When it comes to learning and having fun, kids today are spoiled for choice! Educational apps are a fantastic way to teach your little ones essential skills while keeping them engaged with games, stories, and interactive fun. The best part? Many of these apps are completely free! Whether your child is just learning their ABCs or diving into coding, there’s an app for that. Here’s our roundup of the best free educational apps for kids in 2024.
PS these are mostly “language” learning apps, so if you want more, here’s a link to general education apps for kids.
1. ABC Kids
Perfect for: Toddlers and preschoolers learning their letters.
ABC Kids is a colorful, ad-free app that helps little ones recognize letters, match uppercase and lowercase, and practice tracing. It’s simple to use, and kids love the cheerful design and positive feedback when they get it right.
Why We Love It:
- Easy navigation for tiny fingers.
- No ads to interrupt learning.
- Parents can track progress and join the fun.
2. Khan Academy Kids
Perfect for: Ages 2-8 who love exploring multiple subjects.
Khan Academy Kids is a treasure trove of lessons on math, reading, writing, and social-emotional learning. The app adapts to your child’s level and features adorable animal guides who make learning a blast.
Why We Love It:
- High-quality, free content from a trusted name in education.
- Creative activities like drawing and storytelling.
- Daily lessons tailored to your child.
3. Duolingo ABC
Perfect for: Early readers building vocabulary.
From the makers of Duolingo, this app focuses on literacy for young kids. Duolingo ABC makes learning to read fun with bite-sized lessons and plenty of cute animations.
Why We Love It:
- Short, engaging lessons perfect for busy little learners.
- Builds phonics, sight words, and early reading confidence.
- Completely free with no hidden costs.
4. Toca Kitchen Monsters
Perfect for: Kids who love cooking and experimenting.
This app isn’t strictly educational, but it teaches creativity and problem-solving. Kids can cook weird and wacky dishes for their monster guests while learning basic food prep skills.
Why We Love It:
- Encourages imaginative play.
- Kids learn through trial and error.
- The monsters’ reactions are hilarious!
5. PBS Kids Games
Perfect for: Preschool and early elementary kids who love PBS characters.
This app is packed with games featuring beloved characters like Daniel Tiger and Wild Kratts. Each game is designed to teach skills like math, science, and social-emotional learning.
Why We Love It:
- Familiar characters make learning exciting.
- Games are thoughtfully designed by educators.
- Works offline, so perfect for road trips!
6. ScratchJr
Perfect for: Kids ages 5-7 who are curious about coding.
ScratchJr introduces young learners to coding basics through storytelling and drag-and-drop commands. Kids can create their own animated stories and games while learning logical thinking.
Why We Love It:
- A fun and gentle introduction to programming.
- Encourages creativity and critical thinking.
- No reading required—great for pre-readers.
7. Starfall ABCs
Perfect for: Preschoolers and kindergarteners mastering the alphabet.
Starfall ABCs is a bright and interactive app that teaches letter recognition, sounds, and phonics. Kids can explore letters through songs, animations, and simple games.
Why We Love It:
- Engaging visuals and sound effects.
- Helps with early reading and writing skills.
- Trusted by teachers and parents.
8. Math Kids
Perfect for: Preschoolers learning to count and solve simple math problems.
Math Kids makes math fun with puzzles, quizzes, and matching games. Kids practice counting, addition, and subtraction in a stress-free environment.
Why We Love It:
- Rewards kids with stars and stickers.
- Gradual challenges that grow with your child.
- A great way to make math less intimidating.
9. Endless Alphabet
Perfect for: Toddlers expanding their vocabulary.
Endless Alphabet introduces kids to new words with adorable monsters and playful animations. Each word comes with a mini-puzzle to reinforce spelling and meaning.
Why We Love It:
- Engages kids with humor and creativity.
- Builds vocabulary and spelling skills.
- Ad-free and super kid-friendly.
10. Study Cat
Perfect for: language learning
Study cat is an app full of education lessons that are fun and engaging for kids; it has various language models so you can learn English, Spanish or other languages with their custom friendly characters.
Why We Love It:
- A ton of useful lessons and vocab to learn English
- Games and videos that hold kids’ attentions
- Beautiful design and illustration
Conclusion
With these free educational apps, learning becomes a fun adventure for kids of all ages. From mastering letters and numbers to coding and creativity, these tools are a great way to keep your child engaged and curious. Download one (or all!) today, and let the learning begin! PS here’s 11 more language learning apps for kids!
