Best iPad Apps for Kids

Khan Academy Kids is one of the very popular apps that has inspired lots of kids all over the world that combines education and immersion. Developed by experts at Stanford and designed to meet the full Common Core curriculum, Khan Academy offers kids aged 2-7 early literacy lessons and animated videos designed to build educational and social skills. One of the best free iPad apps for kids, Khan Academy touches on all of the critical components of a well-rounded education. 

The Khan Academy Kids app is free so you do not have to worry about spending a penny on it. It is a great way for children to learn writing, grammar, vocabulary, drawing, problem-solving skills, and other development skills in a fun manner. The app uses a cast of cute animal characters who guide the kids to engage and learn different skills.

Age Level: 2-7

Subject: Common Core Curriculum

For the history-loving kids, there’s the BrainPOP Jr. Movie of the Week app. It offers animated learning on all subjects for kids, and has particularly great material in the history category. It delivers a different animated movie every week, as well as quizzes and other activities. The idea behind the animated movies is to cultivate critical thinking skills and encourage kids to ask questions.

Age Level: 4-8

Subject: Science, Math, Social Studies

For another option to get your kid thinking creatively and using their imagination, check out the Toca Boca Apps. Toca Boca is an award-winning firm that creates products for kids, and from a kid’s perspective. Some of its most popular apps include Toca Band, Toca Blocks, and Toca Hair Salon, all of which use real-life scenarios such as cooking and building to activate the imagination through day-to-day tasks. 

Age Level: 4-9

Subject: Life Skills

Duolingo Kids is from the same makers of the well-known language learning app that’s used by millions of people of all ages. It’s extremely popular, as it does a really good job of mixing learning with gameplay. It rewards you with coins for the time you put in, the number of questions you answer correctly, and the amount of levels you get through. Just choose your language – popular ones include French, Spanish, and Mandarin – and you’re set. The app is intuitive, engaging, and beautifully designed. 

Age Level: 11-16

Subject: Foreign Languages

codeSpark Academy is one of the best apps on iPad that will enhance your kids’ tech skills and also enhance their math and problem-solving skills. Their award-winning app has introduced over 30 million kids in 190 countries to the ABCs of computer science and our lovable coding characters, the Foos. codeSpark Academy uses a patent pending "no words" interface to teach the basics of computer programming and essential coding skills through a variety of interactive learning activities including puzzles, games, step-by-step creative projects, game design and offline printables – all of which can be monitored by parents. The Foos can be played as an iPad app or on the computer.

Age Level: 7-14

Subject: Coding

DragonBox Apps, which was developed by former math teacher Jean-Baptiste Huynh, aims to empower kids by creating game-based learning apps. Its most popular ones are the DragonBox+ Algebra series, which teaches kids how to solve algebraic equations using gamification techniques while they rack up points and earn game badges.

Age Level: 4-12

Subject: Math

The app plays over 50 free learning games anytime and anywhere with PBS Kids characters. The app is full of games that encourage your toddler to learn math, science, etc. Some features include Daniel Wild Kratts, Tiger’s Neighborhood, Sesame Street, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, Super Why, and Dinosaur Train.

Age Level: 4-11

Subject: Reading, Math, English

The delightful, free iPad app for kids is designed for the curious minds. It is a portal to YouTube. Toddlers can enjoy videos even on the big screen with Apple TV, Chromecast, smart TVs, or game consoles. For easy exploration, the videos in the app are divided into Music, Shows, Learning, and Explore. Videos also include intro to sports, games, animals, crafts, and more. The app comes with big buttons, instant full-screen, and easy scrolling.

Age Level: 4-11

Subject: Math, English, Science

One such game is Stack the States, which is like Tetris but with a geography theme. During the game, kids learn about the shapes of each US state by stacking them. The aim of the game is to collect all 50 states, but in the process you learn about state capitals, geographic locations, and flags. The game is a must have for kids who are elementary school aged. 

Age Level: 9-12

Subject: Geography

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of Cut the Rope, which has gotten 960 million downloads worldwide. It’s a physics-based game, and the aim is to help the monster character, Om Nom, get the candy by strategically cutting the rope it’s attached to. Your child will enjoy thinking creatively, as well as the app’s design, which it won multiple awards for, including the Apple Design Award, and the BAFTA Award. The game design is colorful, fun, and exciting, and each level builds on the previous one.

Age Level: 7 and up

Subject: Science