How to tell whether an app is really educational: four questions
The app store is full of apps that say "learning" in the name. How do you know whether one actually helps your child, or is just bright colours and noise? You do not need to be an expert. Sit with the app for five minutes and ask these four questions.
1. Does my child do something, or only watch?
Young children learn by doing: answering, pointing, moving, singing, trying again. An app where your child only taps the screen to make something flash is not the same as one that asks a real question and waits for an answer.
Try this: watch your child for a few minutes. Are they thinking, speaking, moving? Or staring? Passive watching is not "bad", but it is not the same as learning.
2. Is the pace calm, and does it end?
Very fast cuts, loud sounds and constant rewards can leave a child wound up and cranky when the screen goes off. Look for a slow, clear pace and a natural ending: a lesson that finishes, rather than an endless feed that picks the next thing for you.
The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) suggests that for children aged 2 to 5, screen time is best kept to high-quality content, watched together where possible. The WHO's 2019 guidelines say that for ages 2 to 4, sedentary screen time should be no more than an hour a day, and less is better. A short lesson with a clear end fits that far more easily than an endless stream. See our article on screen time guidelines.
3. Is it safe and free of tricks?
Before handing over your phone, check these:
- No ads. Young children cannot tell an advert from the lesson.
- No buying inside the app without an adult-only step.
- No chat with strangers.
- No tracking of your child. Read the privacy page. If you cannot understand what is collected, that is a warning sign.
- No links out to other sites or apps that a child can tap by accident.
A good children's app should be happy to say plainly what it does not do.
4. Does it connect to real life?
The best learning does not stay on the screen. After a good lesson, you should be able to say: "Remember the triangle? Let's find one in the kitchen." If the app gives you something to try at home, a song to sing, or a word to use at dinner, learning carries over into the day.
Also check it is right for the age. A lesson for a Nursery child that expects a Playgroup child to read is just frustrating. Look for lessons organised by age or class, so your child can start where they are.
A quick five-minute test
- Open the app yourself first and play it for a few minutes.
- Sit with your child for their first session.
- After it ends, ask: "What did you learn?" Even a small answer ("a circle!") is a good sign.
- Watch how they react when it ends. Calm is a good sign. Pleading for "one more" on an endless feed is not.
What if the app fails some questions?
Nothing is perfect. If an app fails question 3, it is not for your child. If it is a little weak on question 4, you can fill the gap yourself with a question or a game. The most important "app" for your child's learning is still you, talking, singing and playing with them.
How Child Runway helps
Child Runway lessons are 2 to 5 minute stories by class (Playgroup, Nursery, LKG and UKG), with a song and a game after each one. Your child answers, moves and sings along, and there is something to try at home after each lesson. There are no ads, no tracking of children and no chat, and you set a daily time limit.