Enrich the home-learning process with these top 10 teacher-recommended apps and sites for early childhood through elementary students and beyond. Fun, educational apps and sites can be a great way for children to take charge of their learning!
No. 1: Scholastic Educational Platform
Scholastic’s Learn at Home program for families provides virtual activities that focus on core skill topics like literacy, science, math, and social-emotional learning for PreK through 5th grade. Kids can stay busy with read-alouds, award-winning videos, interactive quizzes, vocabulary exercises, active play ideas, crafts, and more. The Learn at Home subscription fee is $5.99 per month. Their Scholastic Kids platform is a free, fun digital space where kids can read, play, and connect with friends! (Scholastic also offers digital solutions for classrooms and educators.)
No. 2: Khan Academy Kids
Khan Academy Kids is an educational program designed for children ages 2 to 7. The program engages kids in core subjects like early literacy, reading, writing, language, and math with charming characters as their guides. Khan Academy Kids is free; it doesn’t require a subscription. Parents can get helpful tips on the Khan Academy Kids channel. (Khan Academy Kids also offers teacher tools for educators who use the app as part of their online curriculum.)
No. 3: National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids is the perfect site for elementary students looking to explore topics in science, nature, and social studies. The site features fun games, videos, brain boosters, and other cool stuff that they can enjoy independently, apart from a structured curriculum. The site is free to use. For parents concerned about screen time, National Geographic Kids can be ordered as an annual print subscription for only $15. (Educators and parents can find more structured experiences for all grades on National Geographic’s Learn at Home page.)
No. 4: ABC Mouse
ABC Mouse Early Learning Academy is a full, online curriculum for kids ages 2 through 8. The platform motivates children to progress through ten levels of language arts, math, science, social studies, and art using a reward-based system. ABC Mouse offers 1 month free; subscription pricing is $9.95 per month. (ABC Mouse also offers a comprehensive early childhood learning solution for schools.)
No. 5: Adventure Academy
By the creators of ABC Mouse, Adventure Academy is an online learning platform for children ages 8 through 13. The platform’s immersive virtual universe teaches essential skills in math, language arts, science, social studies through adventures and quests. Kids can play with friends, customize characters, and more! An annual subscription costs $59.99.
No. 6: Starfall
Starfall is a fun site where children in PreK through 3rd grade can build literacy skills (phonemic awareness, systematic sequential phonics, and common sight words) and math skills. The site is free to use with limited access and an annual membership with full content is available for $35. (Starfall also offers free resources for educators and school or district memberships.)
No. 7: DIY
On the DIY site, children ages 4 through 13+ can watch inspiring videos, do creative projects, and even make their own videos! It’s a place where they can learn and inspire other kids, too. DIY offers courses in the arts, engineering, music, and so much more. Kids earn digital badges as they acquire skills and can get real badges at the DIY market. Parents are notified every time their child posts something on DIY. DIY offers a free trial; the subscription runs between $15-$25 per month. (Discounts are available for schools and groups of 5 or more.)
No. 8: BrainPop
BrainPop is a playful learning resource that supports core subjects and beyond. Kids in grades 3 and above can explore over 800 topics. Designed for young learners in grades K through 3, BrainPop Jr. offers over 250 simplified topics. Parents can choose from app-only access for just $5.99 per month or the new BrainPOP Family plan with personalized goal tracking for $9.92 per month. (For educators, BrainPop offers a consistent learning experience that can transition between home and the classroom, as well as powerful lesson-building tools. Curriculum subjects are divided into units or topics complete with standards, lessons, and quizzes.)
No. 9: Kids Discover
Kids Discover Online is an award-winning library of science and social studies material for grades 3 through 8. Features include progress tracking, read-alouds for kids who need extra support, and a visual Discover Map that helps children learn how to research and make connections. Kids Discover apps are curriculum focused, covering topics such as cells, ancient Greece, the Constitution, and space with engaging visuals and information. At-home pricing starts at $4.99 per month. (Educators can access 2,000 digital, standards-aligned lessons in science and social studies with a school or district membership.) Kids Discover also offers over 200 print titles.
No. 10: PBS Kids
PBS Kids features seemingly endless videos and games for early childhood and elementary students. Kids will delight in seeing their favorite characters as they explore apps that cover topics like engineering, life skills, reading, and more! Parents can check in for resources and tips on parenting and activities. The site is free to use; app prices vary. PBS also offers classroom-ready, digital resources for educators.