Many parents worry that their children won’t sit down to study on their own.
For those looking for tools that make learning feel like a game, here are free, elementary school–friendly study apps that kids can really get into! We’ve gathered a wide range—from ones you can try in short spare moments to those that let you thoroughly review challenging subjects.
Why not use a smartphone or tablet to turn daily study time into something exciting? These are all apps that parents and kids can enjoy learning with together, so be sure to find your favorites!
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Get smarter while playing! A collection of free and fun study apps for elementary school students (1–10)
kanji kanaNEW!
Perfect for kids who want to enjoy reading even difficult kanji, “Kanjikana” converts kanji to hiragana and adds furigana when you enter text, so you can instantly see “How do you read this?” and feel relieved! You can keep reading with confidence.
It feels like a kind teacher gently guiding you, and it’s great that you can use it casually! As you use it like you’re playing, your reading skills will steadily improve before you know it.
It’s an app that turns small moments each day into fun learning time.
Introduction to the AbacusNEW!
The abacus, which is enjoying a resurgence as an extracurricular activity, not only improves calculation skills but also fosters the ability to instantly grasp and understand things.
Elementary school students typically learn it around third to fourth grade.
In this app, even children new to the abacus can have fun: it first explains what the beads represent.
From there, they can check their understanding with practice problems, and if they pass the promotion test, they can move on to the next step.
You can slide the beads on the screen to move them, making it feel like you’re really using an abacus—super fun!
Abacus Introduction - Addition and Subtraction -Category: Education Free iOS Universal Rating: 4.77676
iPhone / iPadAndroid
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One-panel KanjiNEW!
If you want to make kanji learning more fun for elementary school students, this is perfect.
It covers all the kanji taught in elementary school and aligns with the new curriculum guidelines, so it’s well linked to what they study at school.
In addition to writing practice, it’s packed with unique playful elements, letting kids enjoy learning like a game.
As they clear each challenge, they’ll feel a sense of achievement, and before they know it, kanji will come naturally—another big plus.
It’s easy to use even in small pockets of time, helping kids keep up a fun daily study habit, so feel free to give this app a try.
Elementary School Kanji Drill: One-Panel KanjiCategory: Education Free iOS Universal Rating: 4.76889
iPhone / iPadAndroid
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Princess MathNEW!
Princess Math is perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy learning arithmetic in a cute world.
Each time you solve a problem, you earn tiaras, dresses, and sparkly items, letting you coordinate your very own princess—that’s the charm! As you progress in a playful way, your calculation skills naturally improve.
It supports a wide range of problems from single-digit to four-digit numbers, so you can take on challenges at your own level without strain—another nice point.
With its gentle atmosphere and irresistible cuteness, even adults might find themselves enjoying it, turning everyday study time into something a little special.
Princess Math - Kids Educational Calculation and Dress-Up AppCategory: Education Free iOS Universal Rating: 4.42856
iPhone / iPad
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Programming SeminarNEW!
An app is perfect for children who want to start engaging with programming from the early elementary grades.
It was developed based on lessons conducted for first- to third-graders at public elementary schools, incorporating plenty of feedback from both the children’s user experience and the on-site teachers’ opinions, resulting in a safe and reliable design.
The controls are intuitive and easy to understand, and because children can learn as they progress through it like a game, they naturally develop computational thinking even before studying difficult theories.
By trying repeatedly, they cultivate the “ability to think” and the “ability to organize things step by step,” turning small moments of each day into enjoyable learning time.
Since it feels like play, even beginners in programming can learn with excitement!
Programming Seminar [A programming app usable from lower grades]Category: Education Free iOS Universal Rating: 3.51852
iPhone / iPadAndroid
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Romanized QuestNEW!
Students start learning romaji in third grade.
Once they’ve memorized A–Z, they’ll want to learn how to use them, too.
This app is perfect for that.
Questions appear in Japanese, and you choose the correct romaji from three options.
When you pick the right answer, it makes a “pin-pon” sound, which kids will love.
There are multiple question patterns, so they can learn in a game-like way without getting bored.
If you tap the romaji chart, balloons with hiragana appear, making it convenient for reviewing romaji as well.
Romaji Learning App ~ Romaji Quest ~ with Romaji ChartCategory: Education Free iOS Universal Rating: 4.40944
iPhone / iPadAndroid
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Let’s learn with the Gakken Dragon Drill Math and Japanese Language learning app!NEW!
This app is perfect for elementary school students who want to learn with a sense of adventure.
It uses a full-fledged battle game system where you tackle problems to revive a sealed dragon, helping kids build math and language skills while they play.
Each time you clear a stage, you’ll feel a sense of achievement, which keeps the motivation to “do more!” going.
The content covers the basics thoroughly, making it great for overcoming weaknesses.
Its colorful, fun world turns daily study into an exciting time.
It’s easy to start and lets you level up enjoyably, so give it a try!
Download on Google Play