Best Educational Games and Apps for Children

The application News-O-Matic EDU can only be best described as an interactive Daily Newspaper for children. This application is a combination of interactive technology and games along with exciting news articles and creativity. The content within this software is engaging, plentiful and child safe. The application is free from in-app adverts and in app purchases and the content supports various languages. This application is a subscription based service, however, users can try the application before committing to a subscription.

Devices: Android , iPad

An interesting game for a group, family or class, which is essentially like charades but a little more complex. The person playing the game has to follow a set of written instructions on the digital card that can be a variety of tasks all designed to get them involved and interacting with the group.

Devices: iPad

Toddler Learning Games is designed to appeal to young children with its vibrant appearance and to parents with its many learning games suitable for toddlers.  It is packed full of content and more is added on a regular basis for those who subscribe. 

Devices: iPad

With a finely-stepped learning curve, a record of achievements reached, and game-like graphics, Fruit Rockets provides a fun learning experience for children developing their early multiplication and division skills.

Devices: iPad

The ever-popular adventures of the Thunderbird team form the backdrop to this good-looking app. Navigation and puzzle-solving skills are pushed in the name of providing an international rescue to those in-game characters calling for help.

Devices: Android , iPad

Bingo is essentially an educational game based around the game Bingo as the title would suggest. The interesting aspect of this game is the fact that a number of different devices connect across a common WiFi system to play the game. One iPad is the controller and they flip the cards to the other devices on request. The game has an immediate ‘social’ property that is an example of technology enhancing the social process.

Devices: Android , iPad

Match different types of rubbish together in this match-three game that builds an awareness of the need to recycle our waste materials. 

Devices: iPad

This application is essentially a reading app with a twist. The twist is the fact that the stories can be narrated by you or anyone else of your choice and the programme is interspersed by educational content and games. All of the child’s interactions are recorded and the parent can look them up on the management dashboard. The app developer has stated that the stories and games provide a complete curriculum for children between 2 and 6 years old. They also have an Arabic version.

Devices: Android , iPad

Hopster provides a safe place for young children to access educational and entertaining media.  Famous characters, actors, and writers all feature in its superb content.

Devices: Android , iPad

This simple strategy game uses a variant of the game Nim, to develop logical thinking.  Each player takes one or two coins in turn, with the player who picks up the last coin declared the loser.  The concept is simple but the thinking behind this game challenges children to think longer term and strategically.

Devices: iPad

James’ Amazing Adventures is essentially a fun but educational adventure game with a delightful story line, that will capture the imagination of any pre-school child and their parents. The purpose of the game is to find all the instruments of an undersea orchestra that have been accidentally scattered across the world by a sneezing whale. The application has been developed in conjunction with a number of early years’ experts.

Devices: Android , iPad

The Magic Kinder App is a free application from Kinder which offer free games, bedtime stories, videos, educational facts, creativity and many other surprises. The app can be used individually or by supporting parents. You can add and personalise avatars, set time limits and decide how much your child can download. The application is free from in-app purchases and advertising. The app is aimed at the age range of 5 according to iTunes and explores categories such as Children’s Day, Natoons, Play & Learn, Videos, Stories, Draw and Paint and Discover the Planet.

Devices: Android , iPad

Animal Rescue is a delightful interactive electronic book for preschool children where a number of animals are reunited with their families from either a zoo or other communities that wish to exploit them for their value or medicinal properties. This is the best demonstration of an interactive book which incorporates choices, thought provoking questions that parents will need to respond to wrapped up with clear and memorable graphics.

Devices: Android , iPad

Young children enjoy playing simple open-ended games and this app contains many of these based on caring for babies.  For children, it will be like having a collection of dolls in their mobile device.

Devices: Android , iPad

The founding of businesses receives a lot of media coverage.  Children who see this and think that they might like to learn about what is involved can turn to this app.  With it, they can learn about the challenges of being an entrepreneur.  

Devices: Android , iPad

Baby Games for one year olds covers a great many of the skills that children will develop in their first experiences of using technology (such as learning to tap on objects on the screen, following moving objects on a screen and relating objects shown to their actions and choices). It covers many of the areas of education that children will build upon in their early years at school or kindergarten. Numbers, colours, shapes and letters are all included in small, fun games.

Devices: Android , iPad

The Animals Farm for kids is an Android app that aims to help young children (aged 2-5) learn basic activities and jobs done in the countryside inside a farm. Young children will meet animals such as chickens, ducks, and pigs and do activities such as milking cows, cutting wood, picking fruits from trees, and grinding seeds into flour. The app is translated into ten different languages. It is simple and easy to use and children friendly. 

Devices: Android

Pick a Pair is an engaging app aiming to teach young children new vocabulary and problem-solving skills.    Please note, the School/Nursery edition of this app requires a subscription, which includes activity sheets, a practitioner pack, and usage reporting.

Devices: iPad

The Highlights Shapes app helps children learn shapes and colours through a fun and engaging way. Children are asked to follow the mysterious journey of a fox in the jungle, the sea and the outer space. The fox can only progress her journey if children solve specific puzzles by matching, sorting and categorising shapes and colours. The app becomes progressively more difficult helping children to enhance their skills and accommodate the learning needs of children with a diverse set of skills.

Devices: Android , iPad

EduBooks is an app containing a number of useful interactive worksheets for pre school and early primary stage children. The worksheets range from ‘Fill in the Blanks’,’ Match the Objects’ and ‘Identify the Objects’ which provides an interactive way of engaging the child with colour and object identification, basic counting, maths and spelling.  

Devices: Android , iPad