The Best Apps for Kids (and How to Actually Choose Them)
Look, I get it. You're standing in the pediatrician's waiting room, your kid is melting down, and you're frantically scrolling the App Store looking for something to download that won't make you feel like a terrible parent. The top result has 4.8 stars and says "Educational!" in bright letters. You download it. Three minutes later, your kid is watching ads for other games while a cartoon character screams about collecting gems.
The App Store is lying to you. Not maliciously, but the ratings and age suggestions are basically useless for actually determining if an app is good for your kid.
Here's the thing: there are genuinely great apps out there. Apps that teach coding, encourage creativity, or just provide quality entertainment without the psychological manipulation. But finding them requires a better framework than "4+ years" and a star rating.
Forget the age rating for a second. Here's what actually matters:
1. What is the app's business model?
This is the most important question and the one parents skip. How does this app make money?
- Free with ads: Your kid is the product. Expect manipulative design, constant interruptions, and data collection.
- Free with in-app purchases: Often worse than ads. These apps are designed to make kids want to spend money. The whole experience is built around creating desire and frustration.
- Paid upfront: Usually the best option. You pay once, you get the full experience, the app isn't trying to extract more money from you.
- Subscription: Can be good for apps with ongoing content (like Epic! or ABCmouse), but watch for apps that should just be one-time purchases.
Real talk: If an app is free and says "educational," it's probably not primarily educational. It's primarily a business that needs to make money off your kid's attention.
2. Does it respect attention or exploit it?
Good apps have natural stopping points. Bad apps are designed to keep kids in an endless loop.
Watch for:
- Autoplay: Does the next video/game/activity start automatically?
- Infinite scroll: Is there an endless feed of content?
- Reward schedules: Does it use random rewards (loot boxes, surprise eggs, mystery prizes) to keep kids hooked?
- Social pressure: Does it show what friends are doing or create FOMO?
A quality app for a 6-year-old might be Toca Boca games—they're open-ended, have clear endpoints, and don't manipulate kids into playing longer.
3. What is your kid actually learning or creating?
"Educational" means nothing. An app can teach the alphabet while also teaching your kid that they need constant stimulation and rewards.
Better questions:
- Is there actual creation happening? (GarageBand, Procreate, Scratch Jr)
- Does it encourage problem-solving? (Monument Valley, The Room)
- Is it building a real skill? (Duolingo, Khan Academy Kids)
- Or is it just gamified repetition? (most "math facts" apps)
4. What does the privacy policy actually say?
I know, I know. Nobody reads these. But at minimum, check:
- Does it collect data?
- Does it share data with third parties?
- Can your kid interact with strangers?
- Are there ads based on tracking?
Common Sense Media does great privacy reviews if you don't want to wade through legal text.
Here are apps that actually hold up to scrutiny:
Ages 3-6
- Khan Academy Kids: Free, no ads, genuinely educational. Shockingly good.
- Toca Boca games: Paid apps, open-ended play, no pressure.
- Sago Mini: Similar to Toca Boca, great for imaginative play.
Ages 7-10
- Scratch Jr: Free, teaches basic coding concepts through creation.
- Procreate: Paid, professional-level art app that kids can use.
- Alto's Adventure: Paid, beautiful endless runner without the gross manipulation.
Ages 11+
- Duolingo: Free with ads or subscription. Actually teaches languages, though the gamification can be intense.
- GarageBand: Free on iOS, real music creation.
- Notion: For organization and note-taking. Teaching teens productivity tools is genuinely useful.
It's better than regular YouTube, but that's a low bar. The algorithm still prioritizes engagement over quality, and there's a lot of low-quality content. If you use it, curate specific channels rather than letting kids browse. Read more about YouTube vs. YouTube Kids here.
The best app is often no app. But when you do need one, pay for quality. A $5 app that respects your kid's attention is worth infinitely more than a "free" app that's designed to manipulate them.
And here's the uncomfortable truth: most of the apps kids are actually using—TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram—aren't designed for kids at all, regardless of what their age ratings say. They're designed to maximize engagement in adults, which makes them particularly potent for developing brains.
- Audit what's currently on your kid's device. Delete anything with manipulative design or sketchy monetization.
- Set up restrictions so kids can't download apps without permission.
- Try the app yourself first. Play it for 15 minutes. If you feel the pull to keep going mindlessly, your kid will too.
- Check Common Sense Media for detailed reviews before downloading.
The goal isn't perfection. It's being intentional about what gets your kid's attention—because their attention is genuinely valuable, and a lot of apps are designed to extract it without giving much back.