Top education apps for the holidays
This Holiday, children need a break from the structure of school, but subtle learning can continue with these apps, says Sebastien Breteau
Children have a natural curiosity to explore, so learning through play can be highly engaging and effective for children. When playing, a child is an active learner and can acquire both social and intellectual skills.
The recent explosion of educational apps available for children to play with on tablet computers is transforming education in schools and at home. When using apps, children are in control, they can experiment, learn from their mistakes, and progress at their own speed.
Through our work with children and teachers both in the UK and in developing countries, we are seeing very positive results from children learning through play with educational apps in the areas of numeracy, literacy, critical thinking and creativity. These results are independent of nationality, ability and household income.
Over the holidays, children need a break from the structure of classroom learning with self-directed play, reconnecting with siblings, friends and family. It’s important not to spend all day on devices, particularly at this time of the year, but I believe a lot can be learned with well-selected apps.
A child’s opportunities to learn in their pre-school years has a significant impact on their success in primary school and thereafter. Apps like Montessori Crosswords (iPhone) build an early foundation of literacy for the under-fives, with animations and sounds specially suited to young children, to develop their reading, writing and spelling.
Learning at a pace that is right for them is so important for children at primary-school level and there are many apps that allow them to do this, including Montessori 1st Operations (Android/ iPhone). It offers a clear and simple approach to maths - with added monsters - that adapts to a child’s progress.
Slice Fractions (Android/ iPhone) is another app that makes maths fun for primary school children, as they help a cartoon mammoth make its way through ice and lava by solving fractions.
Built on a strong pedagogical foundation, Slice Fractions enables a deeper understanding of fractions as children explore and play to learn.
It is not only specific skills that apps can develop but those that are broad and transferable as well. Logic and creativity will serve children well throughout their education, and Pettson’s Inventions Deluxe (Android/ iPhone) suits all ages, with the options of challenging a friend or competing against the clock to complete clever inventions.
If you have more than just the little ones to entertain over Christmas then introduce the whole family to the Little Things app (Android/ iPhone) - a seek and find puzzle-solving game with lively music and graphics.
The doctors of the future will be left spell-bound by Tinybop’s Human Body app (Android/ iPone), which is an animated and interactive working model of the body. Children will enjoy seeing the results of feeding, tickling and poking the body.
One skill that will be in the limelight for years to come is coding. In September, a new curriculum introduced it to all children from the age of five in England and, earlier this month, schools all around the world took part in the Hour of Code, an online event teaching the basics of coding.
There are a number of apps to help children gain an understanding of coding, including The Foos (Android/ iPhone), which helps them learn core computer science concepts by programming cute characters in a virtual world.
Technology will be fundamental to how children study and socialise in their teenage years and how they work in adult life. But now it should be enjoyed for the fun that it offers and its potential to excite and inspire young minds.
Slice Fractions (Android/ iPhone) is another app that makes maths fun for primary school children, as they help a cartoon mammoth make its way through ice and lava by solving fractions.
Built on a strong pedagogical foundation, Slice Fractions enables a deeper understanding of fractions as children explore and play to learn.
It is not only specific skills that apps can develop but those that are broad and transferable as well. Logic and creativity will serve children well throughout their education, and Pettson’s Inventions Deluxe (Android/ iPhone) suits all ages, with the options of challenging a friend or competing against the clock to complete clever inventions.
If you have more than just the little ones to entertain over Christmas then introduce the whole family to the Little Things app (Android/ iPhone) - a seek and find puzzle-solving game with lively music and graphics.
The doctors of the future will be left spell-bound by Tinybop’s Human Body app (Android/ iPone), which is an animated and interactive working model of the body. Children will enjoy seeing the results of feeding, tickling and poking the body.
One skill that will be in the limelight for years to come is coding. In September, a new curriculum introduced it to all children from the age of five in England and, earlier this month, schools all around the world took part in the Hour of Code, an online event teaching the basics of coding.
There are a number of apps to help children gain an understanding of coding, including The Foos (Android/ iPhone), which helps them learn core computer science concepts by programming cute characters in a virtual world.
Technology will be fundamental to how children study and socialise in their teenage years and how they work in adult life. But now it should be enjoyed for the fun that it offers and its potential to excite and inspire young minds.
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