As parents it’s easy to plant our kids in front of the television for back-to-back episodes of Caillou, or let them play games on the iPad to pass time and keep them entertained. I’m guilty of this myself. There’s only so many times I can read the same book, or let my kids finger paint all over my table. I had to find other ways to keep them entertained, yet in a productive manner. I figured it was time to put technology to work in a good way. After all, it is just as much our responsibility to teach our kids, as it is their teachers.

The key to keeping your kids engaged in learning, especially if they’ve been at school all day, is to make it fun.

After scouring the Internet for the best learning programs and apps for ages 7 and under, here are some my kids personally love, and I know yours will too.

ABC Mouse – ABC Mouse offers a free month trial and is only $7.95 for a monthly subscription.  They’ve won several awards including, Parent’s and Teachers’ Choice Awards. Also, many schools and daycares already use this program in their curriculum.  This program is perfect for ages 2-7 and there are six academic levels. There are more than 450 lessons and as kids complete each level they receive tickets and a reward system. We’ve been using this program for over a year and it’s still a favorite.

Reading Kingdom – Reading Kingdom is a fun, easy-to-use online program that teaches children 4-10 years old how to read and write to a third grade level. We used this program religiously this past year to help my son prepare for charter school testing. Teachers also use this program in the classroom.  There is a free month trial and after that membership starts at $14.99.

Fun Brain – Fun Brain is rated the #1 site for online educational games for kids of all ages. They focus on math, grammar, science, spelling and history.  The American Library Association also recommends them. There is not a membership fee, however you can purchase learning materials from their site and affiliates.

PBS Kids – This is also a parent favorite. They have several apps and learning tools that coincide with your kids’ favorite shows and characters. This program is great for kids between the ages of 2-6, and also provides school readiness tools to develop skills and prepare them for Pre-K.

Starfall – Starfall is a teacher and parent favorite. The site is very easy to use and the website supports your child’s exploration. The site is kid-safe and no advertising allowed. There are many free activities and you can also get a year membership as low as $35. Starfall is perfect for preschool up through third grade, special needs students, homeschool, and English language development students.

Mathmateer  – My son loves this app because as a reward you get play money to buy parts to build a rocket ship! It encourages him to think through a problem verses just guessing so he gets his rewards. This app is $.99. Mathmateer was featured in the New York Times, and received the Editor’s Choice Award from the Children’s Technology Review, as well as was rated in the 10 best apps for elementary school kids by Appolicious.

Along with these technological ways of learning, there’s always plenty of real-life learning too. Have your child count back change at the grocery store or grab 2 x 2 apples for mommy. Let them be your Sous Chef when cooking dinner so they can help measure out ingredients. Then there’s the old favorite of playing outside.  Letting them explore and go on new adventures is timeless.

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