Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
Parents, your kids are likely just as addicted to their phones and screens as you are. In an article for Statista, Laura Ceci wrote, "According to a survey of parents in the United States, around 47 percent of respondents allowed children over three hours of screen time daily in 2022."
And as more kids get mobile devices at younger ages, app usage has been steadily increasing over the past few years. It probably won't surprise you to learn that the most popular apps for kids aren't necessarily the educational ones. The Statista report found that while kids spent around 12 to 14 minutes a day in learning apps such as Kahoot! or Duolingo, they spent almost 80 minutes on YouTube and 50 on Netflix.
According to Statista, YouTube, TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat and Netflix were all among the top 10 most popular apps for children worldwide from May 2002 to May 2023.
Understandably, parents have mixed feelings about some of these apps since there's always a potential concern about cyber security, bullying, scamming and other issues. But not all apps are bad — and many of the most popular ones among children have pretty tight security measures and parent controls.
While there are more apps out there than you can count, here's a short list of a few popular apps that kids love — and you might love them, too.
Roblox
Roblox is a popular app that parents should know about. It's a free online gaming platform where users can play games designed by other people and create their own games for others to play. For example, you can design a theme park, drive race cars, star in a fashion show or even become a superhero.
Roblox is designed ideally for kids aged 13 and up. Parents should know that interactive features such as chat boxes could potentially pose a risk for children and the platform has come under scrutiny in the past.
But as Maressa Brown writes for Parents magazine, "Roblox is a safe gaming platform for kids when parents take the recommendations from our experts seriously. But like all technology, it comes with risks, so it's best to start conversations about staying safe with your kids as early as possible."
Noggin
If your little ones are fans of Nick Jr. TV shows like "Peppa Pig," "Paw Patrol" and "Dora the Explorer," this is a good way to sneak in some learning with their screen time.
Noggin is a preschool learning app that features lessons from your children's favorite TV characters from Nick Jr. In addition to games, books and activities, a subscription also includes full episodes of Nick Jr. shows.
Hopscotch
Teaching kids to code is a skill that will take them far in life — especially in tomorrow's world.
Hopscotch is a game that teaches your kids to code using colorful and fun games. The app was featured on "Shark Tank" and has Mark Cuban's stamp of approval.
Additionally, it has won many awards including Parent's Choice Gold Award, Children's Technology Review Gold Award and more. You can play on any mobile device and even on a desktop.
After a free week-long trial, a subscription costs $9.99 per month.
LEGO Tower
The LEGO Tower app has high ratings on the Mac App Store and is ideal for any kids who love to play, build and create LEGO structures while collecting virtual figurines.
Your kids get to play with LEGO pieces without having to clean them up — and you don't have to worry about stepping on them. Everybody wins!
Khan Academy
Here's a learning app you'll love for several reasons — starting with the fact that it's completely free. Khan Academy is another popular one among teachers, parents and students alike because you can learn anything from math and science to art history and life skills.
For older kids, teens and even adults, there's even LSAT, MCAT, and SAT test prep! In addition to using the mobile version, you can also learn on a desktop.
Toca Life World: Build Stories
Here's another world-building app your kids will love. Toca Life World: Build Stories allows kids to design, decorate and build their own worlds complete with characters they created. Parents also give this app high ratings on Common Sense Media.
"Love it!! 100% recommend for ages 3-12 … My daughter loves it, she plays every day and enjoys sharing (with) me the houses she has decorated," one parent wrote.
Prodigy
If your child struggles with math concepts, Prodigy is a fun, free app that will help them develop skills through game-based learning. To progress through the levels of the game, you or your children will need to answer math questions.
It helps that there are fun characters and pets to make the game seem less like a learning lesson and more like a normal video game.
Got an app idea? Build it!
Remember — just because an app is popular doesn't mean it's safe or appropriate for your child. As a parent, you get to decide which apps to allow in your home and on your devices. In some cases, you might even be able to create the apps they use! If you have an idea for the next great kid's app, Appstango can help you bring it to life. Contact their developers today to get started!
