16 Best Apps for 3 Year Olds
At the age of three, children are starting to become more independent and curious about the world around them. As such, it's important to provide them with educational and developmentally appropriate resources that can help them learn and grow. One such resource is the best educational apps for 2-3 year olds.
As technology becomes more integrated into our daily lives, it can be difficult to know what apps are appropriate and beneficial for young children. That's why we've rounded up the best apps for 2-3 year olds here for you.
The Best Educational Apps for 3 Year Olds
Apps that offer a holistic educational structure, especially with content suitable for children's age groups, make a great contribution to their mental and cognitive development. Here are the best educational apps for 3 year olds!
1. Endless Alphabet
Looking for the best free educational apps for 3 year olds? Endless Alphabet is an educational, fun app for children that helps them learn the alphabet and new words. The app features interactive elements, fun sound effects, and narration. It is intended to make learning new letters and words fun and engaging.
An interactive animation accompanies each word, which is repeated by the application to help children learn the word and how it's spelled. It is considered an exciting way to teach kids about letters and words and makes Endless Alphabet one of the best learning apps for 3 year olds free.
- Price: free with app purchases - $8.99 per item
- Ages: 3 and up
- Support available: email
| Endless Alphabet Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Engaging, interactive elements | Lack of reports to track progress |
2. MentalUP
MentalUP is among the most entertaining and creative educational app for 3-year-old children! Not only is MetalUP entertaining, but it also improves the cognitive skills of your kids, such as memory, attention, and focus, with over 150 brain games.
One of the best things about MentalUP is that it's child-safe. There are no ads or in-app purchases, so you can rest easy knowing your child is playing in a safe and appropriate environment.
MentalUP is also trusted by world-leading authorities, such as educators and child development experts, giving parents the assurance that they are providing their children with the best possible learning experience.
To ensure children grow up healthy, they should receive a combination of physical and mental education. MentalUP offers a unique approach by combining brain training and physical activity. By dedicating only 20 minutes a day to brain exercises and 7 minutes to home workouts, parents can significantly contribute to their child's development. 👶 😇
The certified app MentalUP is the perfect blend of fun and learning, with over 10 million satisfied users. It's the ultimate tool for parents to stay connected and keep track of their child's growth anytime and anywhere! If you want your child or yourself to develop healthy habits with activities approved by important authorities, MentalUP is for you! 🎈
- Price: regional
- Ages: kids of all ages
- Support available: Help Center, email
| MentalUP Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Ad-free | Restricted capabilities on the free version |
| Pedagogically approved | |
| In-depth progress reporting | |
| Family plans | |
3. Peekaboo Barn
Peekaboo Barn is one of the best educational android apps for 3 year olds that helps children learn about animals and their sounds. The colorful animations of the barn, animals and their sounds are visually appealing to young children, and the simple, easy-to-understand narration helps them learn.
The app also includes a quiz mode that allows children to test their memory and knowledge of animals and their sounds, encouraging them to learn and retain the information. If you are looking for the best apps for 3 year olds Android and IOS, you can give Peekaboo Barn a chance.
- Price: $1.99
- Ages: 2-6
- Support available: contact form
| Peekaboo Barn Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Visually appealing | Limited learning potential as it is so simple |
| Easy-to-understand narration | |
4. Lego Duplo World
Lego Duplo World is an enchanted land of learning and creativity, specially crafted for kids. With its vibrant and interactive activities, children can embark on a journey of discovery using their beloved Lego Duplo building blocks.
Building, counting, matching, and exploring are just some of the fun ways children can sharpen their cognitive and motor skills. The app's user-friendly interface makes it easy for children to navigate, and the interactive gameplay will keep them engaged for hours.
- Price: $34.99 monthly subscription
- Ages: 3 and up
- Support available: email, phone, contact form
| Lego Duplo World Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Imaginative | Limited collection of blocks |
| Clear learning goals | |
The Best Game Apps for 3 Year Olds
Who doesn't love to have fun? But especially for children, entertainment is of great importance. Best kids apps for 3 year olds deliver educational content while providing kids with an immersive, exciting, and interactive experience.
So, here are some of the best game apps for 3 year olds:
5. Toca Kitchen 2
With this magical culinary adventure, your child can unleash their inner chef and develop healthy eating habits. Imagine a world where your kid can chop, fry, and mix ingredients to their heart's desire.
This playing app encourages creativity, imagination, and exploration while also teaching basic concepts, such as cause and effect. Plus, it's designed to be easy for little hands to navigate, making it an accessible and enjoyable experience for all.
- Price: $3.99
- Ages: 3+
- Support available: email
| Toca Kitchen 2 Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Realistic | Few guidelines |
| Experimental | |
6. Dr. Panda's Ice Cream Truck 2
Dr. Panda's Ice Cream Truck 2 is a mobile game app for children, which allows them to run their own ice cream truck business. The app aims to teach kids about running a business, counting money, making decisions, and following instructions while having fun.
The game features colorful and interactive graphics, and it allows children to make and serve various types of ice cream to customers. It also includes fun mini-games to keep them engaged.
- Price: $2.99
- Ages: 0-5
- Support available: email, FAQs
| Dr. Panda's Ice Cream Truck 2 Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Real life experience | Limited customization |
| High-quality content | |
7. Sesame Street: Elmo's World and You
Sesame Street: Elmo's World and You is one of the best iPhone apps for 3 year olds that is based on the popular children's television show, Sesame Street. It provides a fun and interactive way for children to learn and explore various topics, such as animals, food, and music.
The app features Elmo, a beloved character from the show, as the host and includes activities, games and videos called “appisodes” that are designed to be both entertaining and educational. It also includes interactive elements encouraging children to use their imagination and creativity.
- Price: $4.99
- Ages: 2-4
- Support available: email, phone
| Sesame Street: Elmo's World and You Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Imagination triggering | Limited free content |
8. Kids Preschool Learning Games
Kids Preschool Learning Games is a good choice for parents looking for fun and educational best free apps for 3 year olds to help them learn and develop essential skills, like counting, matching, and problem-solving in an interactive way.
As one of the best educational apps for 3 year olds free, the app includes elements that encourage children to use their imagination and creativity and covers a variety of subjects, such as shapes and colors.
- Price: free
- Ages: 2-5
- Support available: contact form
| Kids Preschool Learning Games Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Great variety of games | Too many pop-up ads |
MentalUP is a highly reliable child development game app that offers 240+ fitness exercises and 150+ brain games, all designed to improve a child's memory, attention, problem-solving, balance, and strength skills. 🎉
With daily brain training and home workout children can radically improve their academic, social and physical development. Also, it is safe for your children since it has no ads. 🌈
The multi awarded app MentalUP, which enhances the game experience to the fullest with fun animations and exciting progress also provides detailed progress reports, allowing parents and teachers to track and monitor kids’ cognitive development. ✨
With MentalUP, children can have fun while they improve their cognitive skills and prepare for school and life. 👏
The Best Math Apps for 3 Year Olds
Mathematical ability is a unique skill that enables a child to use their brain more effectively in all situations where they need to work with numbers and think abstractly. Here are the best math apps for 3 year olds:
9. Park Math
Are you looking for the best iphone apps for 3 year olds free? Welcome to Park Math, the ultimate math playground for children! This app is one of the best free iOS apps for 3 year olds designed to make learning math concepts fun, interactive, and engaging.
With one of the best free ipad apps for 3 year olds, your child will be able to explore a beautiful virtual park filled with math-related games and activities that will help them develop their basic math skills, such as counting, number recognition, addition, and subtraction. The app features colorful graphics, animations, and fun sound effects that make the learning experience more entertaining for children.
- Price: free
- Ages: 2-6
- Support available: FAQs, email
| Park Math Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Easy and simple interface | Insufficient instructions |
10. Hey Duggee: The Counting Badge
Here is one of the best math apps for 3 year olds designed to teach children basic counting skills and number recognition through interactive games and activities featuring funny and cute animated characters.
It is based on the popular children's show, Hey Duggee, a lovable and enthusiastic leader of the Squirrel Club, and his friends. The app's curriculum aligns with early learning standards for learning numbers, making it an effective tool for supplementing a child's math education.
- Price: $2.99
- Ages: 2-6
- Support available: email, phone, FAQs
| Hey Duggee: The Counting Badge Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Rich content | Content is too focused on the TV show |
| Regular updates | |
11. Number Train
Parents who are looking for the best apps for iPad for 3 year olds, all aboard the Number Train! This math app is designed to take your child on an immersive journey of learning basic counting skills and number recognition.
With Number Train, your child will be the engineer and driver of their own train as they complete various math-related tasks, such as counting and matching numbers.
The app also includes fun sound effects, interactive elements, and various mini-games, such as counting and matching numbers to objects, solving simple addition and subtraction problems, and identifying numbers in a sequence, that provide children with a variety of activities to explore and engage with.
- Price: $4.99
- Ages: 0-5
- Support available: contact form
| Number Train Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Simple to understand | Limited content |
12. Cleo & Cuquin Explore + Learn
Get ready to join Cleo & Cuquin in their wild math adventure! The app features interactive games and activities that use the lovable characters from the show to teach children essential math concepts, such as counting, number recognition, addition, and subtraction.
The app also includes activities that help children develop their spatial reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. The colorful and engaging animations, sound effects, and interactive elements in the app make learning math fun and entertaining for children.
- Price: free to download with in-app purchases
- Ages: 0-5
- Support available: contact form
| Cleo & Cuquin Explore + Learn Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Goals for targeted learning | Occasional technical problems |
Want to make math fun for your child? MentalUP offers a variety of math games for kids, divided into different categories, such as place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and shape games. These games are designed to be challenging, engaging, and fun, making them suitable for children of different ages and skill levels.
The benefits of these math games in the MentalUP app are numerous. They help children develop their problem-solving skills and improve their ability to think logically. The interactive nature of the games can lead to greater motivation and interest in each subject.
If you are one of those parents or teachers that want to help children develop strong math skills and a positive attitude toward math, you can start to use MentalUP.
The Best Puzzle Apps for 3 Year Olds
Although puzzles can be quite challenging at times, they bring incredible joy when solved with patience. But they not only entertain but they also support brain development in many ways. Here are some of the best puzzle apps for 3 year olds:
13. Kids Puzzles Games Puzzingo
This app is packed with a wide range of exciting and interactive puzzle games that will keep kids engaged and entertained for hours on end. The professionally illustrated, colorful graphics, easy-to-use interface, and fun sound effects will capture your child's attention and make learning an enjoyable experience.
With Puzzingo, your child will develop essential skills, such as fine motor, problem-solving, and cognitive skills, all while having fun. The app includes a variety of puzzle types, such as jigsaw puzzles, matching puzzles, and mazes, which are perfect for keeping your child's mind active and engaged.
- Price: free with in-app purchases
- Ages: kids of all ages
- Support available: email, FAQs
| Kids Puzzles Games Puzzingo Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Supports many languages | Separate fee for each premium puzzle |
| Simple learning curve | |
14. Busy Shapes
Busy Shapes is a delightful mixture of entertainment and education, making it an excellent tool for enhancing your child's cognitive abilities, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, spatial perception, and problem solving.
These brain puzzles range from basic exercises, such as matching shapes, to organizing by size and color and connecting dots.
What sets Busy Shapes apart from other puzzle-based apps is its interactive and dynamic gameplay, with animations and sound effects that bring the puzzles to life, making the experience more enjoyable for children and making the app one of the best android apps for 2-3 year olds.
- Price: $2.99
- Ages: 2-5
- Support available: ticket, FAQs
| Busy Shapes Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Multiple language support | Complex learning curve |
| Scientifically based | |
15. Dino Puzzle Kids Dinosaur Game
This fun and interactive puzzle app includes various puzzle types, such as jigsaw puzzles, shape matching, and memory games, all designed to help children develop their cognitive and fine motor skills. The app includes a variety of difficulty levels, so children can progress at their own pace and continue to challenge themselves as they grow.
The dinosaur theme makes the game more interesting for kids. It gives them the chance to learn about different types of dinosaurs and their characteristics, making the game more fun and educational.
- Price: $4.99 - monthly subscription
- Ages: 1-6
- Support available: contact form
| Dino Puzzle Kids Dinosaur Game Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Scientific content on dinosaurs | Limited content |
16. Kids Puzzles: 2,3,4 year olds
This app is packed with a treasure trove of fun and educational puzzles for kids. With over 100 objects in nine exciting categories, Kids Puzzles has something for every child to enjoy. From adorable animals to colorful fruits, your child will have a blast discovering new things and developing their cognitive and fine motor skills.
The app, which is one of the best Android apps for 3-4 year olds, is designed with toddlers in mind, which is why it boasts a user-friendly interface and kid-friendly controls. With easy-to-use navigation and simple instructions, your child can play and learn independently.
- Price: free with in-app purchases
- Ages: 2-4
- Support available: contact form
| Kids Puzzles: 2,3,4 year olds Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Variety of objects | Occasional bugs |
| Independent learning | |
Step into the world of MentalUP puzzles, an award-winning learning app where the possibilities are endless. From tricky words and puzzling balls to crosswords and colorful blocks, there's something for every kid. 🏆
Puzzle games can train the brain by improving strategic thinking abilities, verbal fluency, and math skills and can also support children's education by expanding their vocabulary and helping develop math and counting abilities. 🚀
But the fun doesn't stop there! MentalUP also has a social aspect where your kids can compare their scores with peers. Not only will they be sharpening their mind, but they’ll also be honing their social skills. 🎮 🎯
So why wait? Dive into MentalUP and start unlocking the full potential of your kid’s brain today!
16 Best Apps for 3 Year Olds Features Summary Table
| App | Price | Features |
| Endless Alphabet | Free with in-app purchases |
X Child-safe/No in-app ads ✓ In-app purchases ✓ Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| MentalUP | Regional pricing |
✓ Child-safe/No in-app ads ✓ In-app purchases ✓ Comprehensive content ✓ Performance tracking |
| Peekaboo Barn | $1.99 |
✓ Child-safe/No in-app ads X In-app purchases X Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| Lego Duplo World | $34.99 monthly subscription |
X Child-safe/No in-app ads ✓ In-app purchases ✓ Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| Toca Kitchen 2 | $3.99 |
✓ Child-safe/No in-app ads X In-app purchases ✓ Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| Dr. Panda's Ice Cream Truck 2 | $2.99 |
✓ Child-safe/No in-app ads X In-app purchases ✓ Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| Sesame Street: Elmo's World And You | $4.99 |
X Child-safe/No in-app ads ✓ In-app purchases ✓ Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| Kids Preschool Learning Games | Free |
X Child-safe/No in-app ads ✓ In-app purchases ✓ Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| Park Math | Free |
X Child-safe/No in-app ads X In-app purchases X Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| Hey Duggee: The Counting Badge | $2.99 |
X Child-safe/No in-app ads X In-app purchases ✓ Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| Number Train | $4.99 |
X Child-safe/No in-app ads ✓ In-app purchases X Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| Cleo & Cuquin Explore + Learn | Free with in-app purchases |
X Child-safe/No in-app ads ✓ In-app purchases ✓ Comprehensive content ✓ Performance tracking |
| Kids Puzzles Games Puzzingo | Free with in-app purchases |
✓ Child-safe/No in-app ads ✓ In-app purchases ✓ Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| Busy Shapes | $2.99 |
X Child-safe/No in-app ads X In-app purchases ✓ Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| Dino Puzzle Kids Dinosaur Game | $4.99 - monthly subscription |
X Child-safe/No in-app ads ✓ In-app purchases X Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
| Kids Puzzles: 2,3,4 year olds | Free with in-app purchases |
✓ Child-safe/No in-app ads ✓ In-app purchases ✓ Comprehensive content X Performance tracking |
Parent Tips to Find the Best Learning Apps for 3 Year Olds
With the increase in technological opportunities, smart devices and apps have entered our lives, but not all of them are suitable for children's needs.
Here are a few tips to make it easier for you to decide which app will be useful:
- Look for apps that are interactive and allow children to explore and experiment.
- Search for apps that focus on a specific skill or concept, such as reading or math.
- Consider the design and graphics of the app, as they should be age-appropriate and engaging for young children.
- Read reviews and ratings from other parents to get an idea of the app's effectiveness and appropriateness.
For parents who want the best apps for 3 year olds to enhance their development, the opinions of important authorities are essential.
MentalUP has received full approval from various scientific authorities since it is a safe app for children. It doesn’t contain chat modules or in-app purchases, making it a safe choice for families and teachers worldwide. That's why over 10 million users trust it. 👪
If you need an application that will provide your child with mental and physical exercises to improve many essential cognitive, physical, and social skills and allow you to monitor their development level regularly with detailed reports, you can discover MentalUP now. 🎁
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions about finding the best learning apps for 3 year olds? You can benefit from our answers to frequently asked questions.
What are the best apps for 2 3 year olds?
The best apps for 2 3 year olds are interactive, focus on specific skills or concepts, and are age-appropriate and engaging for young children, just like MentalUP.
Why do we need the best free apps for 3 year olds?
We need the best free learning apps for 3 year olds because technology is becoming more integrated into our daily lives, and it is important for children to have access to quality, educational, and developmentally appropriate resources.
How do I mentally stimulate my 3 year old?
You can mentally stimulate your 3-year-old by providing them with interactive, educational apps and participating in activities, such as reading, playing, and exploring the world around them.
How much screen time should my child have?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children under 24 months should not have any screen time. For children ages 2 to 5, the AAP recommends limiting screen time to one hour per day.
With over 240+ fitness exercises and 150+ brain games, MentalUP provides a wide range of options tailored to children of all ages to help them develop their cognitive and physical skills, such as memory, concentration, analytical thinking, visual intelligence, balance, and strength in fun and engaging way. 💪
The advanced performance tracking system allows parents to monitor their children’s progress and see their improvements. You can use MentalUP on all your digital devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Moreover, it is safe for children providing a distraction-free learning environment that can be used anytime, anywhere. 💻 📱
