Top-rated apps to teach counting, shapes, and number sense to 5-6 year olds.
Khan Academy Kids offers free, comprehensive early learning content covering reading, math, and more for children ages 2-8.
SplashLearn offers game-based math and ELA practice for Pre-K through 5th grade. Known for engaging gameplay that keeps kids motivated.
ABCmouse offers a full early learning curriculum with thousands of activities for children ages 2-8.
Starfall teaches reading through systematic phonics with engaging activities for Pre-K through 5th grade.
DreamBox is an adaptive K–8 math program that provides rigorous and personalized instruction using interactive visuals and intelligent scaffolding. Widely used in schools and homes.
IXL is a comprehensive adaptive learning platform covering all subjects from Pre-K through 12th grade.
Khan Academy Kids is the best free math app for kindergarten. It covers counting, shapes, patterns, and early addition with no ads and no subscription required. SplashLearn also offers a solid free tier with engaging math games.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting recreational screen time for young children. For educational math apps, 10-15 minutes of focused practice per session is effective for kindergarteners. Short, consistent sessions work better than long, infrequent ones.
Kindergarteners should learn counting to 100, recognizing and writing numbers 0-20, basic addition and subtraction within 10, identifying 2D and 3D shapes, comparing sizes and quantities, sorting objects, and recognizing simple patterns. The apps on this list cover all of these foundational skills.
It depends on your goals. Khan Academy Kids is completely free and excellent for most kindergarteners. Paid apps like SplashLearn and DreamBox offer more structured curricula, adaptive difficulty, and detailed progress reports. If your child needs extra support or you want granular analytics, a paid app can be worth the investment.
Khan Academy Kids is the best free math app for kindergarten — it covers every foundational skill with zero cost and zero ads.
SplashLearn stands out for its game-based approach that keeps kindergarteners engaged while building real math skills through personalized learning paths.
DreamBox is the premium choice for parents who want adaptive instruction that adjusts in real time to their child's level.
Looking for spelling practice too? SpellingJoy offers 100% free spelling games, tests, and word lists for K-6 students — the perfect companion to any math app.
About the Author
SpellingJoy Team
The SpellingJoy team is dedicated to creating free, high-quality spelling resources for K-6 students and their families. We test every app we review and provide honest assessments to help parents make informed decisions.