History

MyZone is a content-packed app which teaches kids about many topics by naturally linking between them. It allows kids to grow their subject and general knowledge while developing analytical, problem-solving, and cross-curricular understanding. Parents create MyZone accounts for kids on the website, and kids use downloadable apps on iOS and Android for their learning. The current content for MyZone is suitable for kids aged between 10 and 12. At the time of this review, MyZone is in beta and offers five substantial themes for kids to explore at no cost to their parents.

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

Khan Academy is a free website and educational app that includes thousands of educational videos covering math, science, art history, and other subjects. Khan Academy is a reliable and highly useful source of academic learning. Khan Academy helps to improve cognitive development, critical thinking skills and can be used in the classroom to aid in engagement. Khan Academy is free to download on iOS (iPad and iPhone) and Android devices as well as on desktop (PCs, laptops and Mac computers). Khan Academy is totally free – free of any advertisements too – and offers a great learning experience.

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

BBC History Magazine is an app that offers information, interactive stories, beautiful artwork and historical significance. The BBC History Magazine is an app that offers history enthusiasts a convenient and immersive way to delve into captivating historical content.

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

World History Maps: The World, by World History Maps Inc, is a new and unique way of looking at history. Instead of an historical atlas which has maps showing the world (or a region) at a few significant years, or maps that try to compress decades or even centuries of change on to one map, we offer a different approach. 

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

Back in Time is an e-textbook app that is quite stunning and is suitable for children that are aged above 10. It takes kids through an exploration of Earth, world history, civilization and life in general. This app allows you to experience the journey through the time where each event is well documented in historical and social context, rare and interesting facts and a well illustrative timeline. This offers an interesting and also great learning experience using some custom made animations that bring an event to life. 

Devices: iPhone, iPad

A graphic representation of the entire natural and human history.

Devices: iPhone, iPad

A very comprehensive App on World War II made specifically for the iPad.

Devices: iPhone, iPad

Timeline World War 1 is a multimedia history of the First World War, presented by historian and TV presenter Dan Snow, in association with British Pathe.

Devices: iPhone, iPad

With Civilisations AR you can use the app to look at wonderful artefacts from around the world at home, at school, out on a walk…anywhere!   Bring art and culture from across the world to you with this BBC Augmented Reality app. Explore beneath the surface of Renaissance masterpieces and discover the secrets of ancient Egypt.

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) website features legal and historical records, documents, and other materials from the federal government, which students can use for personal or academic research. Some, such as microfilm holdings, have to be viewed at a physical NARA location; however, kids will get immediate online access to many informational items, ranging from census records to presidential executive orders.

Devices: Web

PBS LearningMedia is a massive, free, web-based collection of learning resources searchable by subject area, grade level (pre-K to 12), learning standard, local station, and more. With subjects ranging from science and math to world languages and health, the site draws on content from the many PBS affiliates and their programming. 

Devices: Web

The Library of Congress and the Ad Council created this site "to introduce you to the many fascinating, educational and useful resources available from the nation's library". Each month a new selection of resources ranging from prints, photographs, films, audio recordings, maps, manuscripts, music and digital materials to books from federal government sponsored sites are featured. 

Devices: Web

If you are considering applying for your US Citizenship, then an important part of the procedure will be the Civics Test administered during your interview.

Devices: Android

Black History app explains the significant contributions of African-Americans in the fields of science, politics, literature, the law, the arts, and more.

Devices: Android

The History Hit is an app that offers a platform dedicated to providing historical content and resources to history enthusiasts.

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

Navicup enhances outdoor activities where players, learners, or competitors make their way from point to point. These include self-guided tours, orienteering competitions, treasure hunts, and more. The app tracks users' locations and reports back to the event organiser. It can also set tasks or provide text and audio-based information for the users when they arrive at marked locations. Creating maps and running events are perfectly possible using the free tier of Navicup but the paid-for options provide extra benefits and remove the advertising. Navicup's map creation is done via the website, making it compatible with most devices. The events require an Android or iOS app, which is free to download. Start creating your own event on the Navicup homepage

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

Read Along Kids Books Library is an eBook app that provides kids between the ages of 4 and 11 with a wide range of books to read. The titles cover fiction and non-fiction. The latter includes self-development, social-emotional learning and topics from math, science, history, and geography. The app reviewed here is for home use, but a similar package is available for schools. Your child can access the entire library of books during a free trial, and a subscription unlocks the complete package for its duration. As this app offers math and reading content, you’ll need to use the Smart Kidz Club Premium subscription rather than the Basic one which is for a different app that does not contain math content.

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

Busy Things is a cross-subject teaching and learning resource full of activities, games, and teaching tools for kids aged between 4 and 11. All the content is mapped to English, Scottish, and Australian school curricula and covers most of the subjects taught in these schools. These include Mathematics, English, Science, and History. It also addresses learning to read with phonics and supports various phonics methods. Busy Things is a web app, ensuring it is compatible with desktop and mobile devices with modern browsers. Following a free trial which does not require payment details, Busy Things requires a subscription to access its 1,000+ activities.

Devices: Web

ABCya is a free educational games website for kids that organizes games by grade level (pre-K through 6+) and subject categories, including letters, numbers, holiday games, and more. ABCya.com is visited by millions of kids, parents, and teachers each month, playing over 1 billion games last year. ABCya app is available for free to download on iOS, Android and Amazon app stores. 

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

KidsBeeTV gives kids a safe environment in which to watch videos.  Teachers have handpicked each of the videos to ensure they are appropriate for kids, whether educational or entertaining. There are no ads, product placement, or unboxing videos on KidsBeeTV.  After a seven-day trial, the service is subscription-based and is viewable on many device types. 

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

Mysticland World Discovery wants to help kids become global citizens. Various activities and rich content, including a kid-friendly newspaper, help kids learn about history, geography, and current events from all around the world. The app feeds curiosity and entertains its users. The app is suitable for kids aged between 7 and 12. After a free trial, the app is available through a subscription on all iOS devices and Android.

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

Britannica School is the online database for schools created by Encyclopedia Britannica. The website provides extensive research assistance to students in grades K-12, as well as instructional scaffolding for teachers. The site's content is divided into three levels of reading: elementary, middle, and high school.

Devices: Web

The Walking Classroom Podcasts' Science, Language, and Social Studies content is aimed at the US Grades of 3 to 8 which covers children aged 8 to 12. The podcasts are accessible on most devices with dedicated apps for Android and iOS devices and a web-based version for other platforms, including desktops. The app is free to download and comes with a selection of podcasts. The full content is unlocked by subscribing to the service.

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

Queen's Beasts is a history app structured around the heraldry and lineage of Britain's current monarch.  It is useful for general interest or as a reference for history students. Queen's Beasts app is available for a single one-off purchase price on Android and iOS.  The style and presentation of the app's content make it most suitable for students over the age of 11.

Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad

Learnie is a unique learning app that enables students and teachers to learn in a fun, fast and engaging way. The application provides micro-learning sessions on a variety of topics in short 30 second bursts including questions, dedicated subject specialists and high-quality video. The application is suitable for students 12 years and above and is free to download through the App Store and Google Play. The application is compatible with mobile and tablets devices and also has a wonderful dedicated web version.

Devices: