Free Educational Apps Our Children are Loving in 2019

You’re browsing the app store and find yourself with a challenge: looking for the best educational apps for your children that will keep them busy. You’re overwhelmed by choice (does there need to be 10,000 literacy games with farm animals?), subscription services, and mixed reviews.

What you want is simple:

• A free educational app
• An app that doesn’t cost more than your monthly Netflix subscription
• An app that’s engaging and fun for your child
• Something that will keep your child entertained long enough for you have a hot 5-minute shower

These educational apps for kids are completely free with no in-app purchases to worry about!

1. Habitat the Game, iOS and Web Browser, ages 4+. Just in time for Earth Day, your child will adopt a polar bear explore how their actions impact the world around them to save their endangered furry friend. Habitat engages your little learner’s mind with unique challenges and creates an opportunity for them to learn about different animals, plants, and places within a colorful interface. This is a great starting point to help teach your child about sustainability and create your own household challenges!
2. Fish School, iOS and Android, ages 2-8. When you combine letter, number, and shape recognition activities with fun sounds and schools of colorful fish your toddler or young learner can interact with, Fish School becomes the best introduction to educational apps that you’ll fall in love with.
3. Duolingo Kids, iOS, ages 2+. Your child will enjoy learning French, Spanish, or English as they drag and drop words to match sounds and create sentences. Duolingo’s mascot even blows bubbles for your child to tap, pop, and giggle as they match! You’ll love the repetition, sound effects, and everyday themes like emotions and food.
4. Healthy Eater, iOS, ages 3+. Do you have a picky eater in your family? Healthy Eater helps your child explore different kinds of food through colorful interactive games and promotes healthy eating habits. Your child will love the fun characters and animations as hey learn!
5. Smiling Mind, iOS and Android, ages 7+. Does your child have trouble focusing or sleeping? Maybe they’re struggling with anxiety or depression? Smiling Mind has many short, guided activities that focus on breathing, positive v.s. negative thinking, and recognizing emotions.

Do you have a free educational app you and your child are loving? Share it below!

A version of this article was originally published in the first edition of the Brunswick News’ publication Family First in February 2019. This list will be periodically updated as new educational apps are discovered. All photos are in-app screenshots provided by the developers of each app.

Last updated: May 2019