Best App for Preschool Learning: 8 Picks for Ages 2 to 8

Khan Academy Kids is free, with no ads and no subscription plan, and it covers children ages 2 to 8, from PreK through grade 2. The app includes more than 4,000 activities in math, English language arts, and executive function, and its lessons map to Common Core standards and the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework. The app works on iOS, Android, Amazon tablets and phones, and Chromebooks.

• One limit is that there is no web version for a child to use in a browser.
• Another limit is that learning is self paced with no live teacher, so a parent still needs to sit with a younger child and set a daily time limit.

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ABCmouse is a learning program for children ages 2 to 8, with separate Reading and Math Learning Paths and a library of more than 13,000 activities. Basic Access is free and gives limited daily access. Premium Access gives full access to the whole library, full Learning Paths, up to 3 child profiles, offline mode, and replay features.

• The monthly Premium plan is $14.99 a month, with a 30 day free trial for web signups, and the annual plan is $79.99 a year.
• The structure suits families who want a clear next step each day.
• A child follows a path and moves through levels in reading, math, science, and art.
• The trade-off is cost over a full year, since $14.99 a month totals $179.88 over 12 months, while the annual plan at $79.99 a year cuts that total by

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Lingokids is a play app for children ages 2 to 8, with games, songs, and videos in English, and no ads in the app. Basic is free, needs no card, and allows 10 activities a day, refreshed every 24 hours, with one child profile. Plus starts with a 7 day free trial, then costs $13.49 a month or $161.88 a year on the Lingokids website, with full access to more than 4,000 games, songs, and videos, offline play, up to 4 child profiles, and screen time limits.

• At $13.49 a month, 12 months cost $161.88, which is exactly the yearly price, so the yearly plan only saves money when an offer is running.
• Lingokids suits families who want short, playful English sessions and a firm daily limit.

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Starfall is a reading and math program from the Starfall Education Foundation, a nonprofit, with free content for learning to read and a membership for full access to more than 700 activities. A Home Membership is $35 a year and serves a single family household, including grandparents, for one year on computers and mobile devices. Teacher, Classroom, and School memberships cost $70, $195, and $355 a year.

• The Home Membership is the lowest cost full access price in this list, and it covers the whole household on one account rather than charging per child
• The trade-off is scope, since Starfall is strongest in phonics and early reading and less broad than ABCmouse or Lingokids.
• Buy the membership on the Starfall website rather than in the app, because the in app subscription is $5.99 a month, which totals $71.88 a year.

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Reading Eggs is a bundle of reading and math programs for ages 2 to 13, with a placement test that sets where a child starts. The Reading and Math plan is $13.99 a month, billed monthly, or $99.99 a year after a first year offer of $74.99, and it includes all reading and math programs for up to 4 children. A 2 year plan is $107.99 for 2 years, then $199.98 every 2 years.

• The monthly plan starts with 30 days free, and the subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the next billing date.
• The bundle suits a family with more than one child, because one plan covers up to 4 children and the age range runs well past preschool.
• Mathseeds adds math games and lessons to the same plan.
• The trade-off is that there is no free tier after the trial, so a family who only wants a few sessions a week may get more value from a free app.

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Endless Learning Academy is an early learning app from Originator for preschool, kindergarten, and grade 1, with activities in letters, words, numbers, and early reading. The App Store listing shows a monthly subscription at $7.99, with a 7 day free trial that gives full access to all activities and lessons before any charge. A limited version of the app is available even for non subscribers, and the subscription renews automatically unless auto renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.

• The app suits a younger child who likes character led word play and short, repeatable games, and it works as a focused reading starter rather than a f
• The trade-off is that the store shows several annual items at $24.99, $34.99, and $49.99, so check the item name and price at checkout.

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PBS Kids Games is free, with more than 280 curriculum based games for children ages 2 to 8, and more free games are also available on the PBS Kids website. The app includes games tied to Daniel Tiger, Wild Kratts, Lyla in the Loop, Weather Hunters, and Carl the Collector, and it is made by PBS. There is no subscription plan, no card, and no trial, and the app is available on Android and other devices, with a price of $0 in the store listing.

• The app suits a family who wants a safe, free set of games that a child already knows from television, and it works well as a second app beside a stru
• The trade-off is that there is no set learning path, no placement test, and no parent report that shows which skills a child has covered.

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Montessori Preschool is an early education app from Edoki Academy for children ages 3 to 7, designed by certified Montessori teachers. The app is free to download and includes limited access to selected activities, so a family can try the layout and a sample of the content before committing. The App Store listing shows a monthly subscription at $9.99 and an annual subscription at $69.99, with other annual items listed at $59.99 and $29.99 in different store views.

• The subscription renews automatically unless auto renew is turned off in account settings.
• The app covers literacy and numeracy through Montessori style activities, including letter tracing, number work, and early coding games.
• The trade-off is that most of the more than 1,000 activities are held for the subscription plan, so the free version is a sample rather than a full le

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