Mobile apps have become essential to children’s learning and development. While screen time can often come with concerns, many apps are designed to enhance educational experiences through interactive gameplay. This article explores the 20 best educational game apps for children, focusing on those suited for kids aged 5 to 8. These apps provide entertainment and foster creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
When choosing educational apps for children, it’s vital to consider their engagement level, educational value, and ability to promote social skills. The apps listed here excel in these areas, making them great choices for parents looking to support their children’s learning in fun and innovative ways.
Best Educational Game Apps for Kids Aged 5–8
1. Crazy Gears
Age: 5+
Crazy Gears is a captivating STEM-themed app designed to spark curiosity and introduce basic engineering concepts to young learners. Through a series of interactive puzzles, children manipulate gears, levers, and pulleys to achieve various goals. The intuitive design encourages experimentation, allowing kids to understand cause-and-effect relationships as they see how each gear movement influences the next. This hands-on experience promotes problem-solving skills and critical thinking as children learn to strategize and troubleshoot through challenges. Additionally, the app encourages offscreen connections by inspiring discussions about real-world mechanics and engineering principles, making it a perfect choice for parents seeking to enhance their child’s STEM education.
2. Kahoot! Algebra by DragonBox
Age: 5+
Kahoot! Algebra by DragonBox is an innovative app that transforms how children learn algebraic concepts. Using game-based learning principles, this app introduces fundamental mathematical ideas in an engaging format that feels like play rather than traditional studying. Kids solve equations through fun, interactive challenges, gaining confidence in their mathematical abilities. The visual and auditory elements cater to different learning styles, ensuring every child can grasp concepts effectively. This app lays a solid foundation for future mathematical skills by making math enjoyable and encouraging a love for learning that can last a lifetime.
3. Faces iMake – Right Brain Creativity
Age: 5+
Faces iMake fosters creativity and artistic expression by allowing children to create unique facial art from everyday objects. This app combines collage and digital art elements, enabling kids to explore visual-spatial skills and develop an eye for aesthetics. With a user-friendly interface, children can easily navigate various templates and tools, making it accessible for all skill levels. As they experiment with shapes, colors, and textures, kids enhance their artistic talents and learn about composition and design principles. This app encourages imaginative thinking, allowing children to see the beauty in the ordinary while inspiring them to create original artwork.
4. GoNoodle Games
Age: 5+
GoNoodle Games is an interactive platform that combines movement and learning, encouraging kids to get up and be active. Featuring various fun movement games, the app gets children jumping, dancing, and wiggling while they play. Each activity promotes physical fitness, coordination, and rhythm, helping kids enjoyably develop motor skills. The app also aligns with educational goals, integrating learning with exercise to create a balanced routine. GoNoodle Games is perfect for families looking to incorporate more physical activity into their children’s daily lives, making learning an active experience.
5. GoNoodle – Kids Videos
Age: 5+
Similar to GoNoodle Games, this app features a library of fun, kid-friendly movement videos designed to inspire children to get moving. With a wide range of content, including dance routines, exercise challenges, and mindfulness activities, GoNoodle encourages kids to engage in physical activity while having fun. The videos promote healthy habits and well-being, integrating movement into children’s daily routines. This app helps children develop a positive relationship with physical activity by making exercise entertaining and essential for lifelong health and fitness.
6. The Little Line
Age: 5+
The Little Line is a charming animated story app that revolves around themes of friendship and creativity. What sets this app apart is its unique feature that allows children to see their drawings come to life within the story. By incorporating their artwork into the narrative, kids engage with the content, develop storytelling skills, and boost their confidence in their artistic abilities. The app encourages children to express themselves through art while enhancing their narrative skills, making it a valuable tool for fostering creativity and imagination.
7. LOOPIMAL by YATATOY
Age: 5+
LOOPIMAL is an innovative app that introduces children to the world of music through interactive gameplay. Kids can create music by arranging sound sequences while interacting with adorable creatures. This app enhances cognitive skills and helps children understand musical concepts like rhythm and melody. With a focus on creativity and exploration, LOOPIMAL makes learning about music enjoyable and accessible, allowing kids to express themselves while developing a foundational understanding of music theory.
8. Marble Math Junior
Age: 5+
Marble Math Junior is a fun and engaging math app designed to help young learners develop their mathematical skills through playful challenges. The app presents various math problems in a game format, making it enjoyable for kids to practice addition, subtraction, and other foundational concepts. Children enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities as they navigate through colorful mazes and solve plities. Marble Math Junior effectively playfully reinforces math concepts, turning learning into an adventure.
9. Monkey Word School Adventure
Age: 5+
In this delightful app, children are guided by a playful monkey through six engaging early-reading games. Monkey Word School Adventure introduces kids to letters, sounds, and vocabulary in a fun and interactive way. Through colorful graphics and captivating gameplay, this app supports children as they embark on their reading journey, making it an excellent resource for developing literacy skills. The blend of education and play helps to cultivate a love for reading, setting a positive tone for lifelong learning.
10. Pango Build Park
Age: 5+
Pango Build Park is a creative app that empowers children to design and build custom theme parks. By allowing kids to use their imaginations, the app fosters creativity, planning, and problem-solving skills as they construct their dream amusement parks. This hands-on approach to learning encourages children to think critically and consider design principles, all while engaging in imaginative play. Pango Build Park nurtures artistic expression and introduces basic engineering concepts, making it a well-rounded educational tool.
11. Plum’s Creaturizer
Age: 5+
Plum’s Creaturizer encourages creativity by allowing kids to design unique creatures and capture images of them outdoors. This app promotes outdoor exploration and artistic expression, bridging the gap between digital and natural environments. Integrating art with nature inspires kids to engage with their surroundings while enhancing their creative skills. Plum’s Creaturizer provides a fun and innovative way for children to learn about the world around them while expressing their imagination.
12. PuppetMaster
Age: 5+
PuppetMaster is a delightful app that allows children to create puppets, craft stories, and engage in collaborative play. This app promotes storytelling, creativity, and teamwork, enabling kids to bring their ideas to life. Children enhance their communication skills and develop imaginative thinking as they create and animate their puppets. PuppetMaster is a fantastic platform for kids to explore their storytelling abilities while fostering social interaction and collaboration through shared play.
13. Superhero Comic Book Maker
Age: 5+
This engaging app invites kids to step into the world of comic creation, allowing them to design superhero comics with stunning graphics and audio. The Superhero Comic Book Maker fosters creativity and storytelling skills, encouraging children to express their ideas through art. As they learn the basics of comic creation, kids develop visual literacy and narrative skills, making this app a valuable tool for aspiring young artists and writers. It also promotes self-expression, as children can create narratives that reflect their interests and experiences.
14. Thinkrolls
Age: 5+
Thinkrolls is an adorable physics platformer designed to develop problem-solving skills in young learners. As children navigate through various levels, they encounter challenges that require understanding physics concepts like gravity, motion, and balance. The playful environment encourages critical thinking and creativity as kids experiment with different strategies to overcome obstacles. Thinkrolls combines fun gameplay with educational content, making it an engaging tool for enhancing logical reasoning and cognitive development.
15. Thinkrolls Play & Code
Age: 5+
Building on the success of its predecessor, Thinkrolls Play & Code introduces children to basic coding concepts through delightful puzzles and challenges. This app engages kids in logical thinking and problem-solving as they navigate mazes and code their characters’ movements. By blending coding with play, Thinkrolls Play & Code makes learning programming fundamentals accessible and enjoyable. The app fosters innovation and creativity, encouraging children to think critically and develop skills essential for the future.
16. Toca Hair Salon 4
Age: 5+
Toca Hair Salon 4 is a wildly creative app that invites children to explore their hairstyling skills. With various characters and customizable options, kids can cut, color, and style hair in imaginative ways. This app fosters creativity and self-expression, allowing children to experiment with different looks and techniques. Toca Hair Salon encourages imaginative play by providing an open-ended environment while subtly teaching kids about personal grooming and care. It’s a fun way to promote artistic expression and develop fine motor skills as children navigate various tools and techniques.
17. Zigazoo
Age: 5+
Zigazoo is a social media platform designed for kids, featuring creative challenges promoting learning and self-expression. Children can engage in various activities, from art projects to science experiments, and share their creations with friends in a safe environment. This app enhances creativity and social interaction while teaching children online safety and digital citizenship. Zigazoo’s focus on creativity and collaboration fosters community, encouraging kids to support one another as they explore their interests and talents.
18. Osmo Words
Age: 5+
Osmo Words combines physical letter tiles with digital gameplay to create an interactive word-building experience. Kids can use spelling challenges and vocabulary games to enhance their literacy skills. The app encourages cooperative play, allowing multiple children to participate and learn together. By blending physical and digital elements, Osmo Words makes learning to read and write engaging and fun. This hands-on approach to literacy promotes fine motor skills, critical thinking, and teamwork, making it an invaluable resource for early readers.
19. Barefoot World Atlas
Age: 6+
Barefoot World Atlas is a beautifully designed app that takes children on a virtual journey around the globe. Kids can explore various cultures, geography, and wildlife from different regions with rich illustrations and engaging content. The app fosters curiosity and an appreciation for diversity, encouraging children to learn about the world beyond their immediate surroundings. By integrating fun facts, quizzes, and interactive maps, Barefoot World Atlas nurtures global awareness and critical thinking skills, making it an excellent educational tool for young explorers.
20. MathTango
Age: 6+
MathTango offers a fun and engaging way for children to practice essential math skills through playful challenges and adventures. Featuring adorable monster characters, kids can dance their way through math exercises, practicing addition, subtraction, and other concepts. The game-like format motivates children to complete levels and achieve goals, making math practice feel less like work and more like play. MathTango’s interactive and entertaining approach enhances children’s math fluency and boosts their confidence, fostering a positive attitude toward mathematics.
Maximizing Learning with the 20 Best Educational Game Apps for Kids
Choosing the right educational apps for children can significantly enhance their learning experience while keeping them entertained. The 20 best educational game apps listed above are designed for kids aged 5 to 8, offering various learning opportunities across multiple subjects. These apps promote essential skills such as math, reading, and creativity and encourage physical activity and social interaction.
As parents, it’s crucial to monitor app usage and engage with children during their gameplay to foster a healthy digital environment. By selecting high-quality educational apps, you can ensure that your child’s screen time is enjoyable and beneficial to their growth and development. With the right tools, children can learn essential skills while having fun, setting the stage for a lifelong love of learning.
