The Best Educational Apps For Teens

Updated 1/2022

Kids across the country and the world are or have utilized some form of online learning and have thus learned how to shift from traditional educational environments to virtual educational environments. When your middle or high school student picks up their phone, however, they’re likely watching the latest trend on Tik Tok or sending messages back and forth with their friends. 

Using technology too much or sitting in front of a screen for too long often gets a bad rep but the key is to give your students balance and give them the opportunity to learn while using their phone. Your child’s smartphone can also be an effective educational tool! 

As the first online charter school in Minnesota, we believe that we can use the power of technology to make education more accessible, more efficient, and more fun! 

With the right app, your young learner can get a good head start on the upcoming school year while still having fun. The following apps gamify learning to keep kids engaged while also helping them learn a few things.

The Best Educational Apps to Compliment Supplemental Education Courses

For students who are taking supplemental online courses, an educational app can be used to sharpen up testing skills or act as a way to gamify studying for that big test. 

IXL Math

Speaking of big tests, students preparing for state tests often can feel burnt out by putting in too many hours of study time. Those state tests put a lot of pressure on students so finding a way to make study fun can really help motivate students to put in the time to prepare. IXL Math tests math skills with an endless supply of questions in an array of colors to keep things interesting. Problems are interactive to make the app feel more like a game, including drag-and-drop questions and graphing tools. Reporting tools help students follow their progress each time they play.

Cost: Free, but there are in-app purchases.

Grammar Fix

Primary educational materials are full of opportunities to sharpen up writing skills but sometimes grammar falls short because of all of the school work that needs to be done. Grammar Fix is a fun and simple app that uses a game-like approach to improving grammar. It focuses on some of the most common grammar mistakes and how to spot and correct them in just 10 minutes!

Cost: $1.99

Presidents vs. Aliens®

Can you name all the U.S. Presidents? Presidents vs. Aliens® is a great educational app to practice memorization and other skills that will help in school. Available for iPhone and Android, your child will use facts, quotes, and historical events to help various Presidents battle aliens. Players earn Presidents with each successful battle, with the goal of collecting all 45. The game includes a flashcard for each President to help students bone up on their facts before playing.

Cost: $1.99.

TED Conferences

TED is known around the world for producing great content across a multitude of topics. It is such a great way for students to absorb some content that speaks to their passions or interests. If your young learner is interested in learning from experts, TED Talks are the perfect outlet. You can get the app for iPhone or Android and browse thousands of videos from some of the top minds in the world. No topic is left uncovered, including technology, science, psychology, and business. There are even TED Talks related to improving your ability to learn.

Cost: Free.

Babbel

Learning a new language can be exciting! Babbel is a great option for both teens and adults hoping to learn a new language. The app has every skill lesson needed to learn a new language. From vocab to grammar to culture lessons, Babbel provides robust learning materials to go beyond just language lessons. Students who are multilingual help to create a more inclusive educational environment by creating connections across diverse cultures and backgrounds. 

Babbel also provides online classes, podcasts, games, and more for every kind of learner. If your student is in a language class in school but needs a little bit more practice, Babbel is a great option to supplement the in-school class. 

Cost: varies by subscription

The Best Free Educational Apps for Teens

Duolingo

For a free alternative to Babbel for language learning, Duolingo is a really great option. Learning a new language can take time, but there are apps that can help. Duolingo teaches students a second, third, or fourth language using scientifically-proven methods. Available for both iPhone and Android operating systems, as well as online, you can choose from more than 30 different languages. This can be a great way to supplement the schoolwork students are doing during the school year, or simply a way to learn an additional language.

Cost: Free with a paid subscription option.

Sora OverDrive

Reading can not only boost your child’s brain, but it’s also a great way to reduce stress. The Sora OverDrive app lets you borrow e-books and audiobooks for free using your library card. You can download it to an iOS, Android, or Windows device or a Kindle. It’s a great way to blast through that summer reading list or simply read some books for fun, which has its own benefits.

Cost: Free.

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