8 Apps for Playfully Learning with your Child

This is a big mix of apps for all kinds of kids. With each of these apps, adults can easily play along and extend the learning. Use apps to inspire your child’s play time. Many of these apps spark discovery and play that will happen away from the screen. Provide materials for your child to use after the app to extend and cultivate an atmosphere of applying learning in your home.

Starfall All About Me

Starfall All About Me brings some of your kids favorite Starfall website activities to your device. Play the “All About Me” games of creating your person, designing your room, choosing your pet and more. Language is presented clearly in context with supportive imagery. We wish there were multiple log-ins as kids will want to save and return to their work, hopefully the developers add this later.

Little Things Forever

Little Things Forever is a continuation of an app we called a stand-out “I Spy” game for the iPad. Progress through a variety of levels searching for small images within larger objects. We like the puzzle and timed challenges which change up the game play. For kids who are not readers, the text is spoken if you tap it. Little Things Forever is an app that both parents and kids love to play.

Mini-U: Mosiac

Mini-U: Mosaic unleashes creativity and spatial reasoning with this delightful app that is good for all ages. Create your own pictures or copy colorful cards presented both in the app and from users of MosaicHD around the world. The design lets young kids easily participate but there is enough challenge that parents and older siblings will want to play too. There are open links and sharing features that are unlocked so be aware of what your little ones are doing on the app. Overall an excellent app that is filled with wonderfully open ended brain play.

Piano Dust Buster

Piano Dust Buster is a super fun app to play. There are also educational benefits your child will never know they are getting. Excellent for the kid who is take piano lessons because you can sync an electronic keyboard with this app (check the requirements before downloading). Get familiar with piano keys and notes as the app progresses you through familiar and remakes of classical tunes. Great for the child who needs a fun break that reinforces what they are learning in music class.

My 1st Songs Collection

My 1st Songs Collection presents 7 kid friendly songs, with highlighted text, in this karaoke style app. Very child friendly with no extra links, highly stimulating graphics and music. We really like that the words of each song are highlighted. Make sure you have some headphones available as the music and sound effects are great for kids but after a few times not very adult friendly.

First Grade Splash Math

First Grade Splash Math gives your child an interactive workbook to use on your iPad or iPhone. 15 chapters (2 versions – paid or free with in-app purchases) cover a range of math skills with three levels of difficulty and modes for practice or play. Children do need to be able to read and comprehend test style math questions to use this app independently. Good for kids who need direct practice to build math fluency (understanding and answering math questions accurately and quickly).

Second Grade Splash Math

Second Grade Splash Math gives your child an interactive workbook to use on your iPad or iPhone. 13 chapters (2 versions – paid or free with in-app purchases) cover a range of math skills with three levels of difficulty and modes for practice or play. Children do need to be able to read and comprehend test style math questions to use this app independently. Good for kids who need direct practice to build math fluency (understanding and answering math questions accurately and quickly).

Rhyming Words

Rhyming Words presents clear imagery, speech and simple design to help kids practice matching rhyming pictures. A tremendous amount of customization and options in this app. Leveling adjusts automatically based on how well kids match rhyming pictures. No game play or motivational strategies in the app, but is a solid resource for customized and repetitive rhyming practice for young kids.