Children are like little sponges that can soak up the world around them. While that includes the mannerisms of their parents and their environment, this is also when you have a chance to show them the wonder of science and have them get excited about it. While there are plenty of different ways to go about getting your child excited about science, you should definitely remember that there are plenty of apps out there specifically made to introduce children to the wide world of science — from learning about genetics through fun games to finding new science experiments that can be done with household supplies!
Here are the best science apps for kids:
Kid Science Amazing Experiments
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One of the easiest ways to get your kids intrigued about the wide world of science is by showing them some cool experiments. That's exactly what this app is made for. It has access to a bunch of different experiments that can be done safely within the confines of your home. This interactive app will first show you how to complete experiments, by having you complete them on the screen using step-by-step instructions. As you complete an experiment, the next one will become open to you.
While the app does focus on what is happening on-screen, it uses experiments that can be easily built in the real world as well. This means that your child can complete an experiment in the game, and then you can help them to recreate it in the real world. Many children learn through action, so by being involved in the experiment, they're able to see how everything works. The amazement on their little faces when they see how things happen is worth the mess just about every time.
If Kid Science Amazing Experiments is right up your child's alley, then it's also worth checking out their other educational apps. These include a variety of other science learning apps for kids, like learning body parts or more advanced experiments to try out.
Download: Kid Science Amazing Experiments (free)
Alchemy - Genetics
Making learning fun is the easiest way for children to learn something new, because it keeps them interested and engaged. Alchemy-style games follow a basic premise: by combining one or more items, you can create something new. Alchemy - Genetics takes this premise and puts a little spin on it. In this game, your goal is to combine different animals in order to discover new breeds. You start with just 3 animals, with over 500 to discover. Your child will need to figure out which combination of the animals you have already discovered will allow them to find new creatures, and every animal you can unlock within the game is a real animal.
Now there isn't much instruction when you get started. You'll see a chart up at the top of the screen showing which animals you are trying to combine, with a small television screen to the right, which will show the newly discovered animal after a successful combination. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see three beakers — by tapping on them you can get instructions on how to play, as well as hints to help you find new animals. Tapping on the pink beaker to the left will give you instructions and controls for playing the game. The purple beaker in the middle will show you all the animal species that you have unlocked and are able to use in combinations. The blue beaker on the right will give you hints about animals you can unlock using the animal species you already have open to you.
While Alchemy - Genetics can be a little bit difficult to get started with, it's fun and easy to play once you get going. As your child unlocks new animal species, they will learn about animal species, traits used in genetics, and how animals can evolve into something new and strange. For anyone with a budding Biologist or Geneticist on their hands, this is a great option to continue fostering a love of Science. If you aren't a fan of ads, but your child falls in love with the game, you can get rid of them by upgrading to the full version of the game for $0.99.
Download: Alchemy - Genetics (free, premium version $0.99)
Animal Kingdom Science for Kids
Animals are all around us everyday, and they're a walking, breathing example of how amazing science can actually be. If your child is constantly asking questions about animals, then this may be the app to get them more involved. Your child will have to answer questions in order to rescue animals. These questions ask things like where an Alligator moves fastest and what a Fish uses to breathe. While they will need to be able to read and answer multiple choice questions, these are not mind-bending zinger.
After they have finished a quiz, they will have rescued one of the animals available in the menagerie of beasties within the app. That animals will now show up in their Safari screen, where they can see the animals they have managed to get to safety. To unlock each of the 12 animals, they will need to complete a new quiz with new questions. While some of the questions can be a little bit tricky, this is a game that should be easily doable for those in Elementary school or who have already picked up reading without a problem.
There are a good number of ads on this app, but if your child is playing on a tablet instead of a phone, then they are far less distracting and in the way.
Download: Animal Kingdom Science for Kids (free)
Conclusion
Getting your child interested in science doesn't have to be a difficult task. After all, inquisitive little minds are always asking questions, and science can help them find the answers for themselves. Whether they need a visual experiment to see science fundamentals in action, or they're content with learning about animals via quizzes on their screen, there is definitely an app out there to help get them engaged.
Do you already have a favorite science app for your kids? Is there an excellent science app for children that we failed to mention here? Be sure to drop us a comment below and tell us all about it!
