Is it really 100% free?

Yes. No 'pro' version, no subscriptions, and no 'buy more coins' pop-ups. It is funded by the Khan Academy non-profit and philanthropic donations.

Does it work on a plane without Wi-Fi?

Yes, but you have to plan ahead. Go to the Library and look for the 'Offline' category to download specific books and activities while you still have a connection.

Will my 7-year-old find this too babyish?

Probably. The sweet spot is ages 3 to 5. By 7, most kids have moved on to more complex games, though the books in the library might still be useful for struggling readers.

How do I see what my kid is actually learning?

There is a Parent Section (accessible via a simple math-lock) where you can see which activities they've completed and where they might be getting stuck.

Khan Academy Kids – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Khan Academy Kids

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

game2018

95%

WISE Score

A massive library of books and math games that is actually free, actually safe, and doesn't treat your toddler's attention span like a commodity.

Khan Academy Kids

game

2018

95%

WISE Score

A massive library of books and math games that is actually free, actually safe, and doesn't treat your toddler's attention span like a commodity.

Jump to

Also rated on

View →

Where to Play

Google Play

App Store

Screenwise Verdict

If you are going to put an iPad in a 4-year-old's hands, this should be the first icon they see. It is the only app on the market that offers this level of professional curriculum without trying to sell your kid a $4.99 bucket of virtual gems or showing them a sketchy ad for a different game.

It is built by the same non-profit that revolutionized high school math, but with high-quality animation and characters that actually land with toddlers. It's the rare digital tool that feels like it was built by people who actually like kids, not just people who want to monetize them.

Age Fit

Perfect for the 2-6 crowd. While it says up to 8, most kids will find it a bit too 'preschool' once they hit second grade and will want something with more complex mechanics.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The tone is relentlessly positive without being grating. It uses a cast of original characters—like Kodi the Bear—to model kindness and social-emotional skills in a way that feels intentional and age-appropriate.

Imaginative

Beyond the math and reading drills, there is a dedicated creative suite for drawing, storytelling, and open-ended play that encourages kids to build rather than just consume.

Safe

100

This is the gold standard for safety. No ads, no in-app purchases, no user-to-user chat, and no tracking. It is a true walled garden run by a non-profit.

Enriching

The curriculum is deep, covering everything from phonics and number sense to logic and motor skills. It aligns with early childhood standards while keeping the 'game' feel alive.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Entirely free with zero hidden costs, which is basically a miracle in the current app ecosystem.
Adaptive learning path that adjusts the difficulty based on how your kid is actually doing.
Multi-stranded literacy approach that includes a library of recorded books to build language comprehension alongside phonics.
Social-emotional focus that teaches things like sharing and identifying feelings alongside 123s and ABCs.

⚠

What to Watch For

The 'Learning Path' can be a bit repetitive for some kids; feel free to jump into the 'Library' to pick specific games if they get bored.
It requires a significant amount of storage space if you want to download content for offline use on a plane or road trip.

Conversation Starters

"Which character is your favorite today—Kodi, Ollo, or Peck?"
"Can you show me the drawing you made in the creative section?"
"I liked that story we just read together. What do you think happens next?"
"Which math game was the hardest one you tried today?"

Deep Dive

The Gold Standard for Early Childhood

In a world where most 'educational' apps are just thin veneers for data collection and ad-delivery systems, Khan Academy Kids is a breath of fresh air. It doesn't use the 'stumble and pay' mechanics that plague most mobile games. There are no timers, no lives to lose, and no pressure to spend money.

More Than Just ABCs

What makes this app stand out is how it handles literacy. It doesn't just hammer on decoding (mapping letters to sounds). It heavily leans into the language comprehension side of the Reading Rope. The app features a massive library of books—both fiction and non-fiction—that kids can have read to them. This builds vocabulary and background knowledge, which are the secret ingredients to long-term reading success that simple phonics apps often miss.

How to Use It Well

The 'Learning Path' is the default, and it's great for independent play. But the real magic is in the 'Library' tab. If your kid is obsessed with dinosaurs or space, you can head there and find books and activities specifically on those topics. It’s a great way to turn a 'screen time' session into a jumping-off point for a real-world conversation about how volcanoes work or why we need to share our toys.

What Parents Ask

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic

Writing about Khan Academy Kids? Put this WISE score on your site