Best Educational Apps for Preschoolers

This junior version of the educational app par excellence (Khan Academy) targets young learners from 2 to 8 years old and covers a broad range of topics and concepts.

This app goes way beyond the average preschool app in terms of content and variety. It teaches math, English language arts, logic, and social-emotional skills through stories, games, songs, and videos. Plus, the fact that it’s free means that even competitors like ABCmouse (which also presents a comprehensive curriculum) can’t really measure up in terms of providing access to families of different income ranges. The Khan Academy Kids app has won awards from Common Sense Media and Children’s Technology Review.

Busy Shapes is an app aligned with the Montessori method of self-directed, hands-on learning. As such, it’s perfect for the youngest kids just starting to interact with technology.

Busy Shapes is simple to play. Kids simply drag an object into a hole. They are challenged to match the shape of the object with the corresponding hole, and eventually, another object and hole will appear in a new setting. The challenge increases over time, with multiple objects and holes of different shapes. Most importantly, there are no instructions—it’s all child-directed.

Made by Duck Duck Moose, which became part of educational technology juggernaut Khan Academy in 2016, this app is designed to introduce basic math concepts to young kids.

In Moose Math, kids help a moose and his friends do various tasks, such as counting, making "moose juice" smoothies, and finding hidden animals. There are five games at different levels, and kids have to progress through the levels to advance. Best of all, Moose Math is free with no in-app purchases.

Toca Nature is one of the best apps on the market for older preschoolers to engage in open-ended creative exploration. It’s like Minecraft for young kids.

Kids construct their scenery by tapping and dragging, which means that the app is best for older preschoolers who have better hand-eye coordination. Toca Nature has a calm aura about it, with soothing background music to accompany the scenery. After they build their own natural environment, kids can observe what happens when animals populate those areas—a precursor to science learning. Toca Nature costs $3.99.

Homer Reading was designed with the Common Core in mind, and thus it provides context. There’s content about animals, music, poetry, folk tales, and many other subjects of interest to kids. For example, one reviewer explains, “Kids are not only learning what the letter ‘A’ sounds like and that 'alligator' starts with 'A,' but also taking virtual 'field trips' to the zoo, where they learn about alligators.” Homer Reading isn’t cheap: It’s $10 per month, but you get a 30-day free trial and the yearly plan is $60 (just $5 per month) if you can commit to that.

This is an interactive version of the classic Sesame Street book from the 1970s in which Grover begs children not to turn the pages (with increasing urgency).

Of course, the monster at the end of the book is Grover himself! Besides being a hoot for little kids, The Monster at the End of this Book can present an opportunity for parents to talk to kids about when they feel afraid of something. Kids can also practice pre-reading skills by turning the pages themselves. The ebook costs $4.99.

One of many great apps offered by PBS Kids, Daniel Tiger’s Day and Night teaches kids about morning and evening routines and lets them interact with a favorite character.

Daniel Tiger Day and Night is especially good for young kids who are particularly disorganized or seem to need more structure in their days. However, it’s great for all kids in terms of learning the importance of hygiene and self-care. Kids are asked to do tasks like getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing their teeth, and in the evening, taking a bath, all with Daniel Tiger and friends by their sides. The app costs $2.99. 

My PlayHome is a completely open-ended virtual dollhouse that encourages young kids to use their imagination to build a family.

To populate their My PlayHome dollhouse and community, kids can choose up to 15 characters with different outfits and hairstyles. One of the best things about My PlayHome is that characters can have diverse skin tones, and kids can decide whether their family is multi-racial, has two moms or dads, has just one child or several, and so on. While the app is designed to appeal to young kids, even elementary school children seem to love playing it. My PlayHome is $3.99 on iTunes, $2.99 on Amazon, and $3.49 on Google Play.