The age of technology means that children are now learning online, with gadgets, and with learning aids such as reading apps.
While some of these technological advancements make it easier in some ways for both parents and young children, many are still skeptical about the effectiveness of reading apps. In this article, we will look at some of the positive and negative sides of learning games and apps for kids, and also suggest a few that we personally think are best.
Pros
- Reading apps allows children engage in other activities like games and puzzles while they read. These activities are children friendly, and kids will be excited to complete the simple tax, making them more motivated to read.
- Studies conducted by Flewitt et al in 2015 showed that teachers were surprised by how advanced children’s literacy skills were when they learned with tablets and other learning gadgets. Their motivation levels were higher, and these kids were more enthusiastic to learn.
- Reading apps are very convenient for parents and children too. No matter how busy parents are, children can always read on these apps. It also affords parents time to rest and attend to other things while their kids are engaged.
- Children can easily access hundreds of books across different genres; both fiction and nonfiction. If your kids love learning about nature, there are books that teach more on nature and animals. Fairytales, joke books, comics from online comic books store, fables and much more are available at the click of a button. No matter what a child is interested in, there will be something for them available on the reading app.
Cons
No doubt that reading apps are very convenient and easy to use, but they should never fully replace human communication or classic reading worksheets for any grade. Young children need to hear language and interact with other people as a vital part of their learning. Parents who use reading apps for their kids should also read with them daily, and not resort to apps as a complete replacement.
When children are exposed to screens and apps for a long period of time, their eyes get strained, their posture becomes poor, and they can develop dry eyes. A way to manage this is by reducing the screen brightness on the screen, or allowing your kids use E-readers like Kindle which have texts in a print that is more suitable for the eyes.
Best reading apps for kids
When properly used, there is little doubt that reading apps help your children learn better, and also motivates them to read more. We have gathered some of our best reading apps for children to help you decide which is best suited for your child.
- Reading Eggs
This app is best for children aged between 2-13 years. The app contains over 2,500 e-books.
- Reading Raven
This app is suitable for kids aged 3-7 years, and tasks children with reading, tracing, and recognizing letters to make up words.
- Epic!
This digital library has over 25,000 books including non-fiction and bestsellers. You can create an account for your child, and include their details such as the kinds of books they love to read, and how old they are. When they complete tasks, they will be rewarded with badges and they can also leave reviews for others who might be interested. This app is suitable for pre-teens and teenagers.
