Top 11 Language Apps for Kids: Parent’s 2024 Guide

Research from Northeastern University highlights the numerous benefits of online learning, such as increased flexibility, enhanced critical thinking, better communication, and a wider global outlook. Interestingly, these skills are crucial for mastering a new language! Children, especially, thrive in engaging and interactive environments that offer consistent practice and support, helping them gain confidence in the four key language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Are you excited to find software that can support your children’s language-learning adventure? Look no further! Browse our curated list of the top language apps for kids. We provide detailed insights on the advantages and disadvantages of each app, along with pricing information. Plus, you’ll discover age suitability and parental control features to ensure a safe and effective learning environment for your child.

11 best language learning apps for kids

1. LingualNeeds: Best for 1-on-1 tutoring

• Best use case: 1-on-1 lessons with native tutors
• Pricing: From $10 per session
• Average rating: 4.8/5
• Available on: iOS, Android, and web

LingualNeeds is an engaging interactive language app designed for learners aged 4 and older, offering personalized 1-on-1 lessons with experienced online tutors. Whether you’re interested in mastering English or exploring a variety of other languages, LingualNeeds has you covered. The app empowers users to choose their ideal tutor by applying filters for budget, availability, and specialization in teaching children, ensuring a tailored learning experience.

LingualNeeds stands out as one of the top language learning apps for kids, providing a highly personalized experience for young learners. Parents have the flexibility to request lessons tailored to specific topics, concepts, and vocabulary, while also sharing their child’s individual needs with tutors. This customization ensures that each child receives the support they require to thrive in their language journey.

LingualNeeds begins by asking a series of questions to understand your objectives, current skill level, and available time. To guarantee that your children are matched with the right tutor, you can review potential candidates by watching their short introductory videos, reading their profiles, and checking student feedback. Once you’ve found a suitable tutor, simply choose whether to book a 25-minute or 50-minute trial lesson.

If, after observing your child’s trial lesson, you feel the instructor isn’t the right match, don’t hesitate to explore other options. Finding a tutor who resonates with your little learner is key. Once you discover that perfect fit, enroll them in additional lessons to accelerate their progress and growth!

At LingualNeeds, our tutors offer personalized classes paired with additional resources designed to enhance your child’s vocabulary and boost their reading and listening skills. If you want an app that effectively supports your child’s language development, LingualNeeds is the ultimate choice!

Pros

• Tailored 1-on-1 tutoring sessions
• Wide selection of experienced Spanish, German, French, and English tutors
• Flexible scheduling
• Customized learning plans

Cons

• Not free
• Requires an internet connection

2. Little Pim: Best for short attention spans

• Best use case: Short lessons for young kids
• Pricing: $9.99/month or $69.99/annual
• Average rating: 4.8/5
• Available on: iOS, Android, and web

Little Pim is a standout language learning app designed specifically for children aged 0 to 6. It introduces young learners to a variety of languages, offering engaging lessons in up to twelve languages, including English, Spanish, French, and Mandarin.

Building on the Pimsleur method, Little Pim (English) provides a fun and effective way for young learners to explore language. With more than 360 words and phrases spread across over fifty engaging episodes, this app makes learning enjoyable. Parents will also find printable worksheets available, offering valuable resources to reinforce their children’s learning with additional practice.

Tailored for the short attention spans of young children, this app features captivating five-minute animated and live-action episodes that engage learners in fundamental conversations. It covers relatable topics such as breakfast, playtime, and nap time, making learning fun and relevant. Plus, like many children’s language apps, Little Pim is completely free of ads and external links, ensuring a safe and focused learning environment.

Little Pim is accessible on both iOS and Android platforms. You can start your language-learning journey with a 7-day free trial, and once that’s over, you have the option to subscribe monthly or yearly to continue enjoying the app’s features.

Pros

• Short lessons
• Ad-free

Cons

• Not suitable for children aged 6 or above
• Lacks real tutor guidance

3. Gus on the Go: Best for geography lovers

• Best use case: Learning geography alongside languages
• Pricing: $3.99 for each language course
• Average rating: 4.4/5
• Available on: iOS, Android, and web

Gus on the Go stands out as one of the top language learning apps for children aged 3 to 7, available in over thirty languages through individual apps. Each app features ten engaging core lessons, complete with pronunciation tips from native speakers. To reinforce learning, Gus on the Go includes vocabulary reviews after each lesson, covering a variety of fun topics such as animals, food, and clothing, ensuring kids can easily remember what they’ve learned.

Gus on the Go enhances its learning experience by providing user-friendly maps of countries and cities, allowing language learners to explore cultural and geographic contexts as they study. Designed with children in mind, the app is free from advertisements, in-app purchases, and tracking features, ensuring a safe and focused learning environment.

Gus on the Go is accessible on both iOS and Android for just $3.99 per app. Additionally, the app’s website features a variety of free printables to enhance hands-on learning, such as number flashcards and an interactive vocabulary wheel that spins for fun engagement.

Pros

• Fun games
• Can learn 28 languages
• No pop-up ads

Cons

• No speaking practice
• Not suitable for learners aged 7 or above

4. Study Cat: Best for learning different accents

• Best use case: Exposing kids to different accents
• Pricing: $3.99 for each language course
• Average rating: 4.5/5
• Available on: iOS, Android, and web

With an impressive 4.5-star rating on the App Store, Study Cat is an excellent tool for helping your children master five languages: Spanish, English, German, Chinese, and French. Among its offerings, the standout course, Fun English for Kids, features an engaging curriculum that teaches 569 words and phrases through 191 interactive lessons.

The 21 courses are centered around unique themes and feature audio recordings in various national accents, allowing learners to grasp different pronunciation styles. Recognizing the vital role of music in learning for children aged 3 to 8, Study Cat incorporates 38 engaging songs to enhance the educational experience.

This innovative language learning app for kids is completely ad-free, allowing for a focused and uninterrupted learning experience. It also includes offline learning options, giving parents peace of mind. Developed by seasoned educators and youth education experts, the app employs an engaging active learning methodology that keeps children motivated and eager to learn.

Pros

• Fun gamified exercises
• 191 English lessons

Cons

• Lacks grammar explanations
• Instructions can be confusing

5. Duolingo: Best for competitive kids

• Best use case: Encouraging kids to study often
• Pricing:
  • Limited free version available with pop-up ads
  • $12.99/month
  • $83.99/year ($6.99/month)
• Free trial: 14-day free trial
• Average rating: 4.7/5 stars
• Available on: iOS, Android, and web

Duolingo is not just a popular choice for adults; it’s also an exceptional language learning app for kids. Featuring engaging, game-based lessons in over 35 languages, it effectively helps young learners improve their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in a fun and interactive way.

To keep your child actively engaged in learning, encourage them to participate in daily activities such as fill-in-the-blanks, multiple-choice quizzes, and flashcard exercises that keep Duo, the app’s cheerful green owl mascot, content. By consistently practicing, they’ll not only rise on leaderboards but also earn achievement badges, transforming language learning into an exciting competition with peers.

Parents will love Duolingo’s daily reminders that encourage kids to maintain a regular language practice routine. Designed for children aged 4 and older, the app is most effective for those who already have a solid foundation in reading and writing skills. This ensures young learners can fully engage with the lessons and make the most of their language learning experience.

Looking for effective ways to inspire your children to continue learning beyond the classroom? Discover valuable strategies in this blog post that will keep your kids engaged and excited about learning after school.

Pros

• Free access to most features
• Fun, game-like format encourages regular practice

Cons

• No grammar lessons
• Free version features pop-up ads

6. Droplets: Best for learning useful phrases

• Best use case: Learning new words and phrases across various topics
• Pricing:
  • Free for five minutes every day
  • Unlimited access: $13/month, $69.99/year, or $159.99 for lifetime access
• Free trial: Premium version available for 14 days
• Average rating: 4.55/5
• Available on: iOS, Android, and web

Inspired by its parent app Drops, which won the prestigious Google App of the Year award, Droplets was developed to make language learning enjoyable and accessible for children aged eight and older.

Droplets transforms language learning into an exciting game for kids, allowing them to dive into the vocabulary through vibrant illustrations paired with clear pronunciations. With 23 engaging categories to explore, young learners can master the essentials, from the alphabet to topics like food and drink, family and friends, and everyday household items.

Droplets offers quick, five-minute exercises paired with an “only vocabulary” method, allowing young language learners to practice daily while minimizing screen time. Parents can also take advantage of various controls, such as selecting specific topics for their child’s learning and monitoring achievements and progress.

Pros

• Wide range of vocabulary topics
• Engaging, game-like learning experiences

Cons

• Doesn’t include conversational practice
• Isn’t focused on developing writing skills

7. Memrise: Best for kids aged 12 and up

• Best use case: Helping high-schoolers
• Pricing:
  • Free access to some resources
  • Premium membership required for full-feature access: $8.49/month, $29.99/year, $119.99/lifetime
• Free trial: 14-day trial period for premium features
• Average rating: 4.5/5
• Available on: iOS, Android, and web

Memrise stands out as one of the top language learning apps for kids aged 12 and older, offering over 20 languages and engaging interactive exercises. Unlike many apps that rely on animated characters, Memrise enhances pronunciation skills by featuring video clips of native speakers, providing a more authentic learning experience.

For adolescent learners, harnessing the power of body language and gestures can significantly enhance language acquisition. Research indicates that these non-verbal cues aid in learning a new language more effectively and with greater precision.

While many language learning apps for kids utilize games to maintain interest, Memrise stands out by incorporating interactive exercises that closely resemble real-life scenarios. This approach not only keeps learners engaged but also enhances their practical language skills.

Memrise offers an engaging approach to language learning with its fill-in-the-blank quizzes and vibrant photographic flashcards. It’s an excellent resource for teenagers gearing up for a family vacation overseas or looking for extra help in their language courses.

Additionally, the software employs spaced repetition algorithms designed to enhance your memory retention of words. You can easily track your improvement by taking “Speed Review” quizzes at any time.

Pros

• Quick progress-check quizzes
• Uses spaced repetition algorithms

Cons

• No speaking practice
• Lacks grammar explanations

8. Lingopie: Best for kids who watch series and movies

• Best use cases: Learning by watching movies and TV shows

• Pricing: 
  • $12/month
  • $71.88/year ($5.99/month)
  • $99/year for up to 4 users total
  • $199 for lifetime access
• Average rating: 4.5/5 stars
• Available on: iOS, Android, and web

Lingopie is revolutionizing language learning as the “Netflix for languages.” It provides an innovative platform to master nine languages—Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese—all available for a single subscription fee!

The platform leverages real movies and TV shows to make language learning fun and effective. It offers advanced subtitles in both the target language and English, allowing for an immersive experience. Kids can easily tap on any word to view its translation and access helpful grammar tips for constructing sentences.

Take charge of your viewing experience by adjusting the playback speed of videos anywhere from 0.5x to 1x. While you watch, Lingopie intelligently compiles lists of new vocabulary and phrases, generating customized flashcards for focused learning. Plus, the “speak sentence” feature allows you to hear any text from the video transcript in a clear, machine-generated voice, enhancing your understanding and pronunciation.

One standout feature is the color-coded subtitles, which make it easy to identify different parts of speech—nouns are highlighted in blue, while verbs appear in pink. For deeper insights, simply click the lightbulb icon to access comprehensive grammar explanations.

Lingopie is a fantastic resource for intermediate and advanced teenagers eager to immerse themselves in one of the nine available languages. However, beginners may benefit from extra support to grasp foundational concepts and should consider working with a tutor to enhance their speaking skills.

Pros

• Loop setting allows you to repeat a scene until you understand it
• Can record yourself speaking with the “say it” feature and get graded on your pronunciation

Cons

• Instant translations don’t always consider context
• Not suitable for beginners

9. Mondly Kids: Best for learning less-common languages

• Best use case: Learning less-common languages

• Pricing:
  • $9.99/month
  • $47.99/year
  • $89.99/unlimited access
• Average rating: 4.65/5 stars
• Available on: iOS, Android, and web

Mondly Kids stands out as one of the top language learning apps for children aged 5 and older. Instead of relying on conventional teaching methods, it employs engaging games and interactive lessons that transform the learning experience into a fun and playful adventure.

With this app, your children can explore 27 different languages, ranging from popular choices like French, German, and English to unique options such as Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Czech, and Croatian. This versatility makes it an excellent resource for fostering multilingual education.

The platform incorporates cutting-edge features such as voice recognition, which aids children in honing their pronunciation skills. Additionally, it integrates augmented reality elements that bring lessons to life, transforming learning into an exciting experience. These interactive tools facilitate a more natural and enjoyable way for kids to absorb new languages.

The app tailors its lessons to each child’s unique progress, zeroing in on areas that require improvement. This personalized approach guarantees that children are consistently challenged at the appropriate level, fostering effective learning.

Pros

• Engaging games and interactive lessons
• Voice recognition and augmented reality features
• Personalized learning paths

Cons

• Limited free content
• May require parental assistance for younger children

10. MindSnacks: Best for exam prep

• Best use case: Encouraging kids to learn with games
• Pricing:
  • Limited free version available with pop-up ads
  • $4.99/lifetime access
• Free trial: No free trial of the premium version
• Average rating: 4/5 stars
• Available on: iOS

MindSnacks is an innovative and fun learning app that keeps kids excited about mastering over 1,000 words and phrases in various languages. With options to learn seven languages, including Spanish and Japanese, it makes language acquisition enjoyable. Plus, for students aged 13-19, MindSnacks features an SAT Vocabulary section designed to enhance exam readiness.

MindSnacks offers an exciting way for young learners to engage with educational content through fast-paced games, making it an excellent choice for those with shorter attention spans. If your kids find it challenging to practice their skills outside of school, MindSnacks could be a valuable tool to help them catch up. However, it’s important to note that the company ceased operations in 2014, meaning there will be no new software updates or additional content to enhance skills beyond vocabulary, such as speaking, listening, or writing.

Are you eager to enhance your little learners’ language skills? Discover our curated selection of fantastic online language classes designed specifically for kids!

Pros

• Detailed progress tracker
• Engaging, vibrant games

Cons

• Includes unnatural phrases
• No listening, writing, or speaking lessons

11. Dinolingo: Best for learning vocabulary

• Best use case: For young learners who can’t read yet
• Pricing:
  • $19/month
  • $199/year
• Average rating: 3/5 stars
• Available on: iOS, Android, and web

Dinolingo is an exciting language-learning app designed for children, offering a fun and interactive way to master more than 50 languages, including Spanish and Swahili. Like Duolingo, Dinolingo turns learning into a game, rewarding kids aged 2 to 14 with adorable dinosaur characters and stars as they complete tasks. This engaging approach makes language acquisition enjoyable and motivating for young learners!

The curriculum is organized into sections that enable children to advance at a comfortable pace. It’s important for parents to understand that Dinolingo prioritizes vocabulary development over fluency, fostering realistic learning expectations. This method lays a solid groundwork for future language acquisition. However, one drawback is the lack of human interaction; if a child encounters difficulties or has questions, there’s no teacher available to assist.

For young learners who aren’t quite ready to read yet, Dinolingo offers a special “Younger Children” mode featuring engaging voice-over audio. This user-friendly setting allows kids to explore new lessons without the pressure of completing games and tests on their maps first.

While this app offers valuable self-study resources, it falls short in providing conversation practice and in-depth grammar coverage. As a result, it is most effective when used alongside more structured language learning methods rather than as a standalone solution.

Best language learning apps for kids: Final thoughts

In 2024, top educational organizations emphasize the importance of children learning a second language for success in our globalized world. Starting early is key, as research indicates that young children can rapidly and effectively acquire new languages. Additionally, studies reveal that language learning enhances brain plasticity, further benefiting cognitive development.

Self-study apps such as Lingopie, MindSnacks, and Dinolingo can motivate children to incorporate language learning into their daily routines. However, to truly advance and reach fluency, 1-on-1 tutoring sessions with LingualNeeds stand out as the most effective choice. These personalized lessons offer tailored guidance and real-time conversation practice, ensuring your child receives the focused support necessary to thrive in their language journey.

Looking to help your children master a new language quickly and effectively? Download the LingualNeeds app today and connect with the ideal language coach for them!

For more tips on helping your kids learn a second language, view this guide to raising a bilingual child.