Technology is increasingly present in our lives, even for younger generations. With so many games, movies, and TV shows to choose from, it can seem like your tablet is just increasing how much time your kids look at screens. While too much screen time isn’t good for anyone, we also know that reading is an important skill that kids should be developing at a young age, and there are apps that are available to help.
We've compiled a list of the best reading apps for kids to enjoy on their tablets! These apps are great because they are interactive, fun, and educational. From early readers who are just starting out to older kids who are looking for new bookish resources to love, we have a reading app on our list for every young reader!
Why You Should Download Reading Apps For Kids
It’s no secret that reading is an important part of childhood, and it has been shown that children who read more often do better in school and are more likely to succeed later in life. They also have increased vocabulary and reading comprehension skills. But how do you get kids to read? Reading apps are a great way to make reading fun for kids. With these apps, kids can explore new worlds, get lost in interactive stories, or just find books they like based on their own interests.
As we mentioned, too much screen time isn’t always the best. The Mayo Clinic notes that too much exposure to screen time can lead to sleep and attention issues later in life. But that’s why it’s important to implement screen time rules and make the most of your kids’ screen time by having them look at educational material that will supplement their reading comprehension skills. That’s where these five reading apps for kids come in!
1. Khan Academy Kids
by Khan Academy
Khan Academy is famous for providing free short educational lessons, and they even have an app for kids that is available for free—no subscription required or ads to distract and disrupt your children’s focus. Developed with help from experts at Stanford, the Khan Academy Kids app aligns with Common Core Standards, has won numerous awards, and is highly rated on the app store.
You can choose from the hundreds of lessons available or use the app’s personalized learning path that will adjust to your young reader’s pace. With new content always getting added, your kids will never get tired of using the app! Plus, there’s more than just reading comprehension content; the app also has math and social-emotional learning. Download what users are calling “the best educational app ever” today!
Apple App Store
Google Play Store
2. Hoopla
by Midwest Tape, LLC
Everybody loves the public library, but did you know that you can use your local library to access eBooks and audiobooks for children through apps like Hoopla? Now, you can have convenient digital access to your library at your fingertips. Whether you’d like to access bestselling children’s books like Pete The Cat or have audiobook editions of their favorite books playing, you and your kids are sure to enjoy the thousands of titles that are available on the Hoopla app.
The app is available to download for free and it even has a Kids Mode feature that only shows content that is family-friendly. Convenience is a big part of Hoopla; titles are always being added, you can access them without a waiting period, and everything you borrow is automatically returned and removed from your device when the borrowing period ends. Support your local library with Hoopla!
Apple App Store
Google Play Store
3. Epic!
by Epic Creations
Epic! is another reading app that is great for kids to use during their screen time. A safe, enriching digital reading platform, parents and teachers can use the app to track your kids’ reading progress and help motivate them. The app also offers books in French, Spanish, and Chinese languages, and there are even badges that your kids can earn as they learn! If you’re looking for another way to conveniently access eBooks, audiobooks, and educational videos, Epic! will be a great tool for you to utilize.
Epic! has a free plan and a monthly subscription option. The free plan allows your kids to access one book from their digital library per day, while the subscription allows you to upgrade to full unlimited access. One five-star review describes the app as the “superior app to have on your phone and other devices so that your child can always read.” Don’t wait to download the Epic! app for your kids!
Apple App Store
Google Play Store
4. Endless Reader
by Originator Inc.
Awarded Apple’s App Store Best of 2013 Award, Endless Reader is a reading app that helps introduce your kids to different sight words. Sight words are terms that are used daily and your kids will learn a number of them early on in school. These words help build reading comprehension, which is why Endless Reader is an invaluable app to download for your kids. By helping your little readers learn which sight words have unusual spelling, you can help grow their reading skills and vocabulary.
Engaging and fun to use, Endless Reader has cute little monsters that demonstrate words and give context for the puzzle games on the app. While there is a free version of Endless Reader, the full version helps your kids learn the basics of multiple subjects, including reading. Get Endless Reader to help start your kids’ language and reading skills on the right foot!
Apple App Store
Google Play Store
5. uKloo Early Reader App
by Smiley Guy Studios Inc.
Based on uKloo’s riddle board game, the uKloo Early Reader App has literacy games that are full of animated surprises. Readers ages four and up can work to read sentences and solve riddles that reveal surprises. The app is beneficial for building knowledge of sight words and sentence structure, and it is a fun, encouraging way for your children to build their independent reading skills.
The uKloo Early Reader App has won several awards since its release and comes highly recommended by Tutorful for the skills this app can help your kids build. Because uKloo is known for their games, you know that your children will have fun every time they open the Early Reader app and expand their reading skills—your kids can grow their literacy without even realizing it! Best of all, the uKloo app is only a few taps away from being added to your device.
Apple App Store
Google Play Store
Get Your Kids Reading Today!
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