Best Educational Games and Apps for Children

Pictoword is an exciting game with an addictive premise, where two related picture clues must be connected together to find the right word. For every right puzzle, you can win coins, so in-app purchases can be avoided. The puzzles can be shared on Facebook, so you can seek help from friends if needed. While Pictoword is much more of an entertainment app, it does offer players a chance to test their logic and problem solving skills with each puzzle. There is also a spelling component that provides good practice for players as they must spell each word correctly in order to complete the puzzle.

Devices: Android , iPad

Pocket Family is a whole lot of fun with its engaging and non-violent game play.  If you want your children to have a fun diversion that engages their brain and not just their reflexes, this might be just the game you want.

Devices: Android

Versatile is one word to describe the ABCya learning games included in this app.  They work  across every mainstream device, they cover multiple educational topics, and deliver a broad range of game styles to test and develop children's learning.  Excellent would be another word.

Devices: Android , iPad

Space Pig Math is an action game for practicing the times tables - up to 12x12 - with retro-inspired visuals and sounds.  The purpose of the game is to laser the aliens to save Space Pig's Friends - and they will provide you with help on the progress through the game. The game rewards correct, consecutive, and quick answers.  It is easy and accessible for the novice, but it can become increasingly difficult.

Devices: iPad

The application ‘KidloLand Kids Toddler Games’ is an award-winning learning programme for kids (1-7 yrs) and contains 2000+ educational songs, games, stories, nursery rhymes, and activities about Early Learning, Math, Reading, Writing, Coding and more! The application is a subscription-based app comprising of two options; a monthly subscription option or the option to pay for a single year. The application is free from adverts and is certified for children by the KidSAFE program.

Devices: Android , iPad

Kids Cast is like a one-stop shop for a mix of education and entertainment activities that are completely safe and appropriate for children.  Videos, games, books, songs and paper-based activities will give your child a great resource to learn from and use to avoid boredom.

Devices: Android , iPad

The application 'Brain Kids' is an entertaining brain training app for children aged 7 and above. The application offers a number of brain training games that can be played by both children and parents. The application has three books where the first chapter of each can be played for free. Further chapters can be purchased within the app. The application is free from in-app adverts and supports three languages English, Chinese and Thai.

Devices: iPad

The ability to solve problems and think in new ways is as important as the knowledge of how to read or do maths.  The developers of MentalUP have devised a series of brain games that expose learners to new types of problems and the different ways of thinking required to solve them.

Devices: Android , iPad

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 , Windows

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