As the weather cools off and the daylight starts to disappear, the kids are going to be spending more time indoors. That usually means more screen time. Tablets and phones can be utilized as valuable teaching tools for children, and their mobility means they can go anywhere a child does. Amidst some of the the silly, useless apps out there are some that can make the difference in your child’s learning and vocabulary development. Here are our top iPad app picks for elementary school learning by grade:

Kindergarten

• PocketPhonics: Kids learn letter sounds, first words and handwriting. It is used in hundreds of elementary schools and pre-schools, and tens of thousands of homes. It is aligned with the Common Core State Standards.  ($6.99)
• Piggy HD Math: This is a counting game, an adding game, and a fun-filled game all in one. Simple addition problems are included, as well as an activity that matches numerals to their written numbers. (Free)

First Grade

• Super Why!: This includes four interactive games, each one featuring a different character from the popular PBS kids show, “Super Why!”. Games feature letter hunts, rhyming words from a group and selecting the correct word missing from a sentence. ($2.99)
• Treasures Boom for Kids: Jack, the sea cadet caught in the sea bottle with a map which shows the plan of the island, where pirates hid treasures. He has no doubt for one instant, he is going to find all these treasures. Great adventures are waiting for you, where you have to help Jack and solve a lot of puzzles. (Free)

Second Grade

• Sight Words 2: Learning Sight Words has never been so much fun! Using all touch features which kids love with playful sounds and professionally recorded voiceovers, this is a complete learning experience for any child who is beginning to learn Sight Words or looking to enhance vocabulary and memory. (Free)
• Connect the Dots (Fairy Princess): Play connect the dots while learning math! Math Dots is a fun way to practice Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division. Answer problems correctly to get the next dot and complete the puzzle. (Free)

Third Grade

• K12 Timed Reading Practice: Your child will practice his reading skills and improve his fluency with this fun phonics app. The app includes 250 stories, both fiction and nonfiction. Your child reads the words on the screen, just as if he is reading a book. The app tracks the words per minute by timing the reading. The results can also list the percentile that your child is reading above or below his grade level so you can get a sense of where your child really stands with his reading skills. ($3.99)
• Multiplication and Division Flash Action: This game is one of many by School Zone Publishing, makers of popular workbooks for children. This app helps your child beat the clock with quick answers to multiplication and division problems. Activities include vertical or horizontal presentations of equations, as well as multiplication and division charts. Games can be played with multi-player settings to get the whole family involved. ($6.99)

Fourth Grade

• Word Search for iPad—Young Reader’s Edition: What better way to learn spelling than to search for hidden words puzzle? Word searches include commonly-taught words that kids
  will need in subjects such as Social Studies and Language Arts. For example, your child can find the names of U.S. states and capital cities or adjectives and verbs that are commonly used in reading. Word searches jump off the page when they’re on an iPad. (Free)
• Match-Up Math: This matching game allows children to match up problems with equal answers on a touch-and-drag tile board. In addition to the traditional addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems, the games include fractions, percents, and decimals. Your child will match his way to math success. ($2.99)

Fifth Grade

• Grammar Pop: A fun word game for adults and a great way for kids to learn parts of speech. Match words with parts-of-speech, pop clouds, and progress from nouns and verbs to gerunds and participles. ($1.99)
• MathBoard: This app can be used for all grades, as the levels of this mesmerizing math game can be adjusted from very simple to more complex. It includes square roots, cubes, and squares as well as more basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems. Multiple-choice problems make the game a good way to study for standardized tests, and many of the wrong answer choices are answers that are common mistakes. The correct and incorrect answers to each quiz help to create the most suitable answers for the next quiz. ($4.99)

In addition to reading and math, there are many games that teach other skills, such as art, counting money, and even learning a foreign language. Explore and enjoy! Your child (and his report card) will thank you for it.

I’ve found some great literacy apps and  math apps for your elementary schooler too.