The world of technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and there are so many new apps available for tweens to use. It can be hard to know which ones are safe, age-appropriate, and fun.
To help you navigate this world of technology, we’ve put together a list of the best apps for tweens. The apps on our list are carefully reviewed for safety, age-appropriateness, and creativity. We hope this information will be helpful to parents who have questions about what their tweens are doing online and help them decide if an app is right for their family.
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best apps for tweens
It can be challenging to keep kids appropriately occupied sometimes, especially when school is out. Today’s kids are spending a good chunk of their days on tablets, phones and other electronic devices and finding apps that provide kid-friendly, developmental content in bite-sizes pieces can be difficult. Using screen time to help supplement their education can be beneficial and fun, especially since many educational apps include games to make learning more exciting.
Our experts work together with our consumer panel to test the best children’s apps out there based on ease of use, engagement, price point and tech pitfalls. We’ve reviewed dozens of apps to bring you our favorites. These are the best of the best for engaging, entertaining and educational content to help support and aid gaps while keeping your kids entertained, whether they’re in pre-school or high school. Grab your charger (or portable battery) and download the best apps for kids in 2022:
Our top picks
- Best Overall Educational App for Kids: ABCmouse.com
- Best Educational App for All Ages: Khan Academy
- Best Educational App for Reading: Epic!
- Best Educational App for Kids in Preschool: Nick Jr.
- Best Educational App for Kids in Elementary School: Quick Math Jr.
- Best Educational App for Kids in High School: Duolingo
- Best Educational App for Kids Learning the Alphabet: Starfall ABCs
- Best Educational App for Multiple Kids: Homer Learn & Grow
- Best Educational Video App for Kids: Brainpop Jr. Movie of the Week
- Best Educational App for Coding Kids: Swift Playgrounds
- Best Educational App for Learning Piano: Simply Piano
Best Overall App for Kids: ABCmouse.com
ABC MOUSE
This pick is an overwhelming favorite among all of our testers. ABCmouse.com is available both as an app and a website. It uses fun storyline-based videos, quizzes, and activities — there’s even a virtual map outlining your child’s learning path to keep kids and toddlers engaged. Our parent testers said they loved ABCmouse.com even before we started testing the best apps for kids!
• Ages: 2-8
• Cost: One-month free trial, then $10/month subscription
• Get it for: iOS, Android, or on the Amazon App Stor
KHAN ACADEMY
Teachers, parents, and kids are all a fan of the Khan Academy app that features thousands of free resources on everything from early math to art history. From preschool to high school, children of all ages can enjoy and learn on this non-profit’s platform. All of its programming is entirely free, so you don’t have to worry about subscription fees. Parents of our testers say that the videos helped each kid learn at their own pace. For those with kids under 4, check out their child-friendly counterpart, Khan Academy Kids on iOS or Android, which features a lot of the great elements of the older app at an age appropriate level.
• Ages: 4+
• Cost: Free
• Get it for: iOS or AndroidAdvertisement – Continue Reading BelowBest Reading App for Kids: Epic!
EPIC!
Epic! is an app for kids with an e-book library that contains over 35,000 children’s books (and it includes a read-to-me feature for little ones who are still learning to read). One of our parent testers says it’s “a great app to have when the kids want screen time, but you don’t!” This app is a perfect way to take reading wherever your device goes, and it’s great for families with kids of various ages.
• Ages: 2-12
• Cost: one-month free trial, then $8/month
• Get it for: iOS or AndroidBest App for Kids in Preschool: Nick Jr.
NICK JR.
Nick Jr.’s app offers parents the chance to let their kids enjoy their favorite shows on the go — no TV required! The app has videos from all of Nick Jr.’s shows and a collection of games (both educational and not-so educational) based on Nick Jr. shows that feature your kids’ favorite characters.
To unlock some parts of the app, you’ll need to enter your cable provider’s information. Even without it, your kid will still be able to use the features they’ll be most excited about: full episodes and lots of games!
• Ages: 2-7
• Cost: free, some content requires cable provider information
• Get it for: iOS, Android, or on the Amazon App StoreAdvertisement – Continue Reading BelowBest App for Kids in Elementary School: Quick Math Jr.
QUICK MATH
Kids know that math can be boring, but this app transforms numbers into something more creative and interactive. Quick Math Jr. is an app for kids with 12 different math games that feature fundamental math skills and concepts. It has unique graphics and buildable characters to keep kids engaged, and all answers are handwritten or drawn on the screen so kids can also practice handwriting.
• Ages: 4-8
• Cost: Free
• Get it for: iOSBest App for Kids in High School: Duolingo
DUOLINGO
The Duolingo Owl (the app’s mascot and icon) has been popping up as a meme all over social media in recent months, so chances are your high schooler knows what Duolingo is. Encourage them to take it one step further and download the app so they can learn a different language.
They can practice through audio, word identification, and oral exercises for over 30 languages — it’s a great way for your child to keep their language-learning skills sharp over the summer. P.S.: Parents can use this app, too!
• Ages: 10+
• Cost: Free, optional ad-free Duolingo Plus is $6.99/month
• Get it for: iOS or AndroidAdvertisement – Continue Reading BelowBest App for Kids Learning the Alphabet: Starfall ABCs
STARFALL ABC
This app gives kids a fun, animated introduction to learning letters, vowels, and words. It also includes the sign language alphabet. If you upgrade to the paid version of Starfall ABCs, you’ll get some extra perks like lessons on math and social skills — but the free version is still pretty impressive!
• Ages: 2-5
• Cost: Free, option to upgrade for $35/year
• Get it for: iOS or AndroidBest App for Multiple Kids: Homer Learn & Grow
HOMER
Homer Learn & Grow is great for families with lots of littles, since you can add up to four kid profiles on your account and not have to worry about messing up your customization. Testers love how personalized the learning experience is — while onboarding, you’ll fill out a series of questions about your child’s task performance skills. They also enjoy the cool features like the “record your voice” option in phonics. Kids get to learn thoughtfully about numbers, letters and social skills. Note, the free trial can be difficult to cancel if you’re not interested in paying for the subscription.
• Ages: 2-8
• Cost: $7.99/month
• Get it for: iOS or AndroidAdvertisement – Continue Reading Belowhttps://c7f4e36b44598386dbedcb78b7a8a5af.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.htmlBest Video App for Kids: Brainpop Jr. Movie of the Week
BRAIN POP JR.
For 20 years, Brainpop has been providing kids all over the world with in-depth, yet easy to understand educational videos on everything ranging from Mozart to food allergies. Brainpop Jr. Movie of the Week is an app that gives younger kids access to these videos, plus short quizzes on them.
You’ll need a subscription to access to the full library of videos, but the free version still gets you the movie of the week, plus more free videos on internet safety, bullying and other subjects. Brainpop also has a version for older kids too!
• Ages: 6-9
• Cost: Free, optional subscription is $6.99/month
• Get it for: iOS, Android, or on the Amazon App StoreBest Kids’ App for Coding: Swift Playgrounds
SWIFT PLAYGROUND
Swift Playgrounds is an app for older kids (and adults!) that was created by Apple to introduce people to the coding language that app developers across the globe use. In the app, you can learn the basics of coding language through puzzles, targeted lessons and dynamic visuals. The app is gorgeous to look at and fun to play, but it works best on iPads.
• Ages: 9+
• Cost: Free
• Get it for: iOSAdvertisement – Continue Reading BelowBest App for Learning Piano: Simply Piano
SIMPLY PIANO
Whether you’re a novice pianist or someone who wants to brush up on lost skills, Simply Piano is a fun, interactive way to learn the piano. All of our testers found that the app helped them learn piano and found it to be a motivating, enjoyable way to learn to play. One tester lauded the program saying she “loved its accessibility and simplistic nature of the lessons.” Another noted her appreciation for the highly guided program, providing the discipline and accountability she needed.
• Ages: 4+
• Cost: Free week trial, $120/year
• Get it for: iOS or Android
best apps for 12 year olds 2021
You’ll find a wide variety here, excellent apps that appeal to a range of preteen interests, backgrounds, and even moods. This list has some interesting apps and games for tweens and preteens. With more younger kids using smartphones or smart devices, which brings us to this app list – our best apps for 10 to 12 year-olds, curated by a panel of experts.
Leo AR Education
Leo AR Education
Leo AR Education – 4 Star Certified App
Leo AR Education is one of the best app for 10 year olds. The app lets you add AR graphics, stickers, music, text and more to your videos from the comfort of home. Leo is easy to use, fun and one of the best augmented reality apps for kids on the market.
Age: 10+
Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad
ARC Maths
ARC Maths
ARC Maths – 5 Star Certified App
ARC Maths is an easy to use, student-friendly app that helps you remember all of the key skills you need to be successful at secondary Maths. Arc Maths app covers maths content taught between the ages 11-16 and includes all content within the GCSE syllabus across most exam boards. ARC Maths works closely with the user identifying gaps in mathematical knowledge resulting in a bespoke effective learning programme.
Age: 11+
Devices: iPhone, iPad
FunEasyLearn – Learn Languages
FunEasyLearn – Learn Languages
FunEasyLearn – Learn Languages – 5 Star Certified App
FunEasyLearn app was an interactive, language-learning app gradually guides the user through the study of a language – be it new or limited to a specific topic for focus. The variety of languages on offer is hugely impressive, ranging from Spanish, French, Italian, German, English, Chinese, up to 34 languages in total. The app is geared at regular interval learning, whereby little and often’ will reap the greatest rewards, with each language to be studied broken down into various, easy-to-navigate topics and sub topics.
Age: 10+
Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad
MentalUP Educational Games
MentalUP Educational Games
MentalUP Educational Games – 5 Star Certified App
MentalUP Educational Games are suitable for all children of any age, and also it is really fun for 10-12-year-old children. It contains dozens of games and different difficulty levels for each game. It’s among the learning games for 10-year-olds and improves visual recognition, and visual attention.
Age: 10+
Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad
codeSpark Academy
CodeSpark Academy
codeSpark Academy – 4 Star Certified App
With the STEM movement on the rise, kids have opportunities to learn new skills in fun ways. For example, CodeSpark Academy is a coding game app that teaches kids how to code. The app empowers young thinkers to become makers as kids learn to create their own stories and games.
Age: 10+
Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad
Marble Math
Marble Math
Marble Math – 5 Star Certified App
Marble Math makes practicing math fun for kids. Marble Math is one of the most fun, customizable, and effective math games available for older elementary school-age kids. Marble Math is an engaging, sticky way for kids to practice math skills. Marble Math gives kids who enjoy puzzle games an engaging and entertaining way to get the practice and repetition that they need to hone and sharpen their math skills.
Age: 10+
Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad
Words Master
Words Master
Words Master – 4 Star Certified App
Words Master is a fun learning game for 10-year-olds that encourages them to compete against themselves to get as high a score as is possible. Technically there is not limit to high a score that a user could get meaning that someone using the app could continually use it and keep improving on their best score. This word game helps children focus on sounds and letters, and develop skills they need for reading, writing, and spelling.
Age: 10+
Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad
Infinite Arcade
Infinite Arcade
Kids and tweens alike can create their own games in the Infinite Arcade by Tinybop. More than simple arcade fun, this game creator is a powerful learning tool because kids define problems, develop possible solutions, test the game, and then come back to make improvements.
Age: 10+
Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad
Photomath
Photomath
Photomath – 5 Star Certified App
Photomath is a resource that kids can use to solve mathematical problems. Photomath Camera Calculator uses augmented reality, which means that you can simply point your camera at any piece of paper with an equation or an arithmetic problem and it will find a solution.
Age: 11+
Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad
Piano Marvel – Piano Lessons
Piano Marvel – Piano Lessons
Piano Marvel – Piano Lessons – 5 Star Certified App
Piano Marvel helps students engage with and learn how to play the piano. There are video lessons on the app, that help teach you the basics of piano method and technique. There is an excellent library of music covering a wide repertoire in several genres. Each piece is categorised at a level – beginner, intermediate, advanced and professional with many pieces available in several levels of difficulty.
Age: 11+
Devices: iPad
Accomplish Reading
Accomplish Reading
Accomplish Reading – 5 Star Certified App
Accomplish Reading has been created to help tweens to improve their reading comprehension. After reading a number of sentences children are asked to agree or disagree as to whether the sentence makes sense. The whole point of the app and the process of re-reading is to teach children the importance of re-reading sentences to gain an understanding and improvement on reading comprehension. The app also provides personalised feedback and progress reports for each of the children on the app.
Age: 10+
Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad
Student Success
Student Success: wellbeing, learning, exam prep
Student Success – 5 Star Certified App
Parents and teachers should have an awareness of each learner’s mindset and how they are coping mentally. If your child or your student could use direction, guidance, and strategies for handling stress and anxiety, you should take a look at Student Success.
Age: 12+
Devices: Android
Ella Spanish Verbs Conjugation
Ella Spanish Verbs Conjugation
Ella Spanish Verbs Conjugation – 5 Star Certified App
Ella Spanish Verbs Conjugation is a language learning app that comprehensively enables learners to see, practise, interact with and, subsequently, understand a wide variety of verbs across all tenses and moods. The verbal content can be customised to complement the extent of the user’s understanding of Spanish verbs: by refining the tenses, moods, verb forms, and indeed the verbs to be studied themselves. It allows personalised quizzing and progress tracking as a means to facilitate and refine learning.
Age: 11+
Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad
National Geographic
National Geographic
National Geographic – 4 Star Certified App
National Geographic app dives deep into over 3,000 captivating videos, groundbreaking stories, and unlimited access to award-winning photography. For the first time, access to rich National Geographic content is available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices.
Age: 11+
Devices:iPhone, iPad
Dyslexia Gold
Dyslexia Gold
Dyslexia Gold – 5 Star Certified App
Dyslexia Gold improves reading fluency, speed and comprehension. It increases reading age by over 12 months. Their fun, effective & unique programs help children learn to improve: Reading with Engaging Eyes and Fluency Builder, master Spelling and Times Tables. The program is suitable for children aged 10-15. You can choose US or UK spelling and works on any PC or laptop with sound – Windows or Mac. Dyslexia Gold is used in over 250 schools and by thousands of parents.
Age: 10+
Devices: Web browsers, Windows, Mac
StudyGe – World map geography
StudyGe – World map geography
StudyGe – World map geography – 5 Star Certified App
Become a master at identifying countries on a map, matching capitals to countries, and identifying flags with StudyGE. With crystal-clear maps, excellent reporting features, and some reference content, Study GE is a superb tool to have in a Geography teacher’s app collection. Future expansions are expected too.
Age: 10+
Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad
Read More: Recommended list of apps for teens.
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