Is your child showing no interest towards reading books? In the era of YouTube and mobile gaming, captivating young minds with the joy of reading is tougher than ever. However, technology itself provides solutions through engaging reading apps designed specially to instill a love for reading in children.
As an experienced online privacy researcher and concerned parent myself, I curated this guide on the best reading apps for kids that transform reading into play. Parents, read on as I provide expert yet friendly recommendations on how reading apps can engage your child based on scientific learning principles. I also share actionable tips to balance app and physical book reading while nurturing reading skills.
Let’s first understand why reading apps provide critical benefits in improving childhood literacy.
Here’s why reading apps boost reading skills in kids:
- Interactive stories and activities sustain kids‘ attention better than plain ebooks
- Read-aloud features help kids grasp more complex narrative and vocabulary
- Instant feedback and rewards motivate kids to progress to higher levels
- Games and challenges make reading more fun than passive consumption
- Offline reading enables learning during commutes without Internet
- Data-driven reading analytics give insights on comprehension gaps
In fact, research by Mind Research Institute reveals that 90% of teachers surveyed find educational reading apps helpful in improving student literacy. Over 60% felt these apps motivated students to read more.
Now let’s explore the top recommended reading apps that make reading an engaging experience.
Top 9 Reading Apps to Make Kids Fall in Love With Reading
1. Epic – For an Extensive Digital Bookshelf
Epic is every bookworm’s paradise, with over 40,000 high quality ebooks, audiobooks and learning videos for kids 12 and under. They partner with famous brands like National Geographic and Sesame Street to deliver age-appropriate reading content spanning early readers to young adults.
I love how Epic organizes titles clearly by category, popular selections, reading levels and award winners. The read-aloud feature really helps my 6-year old follow along complex stories by himself. Epic also recommends new books based on my son’s preferences using advanced algorithms. This keeps him eagerly looking forward to reading every evening before bedtime.
With unlimited access for around $8 per month, Epic is a superb reading app for building engagement and literacy.
Best for: Extensive ebook and audiobook selection; ages 4-12
Key Features:
- 40,000+ ebooks, audiobooks and videos
- Books for all reading levels
- Read-aloud feature on every title
- Downloads for offline reading
- Personalized book recommendations
2. Wonderscope – Where Books Come Alive with Augmented Reality
Magic unfolds when my son launches the Wonderscope app on my phone and chooses one of the wondrous stories. He is thrilled to see the characters and plot elements come alive, leaping out from the pagesviewed through the phone camera! Created by former Pixar animators, Wonderscope integrates captivating AR animations into narrative stories to teach important social concepts to kids ages 5-9 in an unforgettable way.
I also enjoy that many stories prompt kids to actively participate through tapping gestures and voice responses. This interactivity level keeps my son tuned in while building comprehension. At around $5 per story, Wonderscope provides next-generation immersive reading joy.
Best for: Augmented reality stories; ages 5-9
Key Features:
- Augmented reality animations integrated into stories
- Quality animations and interactive features
- Develops imagination through AR
- Appropriate for early and developing readers
- Add your own voiceovers for fun
3. Skybrary – A Digital Library for Kids to Explore
My daughter loves getting lost in the magical world of books. With over 1300 fiction and non-fiction titles for kids 5-12 years old, Skybrary is her new favorite app for endless reading joy. She enjoys the personalized homepage recommending titles based on her preference for mystery books.
I really like that new books are added every week across diverse genres like science, history and arts – this continuously expands her knowledge. The chapter books challenge and build her reading comprehension skills as she moves up reading levels. And all books work seamlessly offline too for her long car rides. For about $8 a month, Skybrary opens up a treasury of reading wonders.
Best for: Extensive fiction and non-fiction ebook library; ages 5-12
Key Features:
- 1300+ leveled ebooks across 35+ topics
- New titles added weekly
- Personalized recommendations
- Embedded dictionary and Wikipedia search
- Offline reading and bookmarking
4. Raz-Plus – For Comprehensive Reading Skills Development
As a teacher and parent, I highly recommend Raz-Plus for systematically advancing reading abilities in kids ages 5-12. Developed by curriculum experts, Raz-Plus equips with teachers with leveled books, lesson plans, activity sheets and skills-based reporting. This supports differentiated instruction for both struggling and gifted students in a classroom.
For parents, it provides interactive ebooks spanning 29 reading levels – great for 1-on-1 reading mentoring sessions. The vivid illustrations, embedded word help and fluent narration allow kids to independently read books above their level, thereby accelerating literacy. Starting at $8 per month, Raz-Plus delivers robust reading level assessment and personalized skills development tools.
Best for: Complete literacy instruction solution; ages 5-12
Key Features:
- Leveled books spanning 29 reading levels
- Lesson plans and activity sheets for teachers
- Read aloud support and built-in dictionary
- Quizzes and reporting to track progress
- Recommends books matching child’s reading level
- Translated books also available in Spanish
5. Reading IQ – Where Books Capture Kids’ Imagination
I love Reading IQ’s impressive catalogue of over 7000 leveled books covering everything from award-winning fiction to fascinating non-fiction selected by educators. The topics really grab my daughter’s natural curiosity – she enjoys devouring books on art, science experiments, geography and even yoga!
Every book includes comprehension quizzes for focused reading. As a parent, I leverage Reporting Dashboards revealing actionable insights on vocabulary growth, reading pace and accuracy. For $10 a month, Reading IQ delivers outstanding reading content tailored to enhance literacy.
Best for: Non-fiction; ages 4-11
Key Features:
- Over 7000 leveled fiction and non-fiction books
- Quizzes test comprehension for each book
- Parent & teacher reporting dashboards
- Curated age-appropriate reading recommendations
- New titles added every month
- Download for offline reading
6. Homer Reading – Learn to Read with Phonics Power
Homer’s systematic curriculum and phonics-based games taught both my kids to confidently sound out and recognize words. Starting with the essential building blocks of reading, Homer covers sight words, short vowels, word families and more using interactive stories, songs and clever rhymes.
The detailed Parents Dashboard even identifies problem sounds that I can focus more one-on-one practice on. I also like that activities align lessons to physical workbooks for combined learning. A 30-day free trial lets you experience Homer before subscribing.
Best for Complete reading curriculum with phonics foundation; ages 2-8
Key Features:
- Foundational reading program grounded in phonics
- 850+ stories, songs and books
- Reports identify child’s strengths and improvement areas
- Activities map to physical workbooks
- 30-day free trial available
7. Farfaria – Unlimited Book Access for Young Book Lovers
My voracious young reader is thrilled with her magical Farfaria library with over 400 books spanning early readers to young adults. With new books added weekly across diverse genres, there’s always something new catch her fancy – she can’t get enough of the Wizards of OZ series now!
I love that Farfaria actively tracks her reading accomplishments like longest book read and vocabulary mastered. This gamification really motivates her reading goals. For around $6 a month, Farfaria offers unlimited access to an ever-growing catalogue of kids titles.
Best for: Extensive ebook catalogue for young readers; ages 6-9
Key Features:
- 400+ fiction and non-fiction books
- New titles added weekly
- Book difficulty adjustments
- Built-in dictionary and notes
- Motivational reading trophies and rewards
8. Bookful – Where Fairytales Bloom with Augmented Reality
My niece was overjoyed to see her favorite Goldilocks fairy tale magically come alive all around her bedroom as she explored the story on my phone! Unlike plain ebooks, Bookful’s clever use of augmented reality transports kids into an immersive experience brimming with delightful animations, music and special effects. Visual and auditory elements keep early readers engaged while reinforcing comprehension too.
With book bundles starting at $3, Bookful delivers next-generation reading magic. Kids can also record themselves reading stories aloud for a fun confidence boost!
Best for: Interactive fairytales using augmented reality; ages 3-6
Key Features:
- Beautiful AR animations and effects
- Read-aloud story recordings
- Letter tracing games
- Interactive comprehension questions
- New AR book bundles added frequently
9. Noggin Phone – Where Learning Games Build Early Reading Skills
As a teacher, I think Noggin Phone does a fabulous job laying the foundations for early reading success through educational games. Kids have fun while mastering alphabet knowledge, phonics, early word recognition and listening skills – all predictive of future reading capabilities.
I love the personalized skill recommendations and simple coaching tips on what parents can practice next. This keeps both my student and parent audience engaged while systematically nurturing pre-reading skills week-by-week. You can try Noggin Phone free for a month.
Best for: Building blocks for reading through educational games; ages 2-5
Key Features:
- Learn alphabet letters and sounds
- Match letters to objects beginning with that sound
- Recognize early sight words
- Rhyming and listening games
Use this checklist to pick the right reading app for your child:
- Set realistic expectations on capabilities based on age and grade level
- Identify gaps in phonics, vocabulary, comprehension skills
- Select age-appropriate content they’ll find interesting (not too challenging)
- Check for read-aloud support if independent reading ability is low
- See if stats or reporting reveal engagement and reading patterns
- Ensure app has extensive content – interactive features alone don‘t equal learning!
- Confirm recommendations from teachers and literacy experts
- Start with free trials before committing to subscriptions
Balance app reading with physical books for well-rounded literacy:
While apps introduce interactivity to build engagement, traditional books hold unique developmental benefits related to focus, imagination and emotional intelligence.
- Continue bedtime reading routines with print books for bonding
- Allow tablet reading only for limited durations per day
- Initiate discussions around app books to build comprehension
- Alternate reading formats – don’t let apps monopolize all reading time
- Provide writing practice linking to app reading content for reflection
- Show interest towards themes and topics covered in app books
Finding the right mix of app and physical book reading along with engaged participation in literacy development routines will instill deep love for reading that lifts up young minds.
As technology permeates every facet of young lives, leverage it constructively through cutting-edge reading apps that inspire instead of simply entertain. Embark on an exciting lifelong reading adventure with your child today!
