How Reading Apps Can Boost Your Child’s Reading

There is a huge range of online reading apps on the market targeted at pre-kinder to high school. Some are free, and others can usually be bought for a reasonable price. Reading apps offer an interactive self-paced learning environment that is age appropriate online reading for kids. This means they have appropriate content and will cater to the concentration level of the targeted age group.

Some apps are general reading apps that allow a child to immerse themselves in stories and images and follow along with a reader. Others build on foundation skills and target particular areas like spelling, punctuation or vocabulary.

If your child is struggling with vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling or basic reading, an educational app that targets one learning area can be an excellent choice. Children can choose from a variety of activities and can learn at their own pace. It is a good idea to stay in the room while your child uses these apps so you can help if they have a question. A well-chosen app can be helpful for the following:

  • Learning reading skills – it’s all about repetition so try letter tracing apps, sight word apps, alphabets and more. Get started with:
    • Interactive Alphabet ABCs (Ages1-5) – kids can sing, type and trace a finger over letters. Explore mode lets a child discover letters and words at their own pace, and sing mode includes 26 dancing robots
    • Monkey Word School (Ages 3-5) – Monkey and his friends explore a jungle of letters, phonics, and spelling with a focus on sight words. Introduces the fundamentals of reading in a fun, interactive way
    • Chicktionary (Ages 7-17) – this award-winning word-scrambling app helps hone spelling skills with a flock of chickens who cluck encouragement, squawk when you get it wrong and shuffle around to make new words
  • Extending reading skills – there are plenty of apps available for readers who want a greater choice of books, and a chance to interact with narratives. Get started with:
  • Storytelling and Creativity – plenty of young readers love to create characters and settings and scenarios. Story apps help young writers develop a story and put the puzzle together. Encouraging storytelling and creative writing will help children recognise context and narrative construction. Get started with:
    • StoryKit – Reading & Writing (6-11) – four illustrated classic stories are used as a launching point for young writers. Kids read the stories and then alter the narratives to suit their story and add pictures and illustrations
    • Writing Prompts for Kids (8-15) – easy to use app that fires the imagination and helps remove those mental blocks. Tap the screen to choose situations, characters, settings and themes

Reading apps are best used in conjunction with a regular reading routine that includes a range of materials including books, magazines, newspapers, and technology. It is also important to be present for young readers as they learn best when interacting with an interested adult.