Editor’s note: This article was first published in December 2015; the list of apps and the KAZAM brand reflect 2015, and the apps’ availability, platforms and age ranges may have changed since.
The first years of a person’s life will largely shape their future in many respects. For example, the food children receive in their first months will determine whether they suffer from certain diseases when they’re older, and the languages they hear will shape their ability to learn other languages for the rest of their lives.
In that sense, the period of greatest transformation of the human brain happens in early childhood, so it’s key to stimulate children so they can reach their full potential.
Since smartphones and tablets are now within reach of even the youngest children, who love to play, let’s at least try to make their games educational and stimulate their ability to learn.
With that in mind, the smartphone maker KAZAM has put together some of the best apps for supporting young children’s intellectual growth and development.
1. Smartick
This app, developed in Spain, is available for iOS and Android and focuses on improving the maths skills of children aged 4 to 14. Through games and tests, children move up levels and improve their skills, and their progress can also be tracked.
2. 10Monkeys
Ten monkeys need children’s help. To lend them a hand, kids have to use maths and arithmetic to solve little puzzles.
3. iCuadernos Rubio
Twenty different levels of the classic Rubio workbooks… but in digital form. With them, children can practise addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in a fun way, learn to write and conjugate verbs, or develop their drawing and art skills. All with the “vintage” feel that several generations of Spaniards grew up with.
4. Agnitius
This app for the youngest members of the family is designed to teach shapes and colours, basic maths and the alphabet. Aimed at preschool children, it also produces a detailed report so parents can follow their children’s progress.
5. PlayTales
Smartphones can also help children learn to read. This app is a good example, as it has a whole library of interactive stories that little ones can read and play with, combining learning with fun.
6. EkiMuki
Mobile phones can also be a real help in building skills such as memory and coordination. With this app, children can choose between three mini-games in which they match sizes and shapes in a simple, enjoyable way.
7. Pupitre
This app is aimed at children aged between 3 and 8 and is a kind of “virtual school” that lets pupils review what they’ve learned at school anywhere and at any time. Through a series of worksheets, it develops and reinforces that knowledge with the help of a gamification system that rewards users according to their progress.
Featured image: Jacqui Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr.
