The Best Reading Apps for
4- to 8-Year-Olds
by Melissa Taylor
If you’re wondering about reading apps – if they work, are they worth the screen time, and which ones are best – keep reading. Because yes, these educational apps can support growing readers learning to read with teaching basics like alphabet sounds (phonics) and encouraging more reading with storybook apps. Even better, the quality of these gamified learning apps will impress you.
No, they’re not a waste of time. Not the good ones, anyway. Used judiciously, and as a complement to physical books, good reading apps can help kids learn to read and practice reading. And they’re convenient for busy families who want to encourage reading engagement on the go.
“The advantage of using a device for reading is that it easily fits into modern families’ busy schedules so kids can read anywhere,” explains Beth Chang of iGameMom.
There are many reading apps out there, though, and they’re not all created equal. We cut through the noise to find you the best reading apps for your kids.
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Learning To Read Apps
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Learning to read apps should include phonics, sight words, as well as reading words and sentences.
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Teach Your Monster to Read
Perfect for your preschoolers and kindergartners, this app delves into the first years of reading, starting with matching letters and sounds as you follow a cute monster on a magical journey.
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Hooked on Phonics
Based on the sequential Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read program, these apps offer a library of books rated for difficulty as well as lessons for beginning readers learning to read.
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DuoLIngo ABC
With 700+ lessons and stories, this app teaches kids phonics-based reading using games and kid-friendly visuals and includes a helpful parent progress tracking area.
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Khan Academy Kids
Cute videos and games with cartoon illustrations teach kids foundational reading skills such as syllables, story elements, and more. Watch short instructional videos then apply the lessons with interactive games. The free app also includes a library of books, customization, and lessons in other core subjects such as math and writing.
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SplashLearn
SplashLearn is a popular educational ad-free app with all the core subjects including reading. The app’s reading games teach children the basics of literacy starting with letters and continues into more advanced reading comprehension strategies. All the activities adapt to a child’s learning pace and are visible in a parent progress area.
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Reading.com
This phonics app requires adult facilitation to support learners with the app’s guided lessons, interactive games, and books. Adults will help children as they learn the concepts in 99+ step-by-step lessons and will co-read the decodable books along with the child.
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Practice Reading Apps
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There are a lot of individual story apps, but economically it’s to your advantage to use an app with books within it. Generally these subscriptions are in the $10-a-month range. Also, unlike single story apps, most of these reading apps show the reading levels so you know your child is reading a just-right book.
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Little Stories: Bedtime Books
These beautifully illustrated stories allow kids to be the main character of most stories. Kids can read the story themselves or listen to a narrator reading the book. What’s extra special is that the child or adult can record themselves narrating the story, too.
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Epic! Books for Kids
Epic continues to grow its eBook collection with over 40,000 popular books and audiobooks such as Scaredy Squirrel, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Reading logs, personalization, and rewards are offered to support developing readers as well as read-to-me books, graphic novels, and a parent portal.
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Vooks
In this read aloud story app, children watch and listen to animated books with fun sound effects. Newly available is the option to turn the animated visuals off and listen to the audiobook only for a screen-free experience. Although there are no parental controls, the app offers free lesson plans for teachers and parents.
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Libby
Libby is the free digital OverDrive library app that allows library card holders to check out ebooks, magazines, and audiobooks for 21 days. Search titles by “juvenile” and you’ll find children’s books to borrow, download, and read on any device. Younger children will need adult help.
Reading on a device is so much better than playing mindless games. Plus, books on your mobile or table make this Chinese proverb even truer: A book is like a garden, carried in the pocket.
You might also like:
- A Crash Course on the Science of Reading
- How To Use Decodable Books to Support Readers at Home
- Tips and Tricks for Building Kids’ Reading Stamina
- 20 Sight Word Games, Activities, and Reading Ideas
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2025.