App Reviews - iPhone, iPad and Android Apps

Baby Joy Joy Tracing Letters is an app aimed at young children encouraging them to learn their alphabet and how to begin to create letters. This is achieved through copying the app and embedded via repetition as the user works their way through the app and each letter of the alphabet. The app introduces young children, who will be new to the alphabet and letter formation, to the very beginning stages of learning how to read and write. These first steps into the English language are vitally important as they are the foundation needed to be able to progress through the stages of learning to read and write. The app guides the child through this process, making it a colourful and enjoyable one.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Simple Sentence Builder is an app that has been developed for children to learn how to build sentences through the art of storytelling. Moving their way through stories children must drag the parts of a sentence together to complete it and tell the story of what is happening on the page. The developer, who is based in Canada, has created an app that can also be used in French, especially useful if your child is learning a new language, is bilingual or has English as an addition language. Parents can purchase multiple stories through the app, all with the same language focus but different content. Users can also adapt the learning within the app to make it slightly harder depending on the level and ability of their child.

Devices: iPad, iPhone

Tiny Minies: Learning Games is a pre-school and toddlers’ game-based app to improve their intellectual, physical, and social-emotional development under 5 core areas: Memory, Problem Solving, Learning Ability, Creativity and Attention. Tiny Minies: Learning Games is free initially on a trial basis and offers further plans as a monthly or yearly subscription. Tiny Minies: Learning Games is free from in-app adverts and is 100% safe for children. The creators of this application are committed to protecting your privacy and the privacy of children. They adhere to the strict guidelines set forth by COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule), which ensure the protection of children’s information online.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Earnit is a task management application for parents and their children. Tasks can be assigned to children and rewards can be received when the tasks have been completed. A complete task management system including notification, task schedules, task approval, messaging, goal setting, screen time limits and so much more.  The app is available on both iOS and Android devices and is free to download. The application is free from in-app adverts and in-app purchases. However, the free edition may have some application restrictions as a paid version grants full access.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Readlax: Brain Games is a versatile and powerful app for people who want to learn faster and more effectively. The application is rich with features that enable you to improve concentration, boost memory, reduce stress, enhance learning capacity, improve empathy and expand upon your current vocabulary using the apps unique games and teaching style. Readlax: Brain Games is free initially on a trial basis and offers further plans as a monthly or lifetime subscription. Readlax: Brain Games is free from in-app adverts and is suitable for ages 4 and above according to the Appstore and is rated PEGI 3 via Google Play.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Draa is an app for teaching kids how to draw. It is suitable for any child old enough to use an iPad and possibly a stylus.  The app shows them how to reproduce cartoon images by breaking them down into simple steps. Draa is available on iPads and iPhones for a single one-off purchase price.  It is compatible with the Apple Pencil.  

Devices: iPad, iPhone

The Daily Living Skills Tracker provides step-by-step, visual and auditory instructions to assist users in completing basic hygiene tasks. The app is appropriate for all ages of children on the autism spectrum who require visual cues and prompting to support with daily tasks. Daily Living Skills Tracker will promote and support the independent acquisition of daily living and basic hygiene skills.

Devices: iPad, iPhone

StoryPlanet English is for students and teachers of English as an additional language.  Its content is suitable for students aged 8 and older who are ready for text aimed at A2/B1 (Intermediate) to C1/C2 (Superior). The app is on both iOS and Android stores as a free download containing one full story and all of the app's features unlocked.  A low-cost monthly subscription brings more stories and brand new content each weekday to the users of StoryPlanet English.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Geometry Solver ² is a simple-to-use app for solving geometry problems.  It covers a variety of 2D and 3D shapes and lets the user enter values for any of the variables.  The app then uses these to derive other properties of the shape. Any student, of any age, who is tackling problems of the type Geometry Solver ² covers can make good use of this app.  This will mostly be high-school or secondary-school-aged children.  A limited version of the app is available for free and this includes advertisements.  A single, one-off, in-app purchase fully unlocks the app.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Readability Reading Tutor is an app for helping kids to improve their reading skills. Aimed at children aged between 5 and 11, it takes them through their first steps and then strengthens and consolidates their reading ability. Available on iOS and Android, this app is a free download with a trial period of 7 days. After this time, you can take out a monthly subscription that covers up to three children.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Bublup is a versatile and powerful app for organising any kind of content visually. The application is rich with features that enables you to save links, documents, notes, videos, photos, GIFs, and music within visual folders with pictures, titles, and descriptions. The application is suitable for all ages and is available on the iOS and Android platforms as well as a Google extension. Bublup is free on the standard plan and offers advanced plans as a monthly subscription. Bublup is also from in-app adverts.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

News-O-Matic is a modern app-based news service for kids. Every weekday it provides specially-written news stories and other fact-based articles for subscribers to its app and web-app-based service. News-O-Matic is available on iOS, Android and Kindle Fire.   Each child using News-O-Matic can access a version of the service based upon their reading ability so that they can both enjoy learning new things and developing their reading skills. As you'll see in this News-O-Matic review, the News-O-Matic service is both a great idea and superbly delivered.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

'Math Fluency with Sports' for multiplication and division, is an application designed specifically to practice the skills of multiplication and division within the context of several sporting activities. Designed for ages seven plus, the stages and levels of the game ensure that the user journeys through a comprehensive base of understanding. The leader board help to motivate the more competitive learner. This programme is available for both Apple and Android devices, currently on sale for $4.99.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

AlgoRun: Learn to code is a powerful 3D platform coding game for learning, practicing and improving algorithmic thinking. The application is rich with features and includes several levels aimed at primary and secondary children. AlgoRun: Learn to code is free to download but offers in-app purchases and is available for iOS and Android for mobile devices and tablets. The application is suitable for ages 4 and above (according to the Appstore) and is free from in-app adverts.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Amaze Kids curates some of the best kid-friendly video content from YouTube to protect kids from unsuitable content.  It also lets parents set a timer so that children don't spend all of their time watching videos. Amaze Kids has settings to restrict content to three age bands between 2 and 11 years old and can be used with more than one child.  It is available on iOS and Android devices in a fully functional free version that has no in-app purchases.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

My Story Nest is an easy to use storytelling app that enables children to hear their name as part of the story and decide which way the story proceeds. The application is rich with features and includes original stories, stories based on Grimm’s Fairy Tales, stories based on Hans Christian Anderson Tales and much more. The application is suitable for ages 4 and above (according to the App Store) and is free from in-app adverts and in-app purchases. The application requires no internet connection once downloaded.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Math Slide: Basic Facts lets kids practise addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in a single or multiplayer challenge. Primary and elementary-aged kids will enjoy playing the app's challenge and improving their arithmetic skills while doing so. Math Slide: Basic Facts is available on the iPad (up to 4 players) and iPhone (up to 2 players). It is available for a single price without in-app purchases making it ideal for teachers who want to use Apple's Volume Purchasing Program to obtain it for their school.

Devices: iPad, iPhone

Math Slide: Place Value lets kids play a competitive or collaborative game between up to four players or with just one against the computer. The many levels cover place value regarding numbers up to 1,000. Math Slide: Place Value is available on iPad as a single purchase and is compatible with the Apple Volume Purchasing Program.

Devices: iPad, iPhone

gohenry gives kids a taste of financial control and education without many of the risks.  Parents can transfer pocket money and gifts to children using the gohenry app and monitor how the money is used.  Children watch and save their money using the gohenry app and spend it using the gohenry prepaid debit card. gohenry accounts are administered using iOS or Android apps and the service costs £2.99 per month in the UK with other optional fees.

Devices: Android, iPad, iPhone

Shoonya Kids app teaches kids the foundation words of multiple languages through the use of colourful and fun mini-activities. The many languages include Hindi, English, German and Punjabi. The app is designed for use by children under the age of 10 and is available on iOS devices. A free 7-day trial is available, after which Shoonya Kids app is available through a subscription.

Devices: iPad, iPhone