Best Apps for Kids Education in 2026

Khan Academy Kids is our pick for most families with young children. It is completely free, with no ads and no in-app purchases, which removes the two worries parents mention most about kids apps. The content covers early reading, math, writing, social skills and creative play, and an adaptive path moves the child through activities at a suitable level.

The limit is age. Children around eight will outgrow the app and need the main Khan Academy app or a reading library such as Epic. The parent dashboard shows progress, but it is simpler than a paid curriculum tracker. For a preschool or early primary child, Khan Academy Kids gives the best free coverage in one place, and it pairs well with a library app for reading volume.

ABCmouse suits families who want a clear curriculum rather than a set of separate games. Its learning path moves a child step by step through reading, math, science, art and music, with activities, books and songs at each stage. Parents can see progress along the path, which helps for homeschooling or for supporting school work at home.

The cost is the main drawback, at about fourteen dollars and ninety-nine cents per month or forty-five dollars per year on the website, with prices varying by platform. Some children also find the structured path less playful than Khan Academy Kids or PBS Kids Games. We would pick ABCmouse when a family wants structure and is happy to pay for it, and Khan Academy Kids when free and flexible matters more.

Duolingo ABC is a focused, free reading app for children learning letters, sounds and first words. Lessons are short and game-like, with tracing, letter sounds and simple stories, and the app is free with no ads and no in-app purchases. That focus makes it easy to fit into a ten-minute daily routine, such as before school or after reading time.

The narrow focus is also its limit. Duolingo ABC does not teach math, science or wider subjects, so it works best alongside Khan Academy Kids or ABCmouse rather than alone. Older children will outgrow it once they read fluently. We would pick Duolingo ABC for a child in the early reading stage who needs phonics practice in short, regular sessions.

PBS Kids Games is the best free option for children who already love PBS characters. Games feature characters from shows children know, and they cover math, reading, science, art and social skills in short, playful sessions. Because it is free and needs no subscription, it is an easy second app for a family that already uses Khan Academy Kids.

Depth varies by game, and there is no single curriculum path that moves a child from one skill to the next. Parents looking for tracking or a structured plan will need another app alongside it. We would pick PBS Kids Games for free, character-led play that still teaches, and for families who want a safe app children can open without purchase prompts.

Epic is a digital library, not a lesson app, and that distinction is its strength. It offers thousands of children's books, read-to-me books and audiobooks, with offline downloads and profiles for up to four children. A child who reads widely builds vocabulary and fluency faster than a child who only does short exercises, and Epic makes that volume easy at home or on a trip.

Epic does not teach math, science or coding, so it complements rather than replaces a learning app. The subscription costs about thirteen dollars and ninety-nine cents per month or eighty-four dollars and ninety-nine cents per year, with prices varying by platform. We would pick Epic for a child who already reads and needs more books, and pair it with Prodigy Math or Khan Academy Kids for other subjects.

Prodigy Math turns math practice into a role-playing game, where answering questions correctly helps a character battle, explore and earn rewards. That game layer motivates children who resist worksheets, and the questions adapt to the child level, so practice stays challenging without becoming frustrating. A free parent account tracks progress and skill areas.

The game layer is also a risk. Membership prompts and in-game extras can distract, and some children focus on the game more than the math. Parents should set expectations before the first session and check the parent dashboard regularly. We would pick Prodigy Math for a school-age child who needs more math practice and responds well to games, and we would keep sessions timed.

Starfall has taught early reading for many years, and its phonics-first approach still works well for young learners. It offers letter sounds, word practice, simple stories and basic math, in a calm design without the heavy game layers found in newer apps. Teachers and special education settings have used it for a long time, which speaks to its clarity for children who need a slower, more predictable pace.

The design feels older than Khan Academy Kids or Duolingo ABC, and some content sits behind a paid membership. Math coverage is also basic, so Starfall works best as a reading support app rather than a full curriculum. We would pick Starfall for a young child who needs steady phonics practice, especially if flashy game rewards distract rather than help.

ScratchJr introduces coding to children aged five to seven through colourful blocks that snap together to move characters, add sounds and tell stories. It is free, with no purchases, and it runs on a tablet without needing an account for basic use. Unlike a quiz app, ScratchJr asks children to create, which builds sequencing, problem solving and storytelling at the same time.

The age range is narrow, and older children will want Scratch or Tynker instead. Projects stay on the device unless shared with care, so a parent should help with saving and sharing. We would pick ScratchJr as a first coding app for a young child, used in short sessions with a parent nearby to talk through what each block does.