No matter how hard you try, no amount of screaming or bribing will get your child to reduce their screen time, come the June holidays.
But, believe it or not, there is a way to ensure that time spent on a device is time well spent. Educational apps are a great way of feeding inquiring minds, and the best part is the fun element. We’ve gone in search of free and affordable apps for all age groups.
3+ years
YouTube Kids (free on Google Play and App Store)
A fun and entertaining way of introducing your little one to the world of online videos, YouTube Kids is exclusively made and curated for children. Offering your family an easy way to watch their favourite shows, parents can rest assure that no nasty pop ups or unintentional videos will automatically come across the screen.
www.youtube.com/kids/
Five Little Monkeys (App store, $0.99)
Designed by parents of young children for toddlers, Five Little Monkeys is a fun, interactive musical counting game based on the popular nursery rhyme. Explore, touch, and control the game with interactive options that allow creative freedom.
itunes.apple.com/us/app/five-little-monkeys/id313094173?mt=8
6+ years
DragonBox (Google Play, App Store)
Offering a series of educational games that teaches the basics of maths, DragonBox has five learning apps, including algebra and geometry. Each game has upfront payments but no in-app charges.
dragonbox.com
Star Walk 2 (free on Google Play, App Store)
A great astronomy guide to explore the starry sky, Star Walk 2 is the perfect app for budding astronomers. Find and observe planets, asteroids, comets, ISS, Hubble Space Telescope, constellations, stars and other celestial bodies in real time in the sky above you. All you need to do is point your device to the sky.
play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vitotechnology.StarWalk2Free&hl=en_ZA
12+ years
Duolingo (free)
Learning a foreign language doesn’t come easy, but if you make it fun, then there’s enough incentive to give it a try. Entertaining and addictive, Duolingo offers a variety of languages including Spanish, Dutch, Danish and French. It’s completely free to use while the in-app purchases are kept to a minimum.
www.duolingo.com
History - Maps of World (free on Android)
Forget traditional paper maps, this interactive map shows a new and unique way of learning about history. Each map shows the entire world for every single year in recorded history. Zoomable and with pop-ups, maps can be pinned so you can toggle back and forth between information.
www.educationalappstore.com/app/history-maps-of-world