There ’ s an app for that
Angelina Draper puts education apps to the test to find out which ones can help your family brush up their skills
Khan Academy ( Apple , Android ) Khan Academy allows you to learn almost anything for free . There are over 10,000 videos and explanations on subjects including math , science , economics and history , along with 40,000 interactive practice questions with instant feedback and step-by-step hints . Great for students , and parents who need a few reminders to help their children with homework .
TED Talks ( Apple , Android , Amazon ) Ideal for older children and teens , this app gives instant access to over 2,000 talks in over 100 languages with the opportunity to download videos for offline watching . It ' s a great way for parents and tweens / teens to explore thought provoking topics together and talk about them .
Motion Math : PIZZA ( Apple ) At US $ 5.99 , this app might seem pricey but it ' s worth it . The concept is simple : get children to understand mathematics , economics , strategy and marketing by running their own pizza shop ( there is a cupcake shop version too ). As the boss , users have to buy ingredients on a budget , create the menu , grow the business , evaluate costs and run the cash register . This highly-acclaimed game helps kids understand how lessons learnt in school can help in life .
Ready4 SAT ( Apple , Android ) Over 1,000 SAT questions with detailed answers and explanations to help students prepare for the SAT exam anywhere and at any time . Users can customise tests for their needs and even see how far their estimated SAT score is from the requirements of their choice of university ( over 400 are listed ).
Periodic Table ( Apple , Android ) A fantastic app by the Royal Society of Chemistry which brings the elements of the periodic table to life . It is packed with information , podcasts , videos , moving sliders to highlight changes in the elements and table over time and much more . Great for parents to brush-up on chemistry and help their children study .
Thinking Time Pro ( Apple ) Unlike most educational apps for younger children , rather than focusing on maths , reading or spelling this app teaches early-learning cognitive skills . There are various levels and the look-and-feel is colourful , but the activities are not fully gamified . In fact , it ’ s advised parents work with their young ones to solve the problems or at least get them started .
Touch and Learn : emotions ( Apple ) Over 100 images help parents and teachers introduce a variety of emotions and feelings to youngsters . Although the app is basic , it is very effective and allows parents to show all emotions or introduce them individually by only selecting to show some pictures . A great way to talk to children about how they are feeling .
Moose Math ( Apple , Android , Amazon ) Developed for children age five and under , this maths-based app teaches children counting , addition , subtraction , sorting and geometry . This is achieved through activities such as Lost & Found , Pet Bingo , Moose Juice ( make smoothies while practising counting , addition and subtraction ) and Dot to Dot . There is also a report card that helps parents keep track of progress .