educational apps | Thankfully Home

I am not a huge fan of “screen time.” I really don’t advocate for allowing, or worse, encouraging kids to spend lots and lots of time in front of the TV or computer screen. However, let’s be honest, there are times when, especially if you have more than one child, you need to provide a distraction and all of your best intentions fly right out of the window. For those times, why not make it as educational as it is fun?

Here, I am going to focus on some really neat apps that we have stumbled upon that provide as much opportunity for learning as they do entertainment. Best of all, every one of these apps is free! (Some have in-app purchases, so you may want to make sure your device is in airplane mode when your kids are using them.)

Toontastic is by far our family’s favorite. Kids get to create characters, design a setting, provide voices and sound effects, and add animation to create their own cartoons! The app also walks users through the elements of a story, so kids learn about plot, rising action, conflict resolution, and denouement. My kids fight over the i-Pad to get to this one!
TeleStory was created by the same developers as Toontastic. It allows kids to write, direct and star in their own TV show!
Block Craft 3D is a lot like Minecraft. It allows kids to create, build, and grow their own villages. My kids are huge fans of Minecraft, but when we are on the go and don’t have internet, this app is a great substitute.
NGA Kids Art Zone is a great place for kids to learn about famous works of art while interacting with each piece. They even get a chance to create their own artwork.
Poems by Heart by Penguin Classics is a great app for learning and memorizing famous poems.
The POETRY app from the Poetry Foundation is also a fun way to learn about and read poetry. Kids can use the spinner to read random selections or choose their own feelings and topics to generate a related list of poems.
Hooked on Words is a word search app where the kids get to work on a little spelling. My 8-year-old daughter loves this one!
MoMA Art Lab is another great art site where kids get to work on really interesting art projects. Another one of my daughter’s favorites!
Sky View is a great app for exploring the universe. Simply hold the tablet up, down, or anywhere and it will show and tell you what is in the sky. From constellations, planets, satellites, and space stations, the kids will enjoy seeing what’s out there!
Blackfish is another really neat story and game creator. It’s a great way for kids to use their creativity to write, illustrate, set to music, and publish their own books.