Best Educational Games and Apps for Children

Word Beach is a word puzzle game that will work the brains of adults and children alike as well as entertain them.  Learn the spellings of new words, be reminded of the spellings of non-standard words, and see patterns in the use of letters.

Devices: Android , iPad

Curious World: Play Learn Grow is packed full of different types of activities to entertain and educate children.  From videos to sit back and watch, to suggested craft activities that require rolled up sleeves and a bit of mess,  this app provides a great source of inspiration and learning for children.

Devices: iPad

The application ‘AdditionNSubtraction!’ is an app that turns mathematical adding and subtracting into a game format. The application uses a computer-based platform game to teach the skills of addition and subtraction over a variety of different levels. The application is free from in-app purchases and does not require a constant Wi-Fi connection. 

Devices: iPad

Sir Dapp, the master of manners, encourages your young children to join him on his gameshow where their politeness, good manners, and respect are the keys to success.  

Devices: Android , iPad

The aim of this app is to help introduce children to new words and help them to further their abilities in spelling in a fun and familiar way. The app is very similar to a number of other word play games and focuses its theme on that of Christmas and Santa Claus. The idea is for users to make words out of a number letters provided and fill the gaps at the top of the screen with the words that can be made from the provided letters. The graphics and sounds of the app are really pleasing and will certainly encourage users to keep returning to the game to further their way through the app.

Devices: Android

Smart baby is an educational game for the early development of children from two years old plus. The game has six learning games for pre-schoolers with a combination of letters, numbers, shapes and colours. The app claims to develop the child’s logic, attention, memory and fine motor skills.

Devices: 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

Cargo-bot is a coding and programming app that will be a challenge at all levels for students studying Computer Studies in Key Stage 2. The app is fairly challenging and we recommend that the students work through the tutorials before attempting the tasks. The app has numerous levels and a scoring system where maximum stars can be achieved if the programming of the robotic arm is correct. Although there are tutorials we found even the easy levels challenging. Each level has a hints section that may help you solve the coding. Students may need some assistance at first but once the basics are mastered they are free to tackle the multiple levels.

Devices: iPad

Just having the knowledge to solve problems is not enough. Children need the confidence to develop their own strategies to reach a solution. Kids Brain Games by Digital Copel is fun, varied and constantly challenging children to develop their thinking skills.

Devices: Android , iPad

Think! Think! Is an app that provides a series of mini games to develop the Childs intellectual and problem solving skills, these particular skills included, special recognition, shape comprehension, trial and error, logical thinking and numerical processing. Each game is timed and ranked in accordance with the users age and scores are provided to track the progress and performance. The Child can only work on three games a day and the total time for the day is limited to ten minutes.

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