌 Traditional curriculum for elementary grades

“RITM” stands for development, individuality, creativity, thinking. The program combines the traditions of the national elementary school K.D. Ushinsky and the achievements of modern psychology and methodology. The features of this curriculum in the primary grades of the school are variability and an extensive information and educational environment. It is believed that every child should learn to think creatively and independently, as well as to reveal their individuality. The system consists of completed subject lines of textbooks, which are included in the federal list, except for the ABC and Literary Reading.

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Primary school of the XXI century (Vinogradova system)

Vinogradova is a doctor of pedagogical sciences and the creator of a training program for first grade children. The program is aimed at strong students. To pass it successfully, you need to come to the first class with a certain level of preparation. This program is based on the theory of L.S. Vygotsky, as well as the ideas of Elkonin and Davydov. UMK is included in the Federal list of textbooks recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science. It is believed that the goal of a teacher working on this teaching method is to teach a child to learn.