In today’s world, screens have become an inevitable part of our lives, including those of young children. For parents of toddlers, this presents a unique opportunity: the chance to turn screen time into meaningful learning time. With so many apps available, finding the right ones can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve rounded up some of the top apps for toddlers that are engaging, educational, and safe. Whether you’re looking to teach ABCs, enhance creativity, or make bedtime routines easier, this guide will help you find apps that combine fun with meaningful learning for your little one.
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1. SplashLearn
SplashLearn is one of the best toddler game apps that brings education to life for toddlers. Combining foundational topics like math, ELA, creativity, motor skills, and general knowledge, the app uses interactive games, vibrant visuals, and engaging characters to make learning enjoyable. From the start, SplashLearn provides a personalized experience by assessing your child’s skill level and tailoring activities to match their needs. As your toddler progresses, the app adapts to ensure that every activity is just the right balance of fun and challenge, helping them grow at their own pace.
Key Features for Toddlers:
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- SplashLearn introduces toddlers to foundational concepts in math and literacy through gamified learning. For example, counting, number recognition, and basic shapes are taught through visually appealing, touch-based activities like tracing and drag-and-drop games. Sorting tasks, such as grouping objects by size or color, help toddlers develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
- Phonics and letter recognition are integrated into engaging activities where toddlers interact with letters by tracing, matching sounds, or identifying them in simple puzzles. These games not only reinforce reading readiness but also build memory and sequencing skills.
- Creativity and general knowledge are blended into coloring games where toddlers learn about animals, plants, and weather as they color objects and scenes. For instance, coloring an animal teaches its name, habitat, or unique traits, combining creative exploration with real-world learning. These activities also encourage fine motor development through touch-based interactions.
Why Parents Love SplashLearn?
Parents love SplashLearn for its personalized approach, which adapts to each child’s skill level and pace, ensuring learning is always engaging and effective. The app tracks progress with detailed reports, helping parents understand their child’s strengths and areas for growth. Its ad-free environment guarantees a safe, distraction-free space for toddlers to explore and learn. The gamified design, complete with badges and rewards, keeps toddlers motivated, making learning a fun and rewarding experience for both kids and parents.
2. PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS offers a suite of free, educational apps designed to engage toddlers in learning through interactive games and videos featuring their favorite characters. These apps provide a safe, ad-free environment that supports early childhood development across various subjects.
Key Features for Toddlers:
- PBS KIDS Games App: This app includes over 250 curriculum-based games covering subjects like math, science, reading, and creativity. Toddlers can play games featuring characters from popular PBS KIDS shows, enhancing their learning experience.
- PBS KIDS Video App: Provides access to thousands of free videos, including full episodes and clips from top PBS KIDS series. Toddlers can watch their favorite shows anytime, supporting learning through storytelling.
- Interactive Learning: Both apps offer interactive elements that engage toddlers in active learning, helping to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Offline Accessibility: Many games and videos can be downloaded for offline use, allowing toddlers to learn and play without an internet connection.
- Parental Resources: The apps include features for parents to learn more about each series, intended age ranges, and learning goals, aiding in selecting appropriate content for their child.
3. Starfall ABCs
Starfall ABCs is an educational app to explore the alphabet. It introduces letters through fun animations, sounds, and interactive activities. The app focuses on early literacy skills like letter recognition and phonics, which are crucial for reading readiness. Its simple, ad-free interface makes it safe and easy for young children to use independently.
Key Features for Toddlers:
- Interactive alphabet learning: Toddlers can explore each letter by tapping on it to hear its name, sound, and see words associated with it (e.g., “B is for ball”).
- Phonics foundation: Clear pronunciations and examples help toddlers connect letters with their sounds, a critical step toward reading readiness.
- Songs and rhymes: Includes the classic ABC song and fun rhymes, making it easier for toddlers to remember letters and their sequences.
- Multisensory features: Demonstrates American Sign Language for each letter, adding a visual and movement-based learning aspect.
Related Reading: Best Alphabet Learning Apps
4. Smart Baby Shapes
Smart Baby Shapes is an app designed to help toddlers recognize shapes, colors, and sizes through interactive play. Its simple and colorful interface makes it easy for young children to navigate. The app is ideal for toddlers aged 2 and above, focusing on cognitive development and early learning.
Key Features for Toddlers:
- Shape and color recognition: Toddlers learn to identify and match basic shapes and colors in fun, engaging activities.
- Size differentiation: Includes tasks that teach children to distinguish between small, medium, and large objects.
- Interactive play: Drag-and-drop games improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
- Audio guidance: Voice prompts provide clear instructions and reinforce learning by naming shapes and colors.
- Progressive levels: Offers multiple levels, starting with simple tasks and increasing in difficulty as the child’s skills develop.
Available on: Android
Related Reading: Best Geometry Apps
5. Nighty Night App
Bedtime can be a challenging routine for many parents of toddlers. Establishing a calm and consistent wind-down ritual is essential to help little ones transition smoothly to sleep. Nighty Night! is a highly-rated bedtime story app designed specifically for toddlers. It combines interactive play with soothing animations and music to create a relaxing pre-sleep experience.
Key Features for Toddlers:
- Interactive bedtime routine: Toddlers help animals go to bed by turning off their lights and watching them settle down. This mimics their own bedtime routine and helps reinforce the concept of sleep.
- Soothing narration and music: Gentle narration combined with calming lullabies creates a tranquil atmosphere perfect for winding down.
- Engaging visuals: Designed by an Oscar-nominated artist, the app features stunning illustrations and animations that keep toddlers captivated without overstimulating them.
- Language options: The app supports multiple languages, making it accessible to families around the world.
- Ad-Free experience: Ensures a safe, distraction-free environment for your toddler to enjoy.
6. Potty Time with Elmo
Potty training can be challenging, but Potty Time with Elmo helps toddlers through the process with guidance from Elmo, a character they already love. This app offers interactive stories, games, and songs to make learning fun while promoting positive bathroom habits. It’s designed to ease the transition to using the potty with supportive and engaging content.
Key Features for Toddlers:
- Interactive stories: Elmo teaches toddlers potty training steps by guiding his toy, Baby David, through the process. This relatable storytelling helps toddlers feel comfortable and motivated.
- Potty training songs: Includes six catchy songs like “When It’s Potty Time, You Feel It” to reinforce key concepts in a playful way.
- Games for learning: Features simple games, such as puzzles and bubble-popping activities, to keep toddlers engaged while they learn.
- Progress chart: A customizable chart lets parents track milestones like using the potty, wiping, and washing hands, motivating toddlers with visible achievements.
- Sticker rewards: Toddlers earn animated stickers as rewards, providing positive reinforcement for good potty habits.
7. ABCmouse
ABCmouse is an educational app designed for toddlers aged 2 and up, offering over 10,000 activities in reading, math, science, art, and music. It provides a guided learning path that helps toddlers master foundational skills at their own pace, all within a safe, ad-free environment.
Key Features for Toddlers:
- Step-by-step learning path: The app organizes activities into a progressive curriculum, ensuring toddlers learn concepts like letter recognition, counting, and simple problem-solving in a structured way.
- Interactive games and activities: Includes puzzles, songs, and coloring activities that teach early literacy, numeracy, and creativity while keeping toddlers engaged and entertained.
- Reward system: Offers a built-in incentive system where toddlers earn tickets for completing tasks. These tickets can be used to buy virtual items, teaching the basics of rewards and goal-setting.
- Diverse subjects: Covers multiple areas of learning—early reading skills, number patterns, colors, shapes, and basic science concepts—providing a well-rounded experience.
- Parental dashboard: Parents can track their child’s learning progress, seeing which activities they’ve completed and areas where they’re excelling or need more help.
Related Reading: Best Reading Apps
8. Elmo Loves 123s
Elmo Loves 123s is one of the best educational apps for toddlers, designed to help them learn numbers and basic math skills through interactive games and activities. Featuring beloved Sesame Street characters Elmo and Abby, the app makes learning numbers from 1 to 20 engaging and fun for young children.
Key Features for Toddlers:
- Number tracing and identification: Toddlers can trace numbers with their fingers, enhancing number recognition and fine motor skills.
- Counting games: Interactive counting activities help children understand quantities and improve their counting abilities.
- Educational videos and songs: Includes classic Sesame Street clips and songs that teach numbers and counting in an entertaining way.
- Puzzles and coloring pages: Offers jigsaw puzzles and coloring activities related to numbers, promoting problem-solving skills and creativity.
Parental tracking: A 123s tracker allows parents to monitor their child’s progress and see which numbers they have mastered.
Related Reading: Best Math Apps
9. Goodness Shapes
Goodness Shapes is an interactive app designed to teach toddlers basic concepts like shapes, colors, and patterns. With its vibrant visuals and simple gameplay, it helps children learn through fun challenges that encourage matching, sorting, and recognizing shapes. The app is ad-free, safe, and ideal for toddlers aged 2 and up, offering a focused environment for early cognitive development.
Key Features for Toddlers:
- Shape and color recognition: Introduces basic shapes like circles, squares, and triangles, and helps toddlers identify and differentiate between colors.
- Pattern matching: Activities involve matching and sorting shapes by size, color, or type, improving attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
- Child-friendly design: Features simple controls and no in-app purchases, ensuring a distraction-free and safe learning experience.
- Offline play: Can be used without an internet connection, making it convenient for travel or situations where connectivity is limited.
Available on: iOS
10. Peek-a-Zoo by Duck Duck Moose
Peek-a-Zoo is an engaging educational app designed for toddlers aged 2 to 5, developed by Duck Duck Moose. It introduces children to various animals and helps them recognize emotions, actions, and sounds through interactive play. The app’s simple interface and charming animations make it easy for young children to navigate and enjoy.
Key Features for Toddlers:
- Animal identification: Children learn to identify animals such as alligators, cats, and chickens, enhancing their vocabulary and recognition skills.
- Emotional recognition: The app presents animals displaying different emotions—smiling, surprised, crying—helping toddlers understand and identify various feelings.
- Action recognition: Activities include animals performing actions like winking, waving, and yawning, aiding in the development of action-word associations.
- Positional concepts: Some animals are shown in positions such as upside down or backwards, teaching spatial awareness and positional vocabulary.
- Animal sounds: The app features authentic animal sounds, enhancing auditory learning and sound recognition.
Available on: iOS
11. Moo, Baa, La La La!
If you are looking for interactive apps for toddlers, Moo, Baa, La La La! is a great option. This app is based on Sandra Boynton’s beloved board book. Designed for toddlers, it introduces children to animal sounds and encourages interactive play with charming illustrations and fun animations. The app provides a lighthearted way to teach toddlers about animals and their sounds while keeping them engaged.
Key Features for Toddlers:
- Animal sound recognition: Introduces toddlers to classic animal sounds like “moo” for cows and “baa” for sheep in a fun and memorable way.
- Interactive animations: Each page features tappable animations that allow toddlers to explore and interact with the animals.
- Rhythmic narration: The app includes a playful, rhythmic narration of the book’s text, enhancing toddlers’ listening and comprehension skills.
- Simple interface: Designed with young children in mind, the app is easy for toddlers to navigate independently.
- Humorous touch: Quirky moments like pigs singing “La La La” add humor and make learning enjoyable.
Available on: iOS
Conclusion
When choosing the best apps for 2-3 year olds, it’s important to focus on those that combine learning with fun, offering age-appropriate activities tailored to your child’s developmental stage. Apps for toddlers should support foundational skills like literacy, numeracy, creativity, and motor development while being safe, ad-free, and easy to navigate. Guided screen time is key—ensure usage is balanced with offline play and real-world interactions. By selecting apps thoughtfully, you can turn screen time into a valuable tool for early learning and growth.
Related Reading: Best Educational Apps for Preschoolers
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which are the best iPad apps for toddlers?
Some of the top toddler learning apps include SplashLearn, PBS Kids, Starfall ABCs, and Goodness Shapes. These apps are interactive, safe, and designed to support early learning in areas like literacy, numeracy, and creativity.
Which is the best app for toddlers to learn coloring?
SplashLearn and Goodness Shapes offer excellent virtual coloring activities. These apps not only allow toddlers to explore creativity but also teach facts about the objects they color, such as animals, plants, or weather.
Which are the best free toddler apps?
SplashLearn is one of the best free apps for toddlers, offering a wide range of educational games and activities without ads. It supports learning in math, reading, and general knowledge through engaging activities with familiar characters. You can access two free activities every day.
