How to Judge a Learning App for Kids

App stores are full of apps labeled “educational”. Some are carefully designed by learning experts. Others are arcade games with a few math problems sprinkled in, wrapped in ads and coin shops that nudge your child to ask for your password.

You can’t test every app yourself, but you can learn to spot the difference in a few minutes. This guide gives you a checklist based on learning research, plus the privacy and purchase checks that protect your child and your wallet.

Why “educational” on the label isn’t enough

There’s no official approval required before an app calls itself educational. In an influential 2015 paper in Psychological Science in the Public Interest, researchers led by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek noted that Apple’s App Store already had about 80,000 apps labeled educational, and that most were largely untested.

The same paper offers a useful lens for parents. It describes 4 “pillars” of how children learn, which apply to apps just as they do to classrooms:

1. Active: the child is “minds-on”, thinking and problem-solving, not just tapping and swiping
2. Engaged: attention stays on the learning goal, without constant distractions
3. Meaningful: the content connects to what the child already knows and to real life
4. Socially interactive: the app encourages talking with others about what they’re learning

You don’t need every app to hit all 4. But an app that hits none of them is entertainment, not learning, no matter what the store page says.

Key takeaway: Judge a kids’ app by what your child’s brain is doing, not by the word “educational” in its description. Look for active thinking, focus on the lesson, real-world meaning and chances to talk about it, then rule out ads, purchase traps and needless data collection.

The 5-minute learning checklist

Play the app yourself for 5 minutes before handing it over. Ask these questions.

Rewards: helpful or hijacking?

Stickers and stars can motivate kids. The problem is when rewards become the point. Watch for apps where:

• Your child skips the learning part to reach the treats
• Rewards are random, like loot boxes or spinning wheels
• Progress is tied to daily streaks that create pressure or guilt
• The best rewards require spending real money

A good rule: if you took away the rewards, would there still be something worth doing?

Red flags: ads, purchase traps and dark patterns

Many “free” kids’ apps make money through ads or in-app purchases. Here’s what to watch for.

Ads

Ads interrupt learning and can lead kids to other apps or websites. Apple’s App Store Review Guidelines say apps in its Kids category generally shouldn’t include third-party advertising or third-party analytics, with limited exceptions for reviewed, contextual ads. Apps outside the Kids category don’t have to follow those rules, so check the app’s listing.

In-app purchases

The app store listing usually notes whether an app offers in-app purchases. Be cautious of apps that:

• Sell gems, coins or lives needed to keep learning
• Put lessons behind a paywall after a few levels without saying so up front
• Show purchase prompts in the middle of a lesson
• Make it easy for a child to buy something without a parent’s involvement

This isn’t a hypothetical problem. In 2014, Apple agreed to provide full refunds of at least $32.5 million to settle a Federal Trade Commission complaint that it billed parents for kids’ in-app purchases without parental consent. Google settled a similar FTC complaint the same year.

Parental gates

Apple says apps for kids should put links out of the app and purchase opportunities behind a “parental gate”, an adult-level task a young child can’t easily complete. A missing gate on a kids’ app is a red flag.

Dark patterns

Watch for design tricks such as countdown timers, characters who look sad if your child stops, or prompts that make quitting feel like failure.

Privacy: what the app collects about your child

Children’s apps can collect a lot of data. In the US, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the FTC’s COPPA Rule require apps directed at children under 13 to get verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information, with some exceptions.

The FTC finalized updates to the COPPA Rule in 2025. According to the FTC, the changes require separate parental consent before companies can disclose kids’ data to third parties for things like targeted advertising, and prevent companies from cutting off access if a parent says no. The rule also added data retention limits and expanded personal information to include biometric identifiers. The FTC set most compliance deadlines at 1 year after the rule’s publication in April 2025. This is general information, not legal advice.

Privacy questions to check

• Does the app have a clear privacy policy written in plain language?
• Does it ask for an account, email, location, contacts, microphone or camera, and does it need them?
• Does it say whether it shares data with advertisers or other third parties?
• Can you delete your child’s data?
• Is there a chat or social feature with strangers?

If an app asks for permissions it clearly doesn’t need, such as location for a spelling game, decline them or choose a different app. For broader context, our guide to US state data privacy laws explains how privacy rules are expanding.

Settings to turn on before your child downloads anything

Your device’s own controls are your safety net, even with a great app.

Two limits to know: Google says its purchase approvals only apply to purchases made through Google Play’s billing system, and Apple says a request expires if you don’t approve it within 24 hours. Our full guide on how to set up parental controls walks through each step.

Where to start: a quick routine for every new app

1. Read the store listing. Check the age rating, in-app purchases, data collection labels and developer name.
2. Look for trusted signals. Apple’s Kids category or Google Play’s Kids tab add an extra layer of review, though they’re not a guarantee.
3. Play it yourself for 5 minutes. Use the learning checklist above.
4. Check the privacy policy and permissions. Decline anything unnecessary.
5. Turn on purchase approvals before your child starts.
6. Watch the first session together. See whether your child is thinking or just chasing rewards.
7. Revisit after 2 weeks. Ask your child to explain or show what they learned. If they can’t, the app may not be doing much.

If your child is learning a language, our article on whether you can really learn a language with an app explains what apps do well and where they fall short. For a look at AI-powered tutoring apps, see AI tutors and the future of edtech.

How school apps fit in

Many kids already use apps assigned by their school. Those usually come with district review and data agreements, but you can still apply the same checklist and ask the teacher what the app is meant to practice. Our guides on using Google Classroom as a parent and school cellphone bans cover how technology works on the school side.

Conclusion

The best learning apps for kids make them think, keep the focus on learning, connect to real life and give you a reason to talk together. The worst hide arcade games, ads and coin shops behind an “educational” label. Spend 5 minutes testing each app, check its privacy practices, and turn on purchase approvals before your child taps “Get”. That small routine filters out most of the junk and leaves the apps that are truly worth their screen time.

Sources

• Psychological Science in the Public Interest: Putting education in “educational” apps — the 4 pillars of learning and the evaluation of educational apps
• FTC: Finalized changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule — 2025 COPPA Rule updates
• Apple: App Review Guidelines — Kids category rules on ads, analytics and parental gates
• Apple Support: Ask to Buy — purchase approval requests and defaults for children
• Google For Families Help: Purchase approvals on Google Play — approval options and billing limits
• FTC: Apple refunds for kids’ in-app purchases — 2014 settlement over purchases without parental consent