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10 Apps for 18 Month Old Toddlers for Learning

By: Author Helen Neale

Posted on  - Last updated:

There are times when handing your child a tablet or a phone is necessary, even if it’s just for a moment of quiet or to check out our 10 best learning apps for toddlers. 

 Ideally, we would have endless patience and would never need to know what the best learning apps for toddlers are.  

But the world is less than ideal and loading your phone or tablet with top-rated educational apps for toddlers can make you feel a little bit less guilty when you hand them a screen.

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10 best learning apps for toddlers

Introduction to Learning Apps

Learning apps have quickly become a go-to resource for parents and caregivers looking to combine fun and education for their tiny tots. With so many options available, from free apps like PBS Kids Games to paid favorites such as ABC Mouse, it can be tricky to know where to start. The right learning apps can help your child develop essential skills, including fine motor skills, problem solving skills, and early learning concepts, all while keeping them entertained. Whether your child loves games that teach colors and numbers or apps that encourage creativity and exploration, there’s something for every child’s interests and age. In this guide, we’ll help you navigate the world of learning apps, so you can find the best fit for your child and make the most of their screen time.

Benefits of Learning Apps

Learning apps offer a treasure trove of benefits for toddlers, making them a smart addition to your child’s early learning toolkit. These apps are designed to nurture everything from fine motor skills to problem solving skills, all through interactive games and playful activities. For example, apps like Khan Academy Kids and Monkey Preschool Lunchbox turn learning into an adventure, keeping kids engaged while they practice new concepts. Many educational apps, such as Sesame Street and PBS Kids, provide a free version or a free preview, so you can try out the content before committing. With the right apps, learning becomes a source of fun and excitement, giving children a head start in their education. Plus, using learning apps in short, focused sessions can help parents manage screen time, ensuring that every minute spent on a device is packed with educational value and learning fun.

Choosing the Best App

With so many apps for toddlers available in the app stores, picking the best one for your child can feel overwhelming. Start by considering your child’s age group, interests, and current skill level. Look for apps that offer interactive games, puzzles, and activities that match your child’s developmental stage—whether they’re just learning their first words or ready for more advanced educational content. For young learners, apps like Peekaboo Barn and Laugh & Learn First Words Fun are fantastic choices, while older toddlers might enjoy the broader learning paths offered by ABC Mouse or Homer. Always check for in app purchases and ads, and choose apps that provide a safe, ad-free environment for your child to play and learn. Reading reviews and checking ratings can also help you find the right app that delivers both fun and educational value.

Safety and Security

When it comes to learning apps for toddlers, safety and security should always come first. It’s important to choose apps that are free from inappropriate content, intrusive ads, and unwanted in app purchases. Opt for apps that offer a secure environment, such as those that are subscription based or require a one-time payment, to ensure your child’s experience is both safe and enjoyable. Trusted options like PBS Kids Games and Khan Academy Kids are designed with children’s safety in mind, providing a worry-free space for learning and play. Don’t forget to use parental controls and set clear limits on screen time, so your child can enjoy their favorite apps for toddlers in a balanced and healthy way. Monitoring your child’s app usage and keeping an eye on what they’re playing will help you create a safe digital environment for your little one.

Parental Involvement

Parental involvement is key to making the most out of learning apps for toddlers. By joining in during app time, you can turn screen time into a shared, interactive experience that boosts your child’s learning and confidence. Apps like Elmo Calls and Monkey Preschool Lunchbox are perfect for encouraging parent-child interaction, offering prompts and activities that you can explore together. Asking questions, discussing what your child is learning, and celebrating their achievements helps reinforce new concepts and makes learning even more fun. By staying engaged and supportive, you’ll not only help your child get the most out of their favorite apps, but also create special moments that foster a lifelong love of learning.

1. ABC Mouse

ABC Mouse (Google Play / Apple) is a paid app available on major app stores. While it costs a few dollars, the paid version (full version) offers extensive content and features, making it a great casual option for toddlers that cover so many things from colors shapes numbers and can help your child get ready for preschool.  

ABC Mouse is considered one of the best educational apps and best apps for toddlers. It adapts to different ages and your child’s age for personalized learning. Children can choose between playing on their learning path, which is a continuous set of lessons that slowly get progressively more difficult, or they can choose to play with their pets, decorating their room, or trying on virtual outfits.

Plus the songs on there are really catchy. 

Because of the variety that’s offered on this app, it is my number one choice as a top toddler app among other toddler apps.

learning apps for toddlers

2. Bugs and Buttons 

I never thought I’d find myself describing bugs as cute but Bugs and Buttons (Google Play / Apple) is an adorable app for toddlers and preschoolers. 

The app teaches things like sorting, colors, counting, and even spatial reasoning with mazes. It also features mini games and fun games that help develop pattern recognition skills, making learning both engaging and effective for young children.

It was the first and one of the only paid apps that I’ve ever purchased for my kids, and it stands out as one of the good apps for toddlers. And I have never regretted it. 

This app grows with kids through preschool and kindergarten. 

3. Duck Duck Moose apps by Khan Academy

Duck Duck Moose offers a suite of free toddler apps and toddler apps, each designed to help young children develop different skills. Each app lets kids explore educational, entertaining, and imaginative content, from music and movement to early math and reading. Compared to other apps, Duck Duck Moose stands out by providing high-quality free toddler apps without ads or hidden costs, making them a safe and accessible choice for families.

I want to share with you my top three.  

Fairy Princess Tale Maker

The app lets children create their own stories by choosing different scenes and backgrounds, making it ideal for kids whose interests include fairy tales and storytelling.

They can select backgrounds, characters, and even record their voice to tell their own stories, allowing the app to align with each child’s interests. . 

There are characters from many different classic fairy tales including Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Little Red Riding Hood, and The Little Mermaid. 

Peek-A-Zoo 

In this game, kids learn animal names and recognize different animals, including farm animals, while also working on identifying emotions, actions, position words, and activities.  

I love this game because of how it works on emotional awareness by asking children to link actions like crying to emotions like sadness. 

I think it is a great tool to help children with empathy. 

Puzzle Pop

This great app has 27 levels of puzzles featuring fun animals that kids will recognize from the Peek-A-Zoo game. The app also includes mini games and fun games designed to help develop pattern recognition skills as children play.

Different levels of puzzles have different puzzle configurations so the challenge is constantly changing. 

This puzzle game grows with your child and will continue to challenge them and excite them.  

4. PBS Kids Games App 

Your kids can play with their favorite PBS characters through games that help their early education. The app features popular characters and popular titles from PBS, ensuring familiar and beloved experiences for children.

The PBS Kids Game app (Google Play / Apple) is available on the app store and is considered one of the best apps for toddlers. It offers a collection of games from your favorite PBS characters like Daniel Tiger, Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Curious George, appealing to a wide range of your child’s interests.

There are plenty of learning games for toddlers, including six games designed to engage children between the ages of 2 and 8 years old.  

5. Goodness Shapes by Little 10 Robot

This app is another homerun for Little 10 Robot (Apple). Little 10 Robot has a multitude of learning games for kids from toddlers through early elementary.  

In this adorable app, shapes with friendly faces guide your child through 12 fun mini games that help develop basic skills like sorting, matching, colors, and shapes. 

I love this preschool app for early math and pre-reading skills. 

6. GoNoodle Game

GoNoodle (Google Play / Apple) it’s a free app that gets your kids moving, making it a win-win. 

Using your tablet or phone’s camera children look like they are inside the game.

The app includes fun games that mimic real life activities, helping to keep tiny tots entertained while they play and learn.

This game works better on a bigger screen like a tablet. 

It allows your child to interact with a game using their body with games like Bubble Pop, Soccer, Flower Power, Space Race, and Rock and Roll.

Learning apps

7. Baby Games App

Baby Games (Google Play) one of the best free toddler apps designed for children at a young age, where the youngest toddlers can play easy mini games like playing with virtual instruments and fireworks and even popping balloons. 

And even though it’s free, it contains no ads ever. 

Games include First Words, Music Room, Pop n Play, Fireworks, and Baby Phone.  

Children learn things like animal sounds, nursery rhymes, and musical notes. 

It’s a low frustration game for even the youngest toddlers. 

8. LEGO Duplo World App

In this app (Google Play / Apple), your kids’ favorite toy Legos can be taken anywhere.  

This award-winning educational app brings LEGO play to life by letting kids build 3-D structures and explore different scenes and activities throughout the LEGO.

With plenty of open-ended play experiences, your child will never be bored with this game. 

This game includes activities like the Number Train (numbers, which helps with number recognition and counting), Airplane Adventures (sort luggage and travel to new places), Fun Food (puzzle solving), Construction Site (cause and effect), Play House (social-emotional learning), Under the Sea (nature) and several more. 

9. Toca Boca Apps

This extremely popular set of apps from Toca Boca includes a toddler app that lets children explore real life scenarios, such as hair styling, taking care of sick pets, growing plants, and experimenting with science. The app is designed to be suitable for different ages, providing age-appropriate content for toddlers and older children alike.

For toddlers, you may choose a role-playing app game from Toca Hair Salon 4 or Toca Doctor HD. The app lets kids interact with a variety of imaginative and real-life inspired activities, and the options in the Toca Boca apps are nearly endless. 

The Toca Boca brand grows along with your child offering an ever-expanding selection of educational apps for toddlers, preschoolers, and children of different ages.

10. Busy Shapes 2 

If you need a game your toddler can play without Wi-Fi,  for instance, if you’re going on a flight or a long trip where dead zones are rampant, the Busy Shapes 2 (Apple) is the game for you. 

In an online version of the classic game of putting shapes in the corresponding hole, your toddler learns shapes and spatial reasoning skills. The game also helps develop basic skills such as recognizing shapes and colors, as well as pattern recognition through engaging activities and fun games.

The shapes are made of fruit.  The levels become more challenging as you play with having to navigate platforms to get your fruit in its correct shape hole. 

Most doctors and researchers recommend toddlers under 18 months get no screen time but children over 18 months old can benefit from using quality educational apps designed for toddlers for up to an hour a day.   

Allowing your child to play these learning apps designed for toddlers for more than an hour a day can help parents have some time to handle things like cooking dinner or starting a load of laundry.  

Choosing an educational app for toddlers can help alleviate your parenting guilt when you need to give them some screen time. 

All of these options are great quality educational apps that teach your toddler skills they will need moving into preschool and kindergarten. 

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Thanks for stopping by,

Helen

Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, website editor and a qualified counsellor with experience of working with both children and adults. She is a registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapists, with her own private practise. She also freelances with her local Mind organisation. Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, use those grey cells at the same time, and supplement her counselling income. KiddyCharts has reach of over 680k across socials and the site. The site works with big family brands to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10. She is a specialist counsellor for neurodivergent individuals and brings this expertise to her resources and the site. She is also an ADHDer herself. KiddyCharts gives 51%+ profits to charities, focused on supporting mental health and a community in Tanzania Helen has also worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on. Get in touch TODAY!

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