I remember how happy I was when I found out I liked reading and wanted to do it more. About nine years was all it took to get to that point. Technology can help more kids get to that point of wonder much faster. I remember playing a lot of computer games that were about reading and watching a lot of TV shows that were based on old and new books. In the modern world, we can use both paid and free reading apps to keep up with how our minds and values change. Here are some of the best apps for reading that kids can use.
FREE READING APPS FOR KIDS
1. HOOPLA
This is what Book Riot says to do if you want to download audiobooks from your local library. It also has a large collection of audiobooks for kids, which are great for listening to in the car or before bed. When your last book runs out on the highway and you need to find something new to read, having a lot of options makes a difference.
2. EPIC!
Epic has a wide range of books for kids of all ages. The app asks parents or teachers to sign up for an account and lets them set up four profiles for children who are reading. You have to sign up with an email address and a password. The pictures and music make it a fun way to learn.
3. SIGHT WORDS
Parents who reviewed this app game on the App Store liked how it got kids interested in reading and made it fun. It’s for kids over the age of 4, and it has great animation, background music, and pictures. There are six games that are made for each grade level. Children can make their own profiles as people or as monsters.
4. SKYBRARY
SkyBrary is a great reading app for kids that brings back Reading Rainbow, everyone’s favourite show from their childhood. The app is run by Reading Is Fundamental and is hosted by LeVar Burton. It has over 1000 stories that kids can read and interact with. The app is free for the first month, but costs $4.99 after that. Give it a try for free before you pay for it.
5. ABC ALPHABET LETTER TRACING
This free app for kids helps them learn how to recognise and write their letters, as the name suggests. The programme helps them see, say, and draw the letters of the alphabet.
6. FARFARIA
With the FarFaria app, kids in each grade level can read one free story every day. If you download the app and pay for a subscription, you can read all of the stories. The fact that it matches the Common Core makes it easy for parents to find books that are right for their kids’ ages.
7. ENDLESS READER
This is for kids ages 4 and up, to help them learn to read by sight. With smooth animation and epic music, it’s meant to get your attention. The screen is filled with animated digital flash cards. Kids have to put the words together, or match them, while the game makes the right noises. It’s a good way to pass the time for both young kids and parents who might need a pick-me-up.
8. SPARK READING FOR KIDS
This app is for readers in grades 3–5, and it has 12 stories, some of which are fiction and some of which are nonfiction. The stories have a little bit of history, a little bit of adventure, and some creepy background. Reviewers have said that they like reading the stories to their kids. The same company makes several paid apps.
9. READING COMPREHENSION
In the paid version of the Peakaboo apps, there are different versions for grades 2 through 8. The different bundles cost between $7.99 and $9.99, and each app costs $1.99. These promise to teach kids while their questions about the material make them think.
10. TALES2GO
Listening to audiobooks not only gets young people interested in reading, but it also helps them develop important speech and listening skills. Schools and libraries, as well as individuals, can use Tales2Go to access a collection of over 10,000 books for kids. This is a paid app, and this page is where you can get price quotes. However, your library or school may already give you free access.
11. WANDERFUL INTERACTIVE STORYBOOKS
In the 1990s, this company was called Living Books, and it made CD-Rom games based on children’s books. Since then, it has changed with the times and now has these interactive versions for iPad, iPhone, and Android. The app is a good way for parents who grew up in the 1990s to feel nostalgic.
12. KINDLE
Kindle is always a good choice. It can be put on any computer, iPad, or iPhone by downloading it. Even though the app is free, you may have to pay extra for a Kindle or the content you want to read. It depends on whether or not the work, like Peter Pan, is in the public domain.
13. AUDIBLE
Like Word Wipe game, Audible has a lot of books that you can listen to. There are a lot of audiobooks for kids on the cloud server, which is great for long car rides. The main cost of using Audible is that the app is free, but the books cost money, and the price is based on how much the text costs on Amazon. Still, the sound quality is great, and if you sign up for Audible, you’ll get two books every month. This is better for older readers who have to wait a long time or have a long commute.
14. TEACHME
This is the only one on our list that isn’t free, but it’s still very cheap. This app helps kids learn to read. It has versions for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and third grade. As a package, all five apps cost $7.99, and each one costs $1.99 if a caregiver wants to buy it on its own.
15. KHAN ACADEMY KIDS
This app is a great way for kids in preschool through second grade to learn how to read on their own. There are over 60 books to read and interact with, and one of the best parts of this app is the educational activities that go along with them (such as learning the parts of a book).
The app is free, and there are no ads on it either.
16. A TO Z MRS. OWL’S LEARNING TREE
This reading app for kids has a free version that teaches kids how to recognise and say the letters of the alphabet. There are fun quizzes to help you remember what you’ve learned, and it’s also fun to see and hear how other words use the letter that’s being looked at.
There is a paid version of the app that has more enrichment activities, but both versions let you choose how to say letters (like zee or zed) and turn off the background music.
