Preschoolers are not too young to start working on reading and math skills. Children who are exposed to letter and number activities might be more prepared for math and reading curriculum when they enter kindergarten. However, when using programs or apps designed to help preschoolers with early math and reading skills, parents will want to focus on apps that are engaging and fun.

Children learn through play, and many app designers understand that games can be a tool for helping children gain understanding. What are the best learning apps for preschoolers? Try these apps that focus on sight words, counting, phonics and more.

• ABC Kids

• Math Learning-Monster Games

• PBS KIDS Games

• Shapes & Colors Learning

• Sight Words Reading

• Coolmath

The Best Preschool Apps are Often Free

The choice of the best preschool apps really might depend on each child. Some apps resonate with a child, but others don’t hold their attention. The recommended apps are all free to download either via Google Play, the App Store or both.

The benefit of free apps is that they are free; parents can simply delete the app if the child doesn’t like it or use it. However, many free apps offer in-app purchases. This feature can allow children to purchase items in the game, and these purchases are charged to a parent’s account. The option to purchase items in-apps can be disabled; Business Insider offers an easy tutorial on how to opt-out of these purchases on either an Android or an Apple device.

Apps for Preschoolers: Math and Reading Apps Might be the Best Options

Parents might want to focus on apps that help their preschooler with math and reading, as these are two core subjects. Every app focuses on different skills and is designed differently, too. Again, many will be designed as games but most will feature interactive components to help keep younger children engaged in the lesson.

Not all children will be ready to learn to read as preschoolers; parents should take their time introducing concepts. A child who seems disinterested or gets frustrated with an app or lesson might find an app or the lesson to be too difficult. Again, not every app is ideal for every child, and children might learn at a different pace.

How to Find the Best Preschool Apps

There might be thousands of different learning apps available for download on Google Play and the App Store. When searching for apps for preschoolers, parents can focus on using keywords that help narrow down the options. For example, parents can search for “preschool reading apps” or “preschool math apps.”

Parents also can use keywords to narrow down results to find apps on specific lessons and skills. Search for “preschool addition apps,” “preschool subtraction apps,” “preschools sight words,” or even “preschool phonics.” Using focused keywords can help eliminate irrelevant options and save parents a little bit of time.

About the Recommended Preschool Apps

Some parents might not have the time to search for apps or try to find the best app. For parents who want a few recommendations, here are some choices for preschool apps focused on reading and math lessons and skills:

ABC Kids

ABC Kids is free to download via both Google Play and the App Store. This app features tracing games to help children learn their letters and help them with phonics skills. Use ABC Kids to help children learn their alphabet, master their letter identification skills and understand the sounds of each letter, too.

Math Learning – Monster Games

This game-based app is free to download via the App Store. It is suitable for children ages four and up. Children can select from a variety of math games focused on addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Younger children might focus on early addition and subtraction games.

PBS KIDS Games

PBS KIDS Games is free to download on both the App Store and Google Play. This is the game hub for PBS Kids and includes games that feature favorite characters from children’s shows. There are a variety of games focused on math, science, reading (or phonics) and more. Children will have fun playing and exploring them all.

Shapes & Colors Learning

This app is free to download via the App Store. It focuses on helping children learn shapes and colors; it’s recommended for children ages four and up.

Sight Words Learning Games & Flash Cards

Find this app for free on both Google Play and the App Store. Children will have fun learning sight words via a variety of game formats. It offers Sight Word Bingo, flashcards and more.

Coolmath

This is another app that’s free on both Google Play and the App Store. Coolmath is designed for all ages and offers math games at all grade levels. This app also might be used in schools, too. Parents can download Coolmath and explore the available options for their preschooler.

Download These Apps to Explore the World 

Some apps might be beneficial for children to use but they could be a bit more complicated; parents might need to help children use these apps. However, these science-focused apps can be a fun way for parents to explore the world with their child.

SkyView Lite

Available for free on both Google Play and the App Store, SkyView Lite is designed to encourage astronomical exploration. Use the camera of a smartphone or tablet to capture the sky, and the app will identify constellations and other celestial bodies. Parents can set their location, and the app will show the night sky in any real environment. This app is a great way to help young children learn about constellations, planets and more.

Seek

The app also is free to download on both platforms. The app uses the camera of a phone or tablet to capture any living thing in the environment. The app will identify what the user has captured with the camera. This is a great way to encourage children to learn about the world around them. Seek can identify plants, bugs and more. Parents should supervise when using this app so children stay safe.

Are There Reading Apps for Preschoolers?

Preschoolers who show an interest in learning to read also could use reading programs at home to begin their reading journey. Readability is designed for children in preschool through fifth grade, and the program can be used throughout elementary school.

Parents can set their child’s reading level on the program, but Readability also can identify the child’s appropriate base reading level level. As the child demonstrates mastery of both reading fluency and comprehension, they advance to higher reading levels.

Readability includes a built-in AI tutor that helps children during their reading lessons. Children read stories aloud in Readability, and the tutor is programmed with voice recognition software. This means that if a child has trouble pronouncing a word, the tutor understands the struggle and provides help.

At the end of each story, the tutor also asks the child questions about what they read. This is how the program measures comprehension. However, if a child answers a question incorrectly, the tutor will show the child a passage from the book that will help them answer the question. The tutor also reads the passage, and the child can try to answer the question again.

Readability also reads to children via the Storytime feature of the program. Preschoolers can enjoy Storytime in the car or anywhere. They also can follow along in the book as the program reads to them.

Parents who are interested in exploring Readability with their preschooler can sign up for a free seven-day trial period. During this free trial, children have access to all Readability’s features and can work with the AI tutor. Sign up for a free trial today.