Apps that Get Your Kids Excited to Learn

When it comes to language lessons for toddlers and kids, nothing beats one-on-one instruction from a trained native-speaker. Especially for younger children, one-on-one and small group instruction provides the direct feedback and brain-stimulating interaction necessary to keep their attention and ensure they master the basics while having fun.

Still, parents are constantly on the lookout for apps that can support them in enriching their child’s learning. Thankfully, in this age of virtual learning, a host of apps have popped up to enhance learning, entertain kids, and cultivate curiosity. We’ve reviewed four of these apps to help you get started.

Learn Spanish for Kids  

Free on iTunes, this app is designed to familiarize kids ages 1-4 with both English and Spanish. Carlos and Lucy, the app’s fearless leaders, take kids on a variety of adventures to introduce key vocabulary through lessons on shapes, colors, body parts, and more! Kids love the main characters, are excited to join in on the adventures, and walk (or crawl) away with a solid language introduction.

Duolingo: Learn Languages for Free

Available for free on iTunes and Android devices, this app has seen an incredible surge in popularity among adults over the past year. Now, more and more parents are introducing the fun to their kids with a version tailored specifically for younger learners. Teaching English, Portuguese, French, Italian, and German, Duolingo provides excellent scaffolding in lessons with cute, relatable characters that excite kids.

Babbel

Consistently rated highly by Wired and The New York Times, Babbel can guide your child through interactive lessons in up to thirteen languages. By far the most robust offering available, Babbel transforms learning into a fun adventure that prompts kids to WANT to keep at it until they achieve success.

Mind Snacks

Search “mind snacks” and the desired language on iTunes to download a free version of what Apple calls “one of the best educational apps of the year.” Designed to reinforce (rather than introduce) key vocabulary, Mind Snacks takes kids’ learning to the next level by focusing on word combinations, conjugations, gender, and other higher-level thinking skills.

Regardless of which you choose, second language apps can turn screen time guilt into excitement over the new skills your kids are learning daily. Better yet, these apps are an excellent way for kids to reinforce what they learn in their language classes, address any gaps in knowledge, and accelerate the language learning process.

And, of course, if you’ve stumbled across apps you love, we would love to hear about them!