TOP PICKS | 24 TOOLS
Great Games for Preschool and Kindergarten
Top Picks
RELATED
Print | Save as PDF
Beck and Bo
Drag-and-drop adventure great for learning new words in context
Bottom line: Your wee one will enjoy animating Beck and Bo's world while developing creativity and logic.
Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: Play at Home with Daniel
Fun exploration for kids; learning relies on grown-up input
Bottom line: Kids will enjoy exploring and playing, as well as talking with a grown-up about what they can learn.
Dr. Panda & Toto's Treehouse
Open play encourages empathy, critical thinking, imagination, wonder
Bottom line: Toto's Treehouse invites kids to play and explore -- just the way they learn best.
Dr. Panda Toy Cars
Role-play fun puts kids in the driver's seat
Bottom line: While not a substitute for off-device role play, Dr. Panda Toy Cars is an empowering and educational activity for young learners.
Khan Academy Kids
Creative, smart mix of pre-K to K activities is a breath of fresh air
Bottom line: It's tough to stand out in the crowded early learning space, but this collection does just that, offering a one-stop shop for creative learning of foundational skills.
MarcoPolo Ocean
Young explorers discover oceans through puzzles and free play
Bottom line: This fun app helps kids gain an appreciation for the waters that cover much of the Earth's surface.
Toca Town
Kids run the world with perfect mix of fantasy and reality
Bottom line: Impressive open-play town lets kids explore and learn.
Toca Tea Party
Pretend play meets social skills at this cute interactive gathering
Bottom line: Beautiful, imagination-provoking app is so easy to use, kids will likely want to return for many more parties.
Hoopa City
Delightful, discovery-based worldbuilding encourages critical thinking
Bottom line: Offers kids endless hours of fun as they explore, discover, and plan to create an original world.
MarcoPolo Weather
Adorable sandbox tool lets kids safely explore, experiment, observe
Bottom line: A fun, cheerful way for kids to explore weather while appropriately touching on more serious issues like safety.
My PlayHome
Create a family and let imagination rule the house
Bottom line: Engaging, interactive free play sets the bar for the genre.
My PlayHome Stores
Free-play virtual shopping experience is full of surprises
Bottom line: Available shops are fun to explore, but more would offer a richer experience.
Picture Dots
Kids connect the dots with multisensory, interactive media creator
Bottom line: Kids will love playing with this one, but it needs more developed features and additional support to be effective for classroom use.
DNA Play
Adorable open-ended genetics app gives students mutation power
Bottom line: Engaging DNA app will keep younger students' attention while they build a foundation of biology knowledge.
Faces iMake - Right Brain Creativity
Open-ended collage maker teaches symbolism and revs up creativity
Bottom line: Faces iMake - Right Brain Creativity is a don't-miss art app that encourages creativity at the same time as modeling it.
Homes by Tinybop
Explore homes -- and cultures -- around the world in exquisite detail
Bottom line: Offers a delightful and accessible way for kids to learn about the world's cultures.
Toca Builders
Students not quite ready for Minecraft get a creative, fun alternative
Bottom line: Fun, engaging, open-ended play can work in a variety of content areas.
Toca Nature
Create, explore, and enjoy realistic (but G-rated) virtual forests
Bottom line: Virtual world is wonderfully calm, inspiring, and strangely addictive, but the range of its exploration is limited.
Cork the Volcano - Puzzlets
Fun elementary coding through hands-on puzzle tiles
Bottom line: Programming that combines engaging physical puzzle tiles with digital gameplay.
The Robot Factory by Tinybop
Improve designs, collect favorites in robot creation sandbox
Bottom line: A well-made and enjoyable STEM app that leverages what's great about play -- experimentation -- to spark engineering interest.
Space by Tinybop
Zoom into our solar system, solve mysteries with open-ended play
Bottom line: Learn about the sun, moon, and planets through interactive open-ended play.
Fraction Mash
Face mash-ups plus fractions equal goofy, meaningful play
Bottom line: Math-flavored goofy fun is great for casual exposure to fractions, but will need thoughtful integration if used as a dedicated learning tool.
Sound Rebound
Make musical contraptions with playful sound and physics sandbox
Bottom line: This engaging and open-ended sandbox app has limited functionality but will engross students for extended periods.
