Looking for ways to keep kids entertained AND prevent summer slide? Educational apps are the best of both worlds! Huge thanks to Caroline of Culture Coverage for putting this list together! Check out her post below for five great educational apps to occupy the kids this summer!
Educational Apps to Prevent Summer Slide in Kids
Kids get to have all the fun sometimes. Now that it’s summer break, they’re free from the bonds of school for several months and you’re stuck figuring out what to do! Thanks to Pretty Opinionated for featuring our article to help add some ideas to the pot. For something a little more adventurous, check out her post about setting up your own home waterpark.
School’s out for summer. Yet school’s not out forever, and it’s not really out for mom and dad either. That means your young ones need something to do during the day if they’re not at camp, Scouts, or visiting Grandma. They’re likely going to be spending a good chunk of their time at home with someone you trust.
Once upon a time, the solution was to pop them in front of the TV. Maybe if you were lucky PBS had something good on or there was an appropriate show they could watch. Cartoons felt like a healthy choice, but they’re mostly just mind candy.
Video games are interactive, but they’re not always as educational as you’d like. Unless your kids are playing some really thorough and interactive games (and they do exist), it’s probably just a distraction. So what about apps? As it turns out, there are quite a few very useful apps that can help educate the kids and keep them busy for a while.
Reading Rainbow
I’ll admit that I’m a sucker for the old classics that have reinvented themselves to be relevant in today’s world. Reading Rainbow is one such thing that has continued to be a truly great resource for kids by encouraging them to read and expand their minds. Just like in the old days, Reading Rainbow returns to both suggest books and bring them to life.
The Reading Rainbow Skybrary features books to read as well as interactive videos to help keep the kids drawn in if they aren’t fully onboard the reading train just yet. Even if they are, it can still be nice to have something to break up the monotony.
As you might expect, Reading Rainbow is focused on a younger audience and probably won’t be as appealing to middle or high schoolers (and by that point, it is probably not best to force reading upon them).
Incredible Numbers
Since we did something for the younger kids, we should have an app for the slightly older ones. As much pain as numbers can cause our children as they progress through school, why not take a different approach to them by having them play with a map that actually shows real world applications of numbers?
Incredible Numbers does this by explaining the origin of things such as Pi and how codes are broken. It’s presented in a largely visual format instead of just a bunch of formulas and dry digits. This app is one way to connect your kids to the applications of the things they’re starting to learn.
Since the concepts are a little bit next level, it probably isn’t a good choice for children in elementary school or below unless you just want to show off some cool stuff yourself. Of course, if you feel your kids are ready, try it out!
iBiome-Wetland
Here’s another good one for the younger children (around 10). This app lets kids learn about the ecosystem and how introducing animals or plants can have beneficial and negative effects. From as early as the first grade, they’re learning about the food web and how different organisms interact.
The app gives them a chance to be the master of a biome of their own to see just how big of an impact subtle changes can have. Here, they can control who and what lives in a specific area and ultimately figure out how to balance plant and animal life. Due to how interactive this “game” is, it’s sure to keep them busy for a while.
The app should be striking for the young ones, but by the time they hit middle school it may not hold their attention for so long.
Monster Physics
As much fun as it can be, physics felt really painful in school because of all the numbers. This app doesn’t have that problem because it focuses on all the cool stuff about physics. Monster Physics pits the player against a series of challenges that need to be solved by building different things such as rockets, cars or any number of different inventions.
It has a slightly goofy look to it, but that helps hide the fact that the user is solving real world physics problems, thus taking away some potential anxiety. As you might have already guessed, the best part of this app is being able to take part in it without getting too bored. You can actually play it with your kids and have fun together.
Considering it involves physics, this app is probably better put to use with older kids. Yet since you might also enjoy it, it can easily become a game you play with your younger kids.
The NASA App
NASA has definitely fallen on hard times as far their budget is concerned. That problem is not shared by their interactive app. It allows users to check out what NASA is currently up to. It also lets you share what’s going on with others (which you may or may not be okay with depending on how old your kids are).
Your kids will be able to see the latest images and stories about NASA and will have the opportunity to browse the Earth and stars at their leisure. There’s a ton of information about current missions, but I think the best parts of NASA’s app are the visual elements and the explanations that go along with each item.
Like most apps, it offers real insight into the world around us and helps connect kids to something more than just words or numbers written on a screen. The best use of any form of education is to get the kids thinking outside of the narrow box that society creates. That way they can be better prepared for the real world.
A Virtual Private Network
I wanted to include a final app that is not for educational purposes, but more for keeping your kids and devices safe while they learn. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service you can put on your devices that will protect them from being watched or compromised by the bad guys online. It’s a bit beyond the scope of the article, but if you’re interested, there’s a good explanation written by Secure Thoughts on VPNs. Whatever you do, just make sure that you’re staying safe while you’re online.
Are there any other apps that you’d like to share with your fellow readers that would be great for kids? Do you use any of the ones listed above? Please leave a comment below and tell us what you think!
About the Author: Caroline loves to see kids reading and engaged; something technology only rarely accomplishes on a high level. As a blogger for http://www.culturecoverage.com, she shares tips about internet safety and entertainment on a regular basis. She hopes that you manage to get some good recommendations from this piece!
I bet the NASA app will be really exciting this summer, especially with the Juno taking picts of Jupiter. These are great recommendations for keeping kids entertained and educated all summer long.
I love educational apps. You really can’t deny that this generation is all about technology and instead of stopping them from using their gadgets we might as well just use it a tool for learning!
These sound like wonderful apps. I’d definitely have to try Reading Rainbow since the show is such a favorite of mine.
Ohh NASA was sound a great apps. It’s perfect to my kids for summer
I love educational apps. My son has a Kindle fire. I will have to see if I can find these apps for him. He is going into kindergarten this school year.
Those sound like some great apps. I need to check them all out. Reading Rainbow sounds like one that they would really enjoy too.
I will have to add some of these apps to see if the kids like them. My youngest really enjoys a Disney puzzle app that I added and it helps to teach him patience along with matching.
My daughter is obsessed with the NASA app. She thinks it is so cool, and I love it because she is learning a lot from it.
What a great list of apps! I will have to check these out for my daughter!!
I super love these apps! I need it because my son is still not going to school but we do restrictions on handling gadgets to him.
The NASA apps will be a great one for my son. He loves exploring and he also loves watching from his tablet.
With summer around, it is always great fun for kids anytime, but it is best to use it for some learning purpose as well. With technology being at its best, educational apps are good idea to keep them busy with some quality education anytime.
Great apps! My son would love the NASA app. I need to check it out.
Great list. Thanks for sharing. Will download some of them for my kids!
I found it very informative. Educational apps are really useful for everyone.
Thanks for great list of apps on this topic.
Very Great Apps!
Plate apple iphone Application
Sharing your moments just got a great deal more fun! With Plate, share any thoughts, pics, and videos, due to the fact in 24 hours, it all disappears. Forever! Plate a photo, your friends will see it, they can like it and comment on it, also, the conversation goes from there. Tomorrow your Plate will be gone along with any conversation about it. When words simply aren’t enough, express what you really feel really by commenting that has a photo or online video too! Privacy an issue? Not to worry! Whatever you decide to Plate can only be seen by those that you choose to allow for around the very first location. A lot can happen in 24 hours, so really don’t miss out!
Frequency iOS Application
Frequency was selected by Apple as an editors choice award. Frequency is the most efficient way to watch internet online video from your favorite resources. This award-winning online video application finds and organizes the newest videos from all your favorite publishers across the internet into streaming online video channels – just for you.
Instead of going to all your favorite internet websites, social networking sites, blogs and applications to watch videos, you possibly can watch videos from all your favorite via internet resources across dozens of categories: news, comedy, entertainment, food, fashion, health, movies, music, politics, sports, technologies and a lot further. You can easlily also make your unique channel dependant upon any person or topic on iPad.
Dwelo iOS & Android Applications
With the Dwelo application, residents can control their apartment from everywhere. Cool your home on your way again from do the job. Check the door lock despite the fact that you’re on vacation. Turn the light off without leaving your bed.
Or do nothing in any respect. Dwelo apartments are automated. The Dwelo application can perception when you’ve left: the lights go off, the thermostat adjusts to an efficient setting, as well as the door locks – just in case you forgot!
Is your apartment previously Dwelo-enabled? Download the application! Not yet? Visit getdwelo.com and learn how your landlord can get Dwelo in your setting up.
Dufl iOS & Android Applications
DUFL is surely an premium travel service- a personal valet that simplifies internet business travel by cleaning, storing, and shipping your corporation attire to your specified destination.
DUFL stores your clothing inside of your personal DUFL closet, and permits you to definitely pack virtually by selecting your clothing items from in just the application. Once you’ve scheduled your trip, you’ll travel – bag totally free, and your freshly cleaned and neatly packed clothing will meet you at your specified destination. When you’re willing to head home, schedule a pick up from the hotel and we’ll clean your clothes and have them waiting inside your virtual closet, completely ready in your next trip!
Clients
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When a child asks for a phone, it is important to give him some useful content. I find this a very useful list of applications. In the future, I also want to create a useful app for kids. The eldest son develops programs, so I think he will help me