Please note: We began this process by independently using and then evaluating all of the apps listed in this article. Since publicising this fact, some of the developers have since offered us discounts, free subscriptions, or paid affiliate links in exchange for further promotion. We would only ever agree to do this for products that we genuinely believe in. We would never take payment or financial incentives for false or exaggerated reviews anywhere online.
Introduction
The widespread international lock-down for Coronavirus, that has caused millions of children to be stuck at home, has suddenly brought homeschooling out from the shadows to become an everyday necessity for almost everyone. For most parents or guardians, this has meant a whole new World of discovery; trying to provide a balanced curriculum for their children, whilst usually possessing zero teaching experience. Finding new, innovative ideas for things to do is a constant challenge.
All this time at home has also probably led most parents to be looking to limit their children’s time spent in front of screens – there is a danger that they seem to never want to do anything else! However, if used wisely, this screen-time can be used as a force for good – via online learning using smartphone/tablet apps.
Often overlooked as an educational resource, online learning can actually be incredibly useful, promoting not only academic progression but also the development of skills such as working independently, resilience (through making mistakes along the way), and confidence, as well as the obvious computer literacy and keyboard skills. Perhaps most valuably, whilst children are fully occupied in this way, it can provide parents/guardians with a rare chance to get other stuff done around the house, or just have 5 minutes peace!
For visual learners, including those with autism, there is an alternative to the apps listed here. Take a look at this review of the Otsimo app.
Smartphone apps are a great way to supplement your child’s learning, while also helping to support their integration back into school/pre-school life. Here are my favourite 5, from the ones I’ve tried. I’ve divided them by the subject area covered. The first 3 (for core subjects) provide a lot of in-depth learning, with quantifiable progression. The last 2 also provide useful learning, but with less rigour required. Above all else, all of them are engaging and fun for children.
Most are available for both iOS and Android operating systems – check app stores for details.
I’ve also asked my eldest daughter, Savannah (Savvy), 5, to provide her assessment for each app – so as to provide a child’s perspective. Look for “Savvy says…” below to find out what she thinks.
#1 Reading Eggs
Subject: English/Literacy (reading specifically)
Target Age: 2-13
Price: Free Trial for 1 month, then £47.95 for 1 child for 1 year (or £6.99 per month), £71.95 for a family pass for up to 4 children for 1 year.
For more info, see https://readingeggs.co.uk/
Format of App:
The multi-award winning Reading Eggs app is divided into 3 sections:
- Age 2-4: This area contains lots of videos to help boost vocabulary and basic understanding of words. There are plenty of nursery rhymes, as well as other things like science videos. Even my youngest, Easton, at 18 months old, enjoys this section.
- Age 3-7: This section is divided into 12 maps, each containing 10 independent lessons. Each different lesson is broken down into a series of different little games that help to promote learning, while keeping the attention of even very young and/or indifferent learners. Additional sections on spelling, story writing and testing (with a fun driving test game to play) help to reinforce this learning.
- Age 7-13: Again, divided into an individual lessons format, this section also contains an area dedicated to helping to improve wider English skills.
Feedback for Parents/Guardians:
Once registered, email alerts can be scheduled to receive progress updates. These will trigger whenever significant progress has been made by the child, such as making a new learning development, or completing a map of challenges. In addition to this, the app also contains a comprehensive area within it for tracking development, displaying the child’s current calculated reading age, amongst other things.
Incentives for Learning
Whilst completing the in-game challenges, children earn virtual eggs, with a new critter hatching from an egg after every lesson. These earned eggs can be spent within the game on additional mini-games and character avatars. As well as this, a certificate of achievement is earned after the completion of each map section within the app.
Savvy Says…
“I really love getting the eggs and getting animals out of the eggs. It’s a fun way to learn to read.”
#2 Mathseeds
Subject: Maths/Numeracy
Target Age: 3-9
Price: Included as part of the Reading Eggs subscription (see above)
For more info, see https://mathseeds.co.uk/
Format of App
From the same providers and included with a subscription for Reading Eggs (see above), comes Mathseeds. The format is very similar to that of Reading Eggs, with lessons divided into a series of maps, requiring a variety of challenges to be completed for each.
Mathseeds teaches both core maths and other problem solving skills – all useful for aiding progression at school. Lessons are fun and interactive , with learning reinforced by quizzes and ‘show me your skills’ tests at the end of each lesson and map.
Feedback for Parents/Guardians:
Like with Reading Eggs, there are email alerts sent when the child reaches significant milestones, such as completing key skills and lessons.
Incentives for Learning
Like Reading Eggs but with acorns, rather than eggs. Children earn acorns, with critters hatching from acorns at the end of each lesson. These acorns can then be spent in-app on additional mini-games and character avatars. Completing maps, by passing the final quizzes for each, also earns certificates of achievement.
Savvy Says…
“…Makes maths fun. I love the stars at the end of the ‘show me your skills’ bit.”
#3 Tappity
Subject: Science
Target Age: 4-10
Price: £72.99 for a 1 Year Subscription
For more info, see https://www.tappityapp.com/
Format of App
The Tappity Science App is divided into different relevant topics, including such things as The Human Body, Space, Geology, and even dinosaurs, amongst other things. Each topic starts with a mission to be completed. This is achieved via watching videos and experiments and then completing the corresponding quiz sections.
Each section is short and the videos provide great visual aids, helping to keep children’s attention, whether young or older. The quizzes at the end of each section help to reinforce knowledge and build subject confidence.
Feedback for Parents/Guardians:
Amongst the different topics within the app are included parental update sections. These provide a great opportunity to take an interest in a child’s development progress. The in-app learning journal is then required to be signed-off, in order to complete the section. Once signed, the child takes a selfie photo of themselves to save within their journal.
Email alerts are also available to provide updates on a child’s knowledge development.
Incentives for Learning
At the end of each topic, once the learning journal has been updated, the child gets to take and save a selfie of themselves. They can keep a collection of these as proof of having completed the various topics, and to show off their development.
Savvy Says…
“I love watching the science videos and taking the selfies at the end.”
#4 Fun French, from Study Cat
(Other languages also available)
Subject: French/Foreign Languages
Target Age: 3-10
Price: $59 for a 1 Year Subscription
For more info, see https://studycat.com/
Format of App
Themed lessons are filled with fun-packed games to help children to begin to learn a foreign language. Core French vocabulary is taught through different contexts, including sections for reading, speaking, listening and grammar.
Vocabulary topics covered within the app include such things as animals, colours and parts of the body.
Feedback for Parents/Guardians:
None specific outside of the app, but in-app progress bars indicating word comprehension are available for parents/guardians to view if desired.
Incentives for Learning
As knowledge increases, games are earned. Completing these games then, in turn, earns more new levels, games and rewards. This encourages a desire for the child to want to continue to progress through the levels.
Savvy Says…
“I like playing all the different games in French.”
#5 Kidlo Grade-1 Geography
Subject: Geography
Target Age: 3-7
Price: Free to download. Small additional payments required to unlock all in-app features
For more info, see https://www.kidlo.com/
Format of App
Whilst not nearly as comprehensive or in-depth as some of the other learning apps listed above, this is nonetheless a fun and useful learning tool for early years Geography, as well as for promoting conversations around travel and global awareness (things close to our hearts).
The app is divided into different sections, all requiring different tasks to be completed. At its most basic, national flags can be coloured in on screen, as well as on-screen jigsaws to complete. Harder sections involve capital cities and different continents.
While some of this was too advanced for my 3 and 5 year olds, there is plenty here to keep even small children entertained. Some other apps we looked at were too advanced even from the start for children so young.
Feedback for Parents/Guardians:
None specific provided. However, a conversation with our children after they had used the app nonetheless revealed new information that had been learned.
Incentives for Learning
Different sections provide a good variety of activities within the app. There are no specific levels or rewards though and, as such, this app is unlikely to provide the same kind of prolonged interest from children as some of the others listed above.
Savvy Says…
“The colouring flags section is my favourite.”
In Summary
There are loads of online resources and smartphone apps out there to provide help with learning and development for children. These are proving to be particularly useful and in demand at this unusual time of extensive, obligatory homeschooling. Whilst a child’s total daily screen-time should always remain a consideration (these apps should not be either exclusively or over-used), it does not mean that they cannot provide a valuable supplementary resource for helping with a child’s schooling, particularly at this time.
I hope that this list has provided a useful starting point for discovering some of my favourite learning apps to help with teaching at home for early years children.
For loads more information about homeschooling during the Coronavirus lockdown, check out our Top Homeschooling Resources and Ideas for Younger Children.
Good suggestions #KCACOLS
Thank you for reviewing these apps, it’s always great to get honest insights from a family who has actually tried them! It can be so tricky to know which apps that are really good, can’t it? Thank you for linking up with #KCACOLS, I hope you’ll join in again next time! x
These are great app recommendations for early years. We already have Reading Eggs and Mathseeds and we love it. I will try the other ones too. The language one could be handy to help my girls with their Spanish! Thank you so much for joining us at #kcacols for the first time. I hope that you like it! 🙂 x
These look great, there are a couple I’ve not heard of before so will go and have a try #KCACOLS
Hi,
Really like your app. thanks for sharing this informative material. You may also visit: https://www.thelearningapps.com/