Whether you are working with kids learning English as a second language or looking to expand the vocabulary of native-speaking elementary students, vocabulary apps are a great addition to your teaching toolbox. These vocabulary apps for kids can help you add hundreds of words to the vocabulary of young children without boring rote memorization.
A strong vocabulary is critical to language development. For native speakers, a strong vocabulary is a key predictor of academic success. The more words they know, the better they will be able to understand and learn material across all school subjects. Being a stronger reader and having better reading comprehension will lead to a positive cycle of even more vocabulary acquisition. Use these vocabulary building apps and games to help kids build word knowledge.
Memorizing vocabulary words and definitions is a chore, even for the brightest students. With these vocabulary apps for students, you can ensure that your kids learn the words they need, without boredom.
Here is the list of vocabulary apps to help kids learn the building blocks of a strong vocabulary.
One of the best vocabulary apps for students, Vocab Victor is a vocabulary app that aims at helping young people, with a good understanding of the English language, the ability to continue to improve. You learn by playing a series of vocabulary building games. Victor offers a variety of games to teach different types of word knowledge, customized to your vocabulary level.
Vocab Victor is designed to supplement classroom instruction. Assign this fun word of the day for kids app in lieu of vocabulary lists, flashcards, and worksheets to give students focused instruction that will hold their attention. Victor teaches intermediate-level vocabulary, increasing competence across all four language skills, and helps students build native-like word association networks.
Vocabulary knowledge builds up over time, and studies show that students know more about words than they think they do making it one of the best vocabulary apps for kids.
Devices: Android, iPhone and iPad
If we missed any of the 10 Best Vocabulary Apps for Kids, tell us about them!
Wozzol app is an app aimed towards a range of ages to help users to learn vocabulary in a foreign language. You can learn any language (French, Spanish, etc.). There are ready made vocabulary list that you can add but most times you have to create your own.
Wozzol is an app that has been developed to learn any combination of facts, mainly targeted to learn vocabulary in a different language. However, due to this it also could be used as an app aimed at helping strengthen children’s use and understanding of the English language as well as some of the other main European languages too.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: Android, iPhone and iPad
The idea of the vocabulary app for kids is to encourage young people to learn new words, increasing their vocabulary in a fun and interactive way. The app encourages children to make progress at their own pace and this is something that is welcomed in a market where apps usually control the pace regardless of the user.
This is a really well designed and thought-out app that aims to help young children widen their vocabulary and increase their communicative skills. It is aimed at children who can already read and for those who are seeking to utilize these reading skills to extend their vocabulary. The friendly, easy-to-use interface presents images of objects on-screen, allowing children to choose an answer from a multiple-choice list. Overall this is a great word of the day for kids app for helping young learners to increase their vocabulary and make them more confident in their language skills making it one of the best vocabulary apps for kids.
Price: $1.99
Devices: iPhone and iPad
Endless Alphabet is a vocabulary app for kids designed to teach letter sounds and new vocabulary. The child drags the correct letter into a word and the letter takes on a personality and makes the sound as the child drags it to it correct place in the word. Letters transform into living toys that voice their names making it one of the best vocabulary apps for kids available.
Price: $8.99
World’s Worst Pet – Vocabulary is an engaging English Language Arts game designed for fourth through eighth graders. This vocabulary app for kids helps children increase their vocabulary by taking players through an adventure. We love how the narrative grabs the attention of students without sacrificing the academic component.
Children are introduced to domain-specific vocabulary words in word lists that are grouped by topic. According to developers, World's Worst Pet targets Tier Two and domain-specific words, which simply means it focuses on relevant vocabulary words making it one of the best vocabulary apps for kids.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: iPhone and iPad
6. PrepositionBuilder™
(iPhone, iPad)
PrepositionBuilder is a vocabulary app for kids designed to help elementary aged children learn the correct use of prepositions and learn how prepositions can change the meaning of a sentence. During play, the student is presented an image and must drag a preposition to complete a sentence about the image. If the student chooses the wrong answer, the image and sentence change to show the student the proper use of the preposition they chose and how it changes the image.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: iPhone and iPad
SpellingCity is a word game and vocabulary app for kids designed to help kids learn spelling and improve vocabulary and grammar skills. It has 10 free sample lists for students that include math and science words, compound words, sound-alike words, analogies, prefix/suffix words, and SAT prep words.
SpellingCity provides you access to vocabulary word lists for practice in every subject and grade level.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: Web Browsers
8. Spelling Bee Lists
(iPhone, iPad)
Spelling Bee includes over 1000 pre-build practice tests to choose from! Plus all the spelling activities are turned into fun games so kids feel like they are playing games. Spelling Bee teaches and tests kids on spelling and vocabulary word skills. After studying a wordlist, children are presented with a definition and an audio prompt of the word.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: iPhone and iPad
Montessori Words and Phonics is a simple-to-use app based on the Montessori learning method that can help children develop reading, writing and spelling skills. This children's vocabulary app helps children understand that words are made up of sounds and helps them memorise the phonics associated with letters. The app has 3 levels of difficulty that cover basic CVC words and more complex words with long vowel sounds and blends.
Price: $2.99
Devices: iPhone and iPad
Plenty of fun and giggles in this "highly recommended" language learning game for kids. Designed especially to introduce your child to learning everyday vocabulary, and with no in-app purchases or third party ads, it's just perfect for children over the age of 2 years old.
Educational apps are quite unlike traditional learning toys and games, they can enforce rules and keep those playing them on pre-defined paths. Their ability to guide and respond to their players has been embraced by developers and parents alike and led to some very successful learning products. But, perhaps, abandoning the more open and free nature of older educational games and toys has also taken away one of the ways in which parents and young children can use their imaginations and conversations to build skills and knowledge making it one of the best vocabulary apps for kids.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Devices: Android, iPhone and iPad
To keep adding words to your personal word bank, it helps to know word parts, like roots, prefixes, and suffixes, so that you can recognize how words are related to each other and become a better reader and writer. And also be sure to check out our best Reading Comprehension Apps.
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