We know you have mixed feelings when the internet or a new app, and kids are mentioned in the same conversation. But how do you prevent your child from being immersed in technology when they’re constantly surrounded by a tech-centric environment? So, the best way is to find a perfect balance.
Imagine where technology is an effective tool for your child’s educational journey rather than merely a tool for distraction. With FlowMinder, we just made it possible. How? We’ll come to that gradually.
As parents and educators, we are continuously sifting through the internet looking for apps that offer your kid just the right balance of educational value while encouraging safe use. In this article, you’ll know what to look out for when choosing an app for your kid, offering tips and insights to help parents and schools alike.
Table of Contents
Understanding Educational Apps
As tablets and smartphones have become more popular and the search for good educational resources may be a little tough. At the moment, almost anything can be found on an app, especially when it comes to kid’s education. That’s why it’s advisable to be in the loop when it comes to getting good educational apps for your children.
In other words, knowing these educational apps is essential, especially with an overwhelming number of options to choose from. These educational apps should provide interactive and captivating experiences that meet a range of educational needs, making them effective tools for children’s learning and growth.
As a result, parents and schoolteachers should assess apps for education based on elements including age-appropriateness, safety features, educational value, and user-friendliness.
When evaluating if an app meets educational goals and offers meaningful learning, you must look past eye-catching designs and appealing slogans.
Educational Apps for a child with ADHD and ASD
If your child has ADHD or ASD (autism spectrum disorder), the focus will shift to finding apps that use technology to aid in controlling the symptoms while improving learning experiences. Of course, technology can help a child with ADHD or ASD.
There are educational games for ADHD children, and they can still get the most out of technology by utilizing ADHD checklist applications and integrating educational games made especially for them.
So, the educational apps for children with ADHD and ASD provide a structured, entertaining environment with visual cues, engaging tasks, and flexible settings to help with attention span and focus. Incorporating these apps into everyday activities promotes increased engagement, building skills, and progress in school.
The role of educational Apps in your child’s learning experience
With the recent innovative and engaging learning methods customized to meet your child’s needs, educational apps for children have a transforming effect. For instance, a child struggling to learn can flourish and become more motivated. This is because the app offers the child a personalized learning experience.
Additionally, the apps enable different learners—including those with ADHD or ASD—to learn collaboratively, which builds global connections and teamwork. As a result, kids may explore, learn, and succeed in school and at home while having fun with it.
Good Tech vs. Bad Tech – what to look out for
So, to guarantee that your child gets the most out of their digital learning experiences, parents and schoolteachers need to be able to discern between good and bad tech.
The term “good technology” describes educational applications that prioritize user engagement, safety, age appropriateness, and learning outcomes—all of which are important factors to consider when incorporating technology into the classroom in schools or at home.
These apps are a great resource for parents looking to give their kids engaging apps because they are made to improve kids’ intellectual capabilities, creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Also, to help you achieve your goals of giving your child access to safe educational apps, you should evaluate these apps by looking for ones that prioritize user safety and privacy, provide clear educational value, and encourage positive screen time.
What to consider when deciding on a new game for your child
How can I tell if an app is right for my kid?” “What are some good apps for my child?
These are common questions asked by parents about both educational apps and video games. As much as it’s easy to answer these questions, the reality depends on so many factors at play. These factors include:
User Interface
Think about the game’s overall usability, navigation, and user interface. To keep your child interested, use games that are easy to understand and have clear instructions and feedback.
Parental Control Feature
Look for apps with parental controls, which let you limit access to particular features or content, set time limits, and keep an eye on your child’s gameplay.
Age for usage
Choose age-appropriate apps. So, make sure the content of the app, level of difficulty, and possible hazards of the game are appropriate for your child’s age. Seek out comments and age ratings from reliable sources.
Relevance to Education
Select educational games that are in line with your child’s interests and developmental stage. Look out for apps that foster critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and cognitive abilities.
Privacy and safety
Give top priority to games with extensive security features, safe login procedures, and open data protection guidelines. Steer clear of apps that have offensive content or gather an excessive amount of personal data.
How do I choose the right app or games?
The age and development
Choose applications based on your child’s developmental stage and age. Take into account both difficulty and content to provide a good experience.
Interests and desires of your child
Select apps based on your child’s interests and areas of enthusiasm. To increase involvement, involve people in the decision-making process.
Relevance to Education
Search for educational applications that can improve STEM learning. These apps can help with skill development and be entertaining as well.
Choose an app that has social features
Think about how social gaming and app use may be. If your kid places a high value on social contact, choose ones that include multiplayer or collaborative capabilities.
Check Reviews before downloading
Make educated decisions by utilizing user feedback. Before purchasing, check the app stores for user ratings and reviews.
When downloading an app for your child, what should you check for?
Here are three things to watch out for.
✔ Child-led activities
We are aware of the advantages of child-led play in analog play, and this also applies to educational apps and video games.
Children can experiment, utilize their imaginations, and be creative with child-led digital toys like Sago Mini World, unlike certain games that prescribe how or what kind of content children should play or create.
✔ Inclusion
Encouraging children to recognize the diversity of families and individuals in the world is an important part of teaching them about it.
For instance, in a game where kids can create avatars that reflect the diversity in real life, with features like various skin tones, hairstyles, and physical features like artificial limbs or wheelchairs.
As a result of this inclusion, children learn to value diversity, which promotes acceptance and empathy. Additionally, it affirms different identities, giving kids the confidence to be accepted and appreciated for who they are.
✔ Less feedback and praises
It is a common misconception that children can only learn by being told what is proper or wrong. In actuality, an app’s excessive feedback can impede learning.
A child is most likely participating in scripted instruction rather than open-ended or child-centered play if they are continuously hearing via an app to “try again!” or “good job!” When we hear “good job,” we could assume that our child has understood a concept, but in reality, they might have just completed the task the app required of them.
What Does FlowMinder Do?
Utilizing cutting-edge technology, FlowMinder presents a comprehensive digital platform designed to assist children in organizing their daily schedules, activities, and emotions. The outcome? Improved self-awareness, efficient time management, and essential life skills to navigate their academic journey successfully.
What Can You Do with FlowMinder?
- Allow you and your child to schedule
- Link tasks and homework with a reward system for your child to keep them motivated
- Option to add child’s learning programs and milestones
- Continuous mood tracking for swift identification of patterns and timely detection of overwhelm or anxiety by parents, teachers, therapists, and the support network.
Things to look out for after installing the app
As a parent and educator, there are a few characteristics you should look for in kid-friendly apps.
✔ No ads
A child using an app may quickly become distracted by advertisements, which may also show them something dangerous.
✔ Minimal sound or quietness
Your child may become distracted from independent play and learning by constant noise, dings, and “you did it!” It should be my child, not the app, who determines whether or not they are proud of what they have accomplished.
✔ Little to no rewards
If a game encourages learning and play, it shouldn’t be dependent on heavy prizes to keep kids engaged. Rather, I search for applications that highlight the child and their play.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, when choosing apps and games for your kid, consider age-appropriate apps, their educational value, safety features, and user-friendliness.
Keep an eye out for applications that support diversity, encourage activities directed by children, and reduce distractions like excessive prizes and ads. You can ensure your child has a positive and rewarding digital experience for learning and development by considering these elements.