The 50 best mastery-based apps for PreK-12th grades
We polled over 200k families from parent groups around the world to ask them educational apps their kids love, we then vetted them for scientific accuracy and pedagogical approach - and tested them with our group of 30 Modulo learners (PreK-12th grade)
In our quest for high quality educational apps, we were specifically looking for mastery-based apps that made learning fun and engaging. The very best apps went a step further by personalizing the experience for each student (the app learns about the child’s learning style and preferences as they play and customizes the experience as it goes) Another factor we were looking for is that these apps were ones that children could do independently while parents were working (after their parents had downloaded the app and helped them get get oriented).
Here are our 50 favorites. And there is something great here for every age. We’ve categorized them by subject (and list grade level after every app) There are not as many apps specifically focused on science or creative writing, but the apps in the “complete curriculum” or “language arts” categories cover these subjects.
We have a special category devoted to self-directed learning. Many of the most important skills for children to learn are not necessarily taught in school (critical thinking, autonomy and creativity to name a few). We hope you will enjoy exploring this category as well.
And without further ado, here are our 50 favorite apps. We recommend trying a few out with your student, seeing how they respond and then building a few into your daily repertory. Apps are supposed to be fun and nurture a love of learning, so there’s no reason to force your child to do an app they don’t love.
This lis is constantly growing as parents and teachers send us more great suggestions. If you have an app you think is missing from this list, please let us know!
Coding
CodeSpark Academy https://codespark.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/codespark-academy-kids-coding/id923441570 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.codespark.thefoos Grades: All
Scratch Jr https://www.scratchjr.org/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/scratchjr/id895485086?ls=1 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.scratchjr.android Grades: All
Complete curriculum
IXL https://www.ixl.com/apps https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ixl-math-practice/id693689912 Grades: All
Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/khan-academy-learn-math-biology/id469863705 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.khanacademy.android Grades: All
ABC Mouse https://www.abcmouse.com/abt/homepage https://apps.apple.com/us/app/abcmouse-com/id586328581 Grades: PreK-2nd
Khan Academy Kids https://learn.khanacademy.org/khan-academy-kids/ https://learn.khanacademy.org/khan-academy-kids/clkg/https/itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1378467217?pt=698519&ct=landingpage&mt=8 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.khankids.android Grades: PreK-2nd (MODULO FAVORITE)***
BrainPop and Brain Pop Jr https://www.brainpop.com/about/apps/ https://apps.apple.com/us/developer/brainpop/id364894355 https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=BrainPOP&hl=en_US Grades: PreK-8th grade (MODULO FAVORITE)***
Adventure Academy https://www.adventureacademy.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/adventure-academy/id1380452295 Grades: 2nd-8th
Foreign Language
Duolingo https://www.duolingo.com/ https://apps.apple.com/app/duolingo-learn-spanish-french/id570060128 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.duolingo&hl=en_US Grades: All
Gus on the Go https://www.gusonthego.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/developer/toojuice/id396747437 https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=toojuice,+LLC Grades: PreK-1st
Geography
Stack the Countries https://dan-russell-pinson.com/category/games/stack-the-countries/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/stack-the-countries/id407838198 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.freecloud.StackTheCountries&hl=en_US Grades: 2nd- Grownup
Stack the States https://dan-russell-pinson.com/category/games/stack-the-states-2/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/stack-the-states/id381342267 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.freecloud.StackTheStates Grades: 2nd- Grownup
Grammar
Madlibs https://www.madlibs.com/apps/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mad-libs/id326885152 Grades: All
Handwriting
L’Escapadou Writing Wizard https://lescapadou.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/developer/lescapadou/id367460664 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lescapadou.cursivefree&pcampaignid=MKT-Other-global-all-co-prtnr-py-PartBadge-Mar2515-1 Grades: PreK-2nd
How to read (early literacy)
Read Along https://readalong.google/ https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.seekh Grades: PreK-1st
Teach Your Monster to Read https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/ https://apps.apple.com/app/teach-your-monster-to-read-phonics-and-reading/id828392046 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teachyourmonstertoread.tmapp Grades: PreK-1st
Fast Phonics https://readingeggs.com/fast-phonics-games/ https://apps.apple.com/us/developer/blake-elearning/id530378341 https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Blake+eLearning+Pty+Ltd Grades: PreK-1st
Homer https://learnwithhomer.com/w-105-010/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app-bundle/homer-reading-stories/id1446799970 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.learnwithhomer.webapp&hl=en_US Grades: PreK-2nd
Reading Eggs https://readingeggs.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reading-eggs-learn-to-read/id726696040 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blake.readingeggs.android Grades: Prek-6th
Duo Lingo ABC https://apps.apple.com/us/app/duolingo-abc-learn-to-read/id1440502568 not available Grades: Preschool
22L's sight words game https://22learn.com/app/4/sight-words.html https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sight-words-games-flash-cards/id530809322 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cz.cfc.androidgp.sightwords Grades: PreK-1st
Language Arts
Dreamscape Squiggle Park https://www.squigglepark.com/dreamscape/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/squiggle-park-dreamscape/id1435417296?ls=1 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.SquigglePark.DreamScape Grades: PreK-2nd
Get Epic https://www.getepic.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/epic-books-for-kids/id719219382 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.getepic.Epic Grades: PreK-5th (MODULO FAVORITE)***
Starfall https://www.starfall.com/h/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/starfall-free/id707189889 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.starfall.more&hl=en_US Grades: K-3rd
Dragon Box Apps https://dragonbox.com/products https://itunes.apple.com/app-bundle/db-complete-math-pack/id1439041986?mt=8 https://play.google.com/store/apps/dev?id=8158527847106528812 Grades: All
Math
Math Seeds https://mathseeds.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/developer/blake-elearning/id530378341 Grades: PreK-3rd
Math Tango https://www.originatorkids.com/?p=1008 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1234698308?ign-mpt=uo%3D4 not available Grades: K-4th (MODULO FAVORITE)***
Slice fractions https://ululab.com/slice-fractions/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/slice-fractions/id794730213 https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Ululab Grades: K-5th
Prodigy https://www.prodigygame.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/prodigy-kids-math-game/id950795722 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.prodigygame.prodigy&hl=en_US Grades: K-8th
Fruit Ninja Academy https://academy.fruitninja.com/ https://apps.apple.com/app/fruit-ninja-academy-math-master/id914394279?ign-mpt=uo%3D6 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XBK1P78/ref=mas_dl Grades: 1st
Music
Rhythm Cat https://melodycats.com/rhythm-cat/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/rhythm-cat-hd/id583711348 https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=LMuse+Limited Grades: All
Movement
Go Noodle https://family.gonoodle.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gonoodle-kids-videos/id1050712293 Grades: K-5th
Endless Alphabet https://www.originatorkids.com/?p=564 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/endless-alphabet/id591626572 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.originatorkids.EndlessAlphabet&hl=en_US Grades: Preschool
Preschool
Epic Games https://www.amazon.com/s?i=mobile-apps&rh=p_4%3AEpicGames&search-type=ss Grades: Preschool
Monkey Preschool Lunchbox http://monkeypreschool.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/monkey-preschool-lunchbox/id328205875 Grades: Preschool
Sesame Street https://www.sesamestreet.org/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sesame-street/id912435108 https://play.google.com/store/apps/dev?id=7850090303831496329&hl=en_US Grades: Preschool
Kiddopia https://kiddopia.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kiddopia-abc-toddler-games/id1223397201 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.paperboatapps.google.kiddopia Grades: Preschool
Reading for dyslexic students
Nessy https://www.nessy.com/us/apps/ https://apps.apple.com/us/developer/nessy-learning-limited/id410276291 https://play.google.com/store/apps/dev?id=6265313553831027907 Grades: K-10th grade
Science
Skyview https://www.terminaleleven.com/skyview/iphone/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/skyview/id404990064 https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Terminal+Eleven Grades: All
Tiny Bop Apps https://tinybop.com/apps/the-human-body https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id682046579 Grades: All
Elements App https://www.touchpress.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-elements-by-theodore-gray/id364147847 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.max.Elements&hl=en_US Grades: All
Play and Learn Science (PBS) https://pbskids.org/apps/play-and-learn-science-.html https://apps.apple.com/us/app/play-and-learn-science/id1300256105 https://play.google.com/store/apps/dev?id=8332149447945516079 Grades: PreK-2nd
Wildkratts https://www.wildkratts.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wild-kratts-world-adventure/id844517266 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.pbskids.wkwa Grades: PreK-2nd
Tappity App https://www.tappityapp.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tappity-interactive-stories/id1265019371?ls=1 not available Grades: Prek-4th
Self-directed learning, critical thinking, creativity, social studies and other 21st century skills
Kahoot https://kahoot.com/ https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1131203560 https://play.google.com/store/apps/dev?id=5643238107618943124 Grades: All
Youtube kids https://youtube.com/kids/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/youtube-kids/id936971630 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.youtube.kids Grades: All
Tocaboca https://www.terminaleleven.com/skyview/iphone/ https://apps.apple.com/us/developer/toca-boca-ab/id419103351 https://apps.apple.com/us/developer/toca-boca-ab/id419103351 Grades: All (MODULO FAVORITE)***
PBS Kids apps and games https://pbskids.org/apps/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pbs-kids-games/id1050773989 https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=PBS+KIDS Grades: PreK-2nd
PBS kids videos https://pbskids.org/video/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pbs-kids-video/id435138734 Grades: PreK-2nd
Minecraft https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/minecraft/id479516143 Grades: 2nd- Grownup
Curiosity Stream https://curiositystream.com/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/curiositystream/id971830624 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.curiosity.curiositystream Grades: 3rd- Grownup
Typing
Animal Typing https://apps.apple.com/us/app/animal-typing/id912022264 Grades: All