The world has changed since the days of solely learning from books and notes on a chalkboard. Every school seems to be investing in Smart Boards and iPads to add another dimension to children’s lessons. Kids are more engaged with learning when it’s in the form of a fun game with colorful, engaging animation. Take advantage of their technology obsession by downloading these 10 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) to get your kid interested in science!
- MIT App Inventor
- Teach kids how to make their own Android apps with MIT App Inventor. The tool reports that 24 million apps have been created by its users, and your child’s app could easily by next one built. Follow the fun and engaging tutorials like MIT’s App Inventor, and make your own app within minutes! It is a simple (and free) way to get children of any age interested in the world of programming.
- Swift Playgrounds by Apple
- For Apple fans, Apple has a similar tool: Swift Playgrounds. This app teaches kids the programming language Swift using interactive puzzles and challenges. Swift is a powerful, modern programming language that is being used more and more to create iOS apps. It is available for free on the App Store.
- Lightbot by LightBot Inc.
- Lightbot has helped over 20 million kids learn programming and is used by tens of thousands of teachers around the world, so this app is clearly doing something right. Kids will solve puzzles and learn basic programming logic and computing concepts like sequencing, overloading, procedures, recursive loops, and conditionals. The animated robot character guides users through simple puzzle games while secretly teaching programming! It is available for $2.99 on the App Store.
- Monster Math For Kids by Makkajai Edu Tech Private Limited
- This app, which is only available through the App Store on iOS devices, lets kids practice math through a thrilling storyline, likable characters, and engaging animated worlds. The problems even adapt as children play. It updates parents on the child’s progress and lets them know what concepts they are doing well in and what they’re struggling with. The app is free, but there are several in-app purchases.
- The Robot Factory by Tinybop Inc.
- With The Robot Factory, Kids can create, test, and collect a variety of robots – robot cats, robot samurai, robot butterflies, robot spies, the options are seemingly endless! The robots can be created from 100 parts: exoskeletons, telescopic arms, spider legs, zephyr mechanisms, hydrostatic tentacles, machinos locomotors, G-Force mixers, and many more. After being built, the robots can be tested by running them through a colorful, animated world full of obstacles. Kids can even record sounds for their robots! It is only available on the App Store for iOS devices and is $2.99.
- Robot School Programming for Kids by Next is Great
- Aimed for children ages seven and older, this app teaches programming concepts through an interactive storyline with R-obbie the Robot, who crashed his spaceship in a faraway galaxy and needs help preparing his ship to get home! Kids learn concepts like procedures, loops and conditional instructions, and more through kid friendly puzzles and problems. It is available for $3.99 on the App Store.
- Solar Walk by Vito Technology
- Take a tour of the galaxy using this detailed, 3D tool. Kids will be amazed at seeing the sun, planets, dwarfs, comets, satellites, and asteroids in incredible detail, as they learn interesting facts and tidbits about our solar system. This app brings the universe to life right on the screen! It is available for $4.99 on the App Store.
- iBiome-Ocean by Springbay Studio Ltd
- For kids with an interest in nature, animals, and marine life, this app is unbeatable! iBiome-Ocean teaches about ecosystems, food webs, and humans’ effect on the environment. It is available on the App Store for $3.99. If you’re a fan, check out iBiome-Wetland too!
- NASA Visualization Explorer by NASA
- Get stories from NASA’s space exploration right to your iPhone! The free app has visualizations of the sun and universe, as well as stories and information about NASA’s spacecraft exploration of Earth, the planets, and beyond. This highly detailed, informative, and exciting app will be sure to develop your child’s interest in space!
- Robots for iPad by Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers Inc
- Dive into the world of robotics with this highly interactive app. Deconstruct over 150 real-world robots, and learn through animations, photos, videos, and articles. It is available for free on the App Store.