https://www.commonsense.org/education/top-picks/best-picks-for-early-childhood-stem-learning
Coding and Programming
ScratchJr
Drag-and-drop programming is an effective intro for budding coders
Bottom line: With a little adult help, this is a great platform for getting kids into programming.
Grades: K–2 Price: Free
Codeable Crafts
Animate stories with accessible drawing tools and coding blocks
Bottom line: Kids get a simple peek at computer programming principles by animating stories using code blocks.
Grades: K–3 Price: Free
Blockly for Dash & Dot Robots
Adorable robots teach hands-on coding skills
Bottom line: You can program robots with code blocks, with plenty of creative options and lots of fun.
Grades: K–5 Price: Free, Paid
Cork the Volcano – Puzzlets
Fun elementary coding through hands-on puzzle tiles
Bottom line: Programming that combines engaging physical puzzle tiles with digital gameplay.
Grades: K–5 Price: Free, Paid
Kodable – Coding for Kids
Fun procedural reasoning for kids; great curriculum for teachers
Bottom line: Kodable is a fun way for elementary school students to understand coding and contains impressive supports for teachers.
Grades: K–5 Price: Free, Paid
Code.org
Popular games, big names get kids and teachers pumped to program
Bottom line: A well-planned, -produced, and -curated set of free resources bound to get kids hooked on learning to code.
Grades: K–12 Price: Free
Nancy Drew: Codes & Clues – Mystery Coding Game
Simple coding mystery fueled by fashion, friendship, and STEM
Bottom line: This girl-targeted STEM game is ambitious but shallow.
Grades: 1–3 Price: $3.99
Creation and Engineering
Faces iMake – Right Brain Creativity
Open-ended collage maker teaches symbolism and revs up creativity
Bottom line: Faces iMake – Right Brain Creativity is a don’t-miss art app that encourages creativity at the same time as modeling it.
Grades: Pre-K–6 Price: Paid
Easy Studio Stop-Motion Studio
Ideal, easy-to-use way to help kids learn basic animation
Bottom line: This introduction to digital animation offers lots of opportunities for creativity for young students.
Grades: K–2 Price: $3.99
Toca Builders
Students not quite ready for Minecraft get a creative, fun alternative
Bottom line: Fun, engaging, open-ended play can work in a variety of content areas.
Grades: K–4 Price: $.99-$2.99
Minecraft: Education Edition
Stellar collaboration tools, controls make Minecraft classroom-ready
Bottom line: An excellent tool to engage students in learning, collaboration, and critical thinking is now more accessible than ever to teachers.
Grades: K–12 Price: Paid
Busy Water
Solve, create, and share puzzles that gush with STEM learning
Bottom line: This challenging yet kid-friendly set of logic puzzles wonderfully allows kids to solve problems and experiment with light science concepts.
Grades: 1–5 Price: $3.99
Workbench
Find and assign STEAM tasks with dynamic project-based learning hub
Bottom line: Dynamic resource for finding, creating, and rating lessons that support STEAM and PBL.
Grades: 1–12 Price: Free
The Infinite Arcade by TinyBop
Simple game-design app has endless creative potential
Bottom line: Design, play, and improve your own arcade games.
Grades: 2–5 Price: $2.99
littleBits Invent
Top-notch tool empowers kids to invent, build, and control wirelessly
Bottom line: Easy-to-use, versatile electronic invention set that works wirelessly with your hand-held device.
Grades: 2–8 Price: Free, Paid
3D Slash
Minecraft-like 3D modeling (and printing) made super easy for all ages
Bottom line: This may be the fastest, cheapest route from idea to 3D printing out there, if you don’t mind low-res, pixelated designs.
Grades: 2–12 Price: Free, Paid
Fundamentals and Problem Solving
Bugs and Bubbles
Fascinating graphics engage as kids practice pre-reading, STEM skills
Bottom line: Great bang for the buck with all the content and stages included.
Grades: Pre-K–K Price: $2.99
Peg + Cat: The Tree Problem
Fun games require spatial reasoning to help Cat jump out of a tree
Bottom line: Get kids problem-solving and thinking about basic spatial reasoning in a fun, welcoming setting.
Grades: Pre-K–K Price: $2.99
Thinkrolls
Fun physics platformer teaches, engages young elementary students
Bottom line: Highly engaging game packs in physics learning and puzzling fun.
Grades: Pre-K–2 Price: $2.99
Curiosityville
Highly engaging, age-appropriate site with delightful games
Bottom line: Curiosityville is a great online learning tool for kids that addresses a range of topics.
Grades: Pre-K–3 Price: Free to Try, Paid
Crazy Gears
Highly applicable STEM-themed free play; easy appeal for wide audience
Bottom line: A clear, simple, and fun introduction to science and engineering topics that may otherwise feel unapproachable for some kids.
Grades: K–3 Price: $2.99
Simple Machines by Tinybop
Excellent elementary NGSS engineering practices embedded in fun games
Bottom line: Fun gameplay lets kids explore important physics concepts in a solid standards-aligned context.
Grades: K–5 Price: 2.99
PBS LearningMedia
Treasure trove of lesson resources will benefit from adaptation
Bottom line: For teachers with time to sift through and adapt materials, PBS LearningMedia has a lot to offer with some highly useful support materials.
Grades: Pre-K–12 Price: Free, Paid
Science and Math
Pattern Shapes, by the Math Learning Center
Virtual pattern blocks with some extra useful teaching tools
Bottom line: If you don’t already have a bucket of pattern blocks, or you want a more portable option, this free version may be a great fit for your classroom.
Grades: Pre-K–4 Price: Free
The Earth by TInybop
Explore challenging concepts with beautiful, interactive free play
Bottom line: When used in conjunction with the handbook, this interactive model is a good way to help teach kids about Earth.
Grades: K–2 Price: $2.99
Tangram for Osmo
Fun hybrid puzzles with excellent classroom supports
Bottom line: Classic puzzler combines toys with digital play to engage and teach all ages.
Grades: K–3 Price: Free
Lawrence Hall of Science: 24/7 Science
First-class site for science games and investigations
Bottom line: These well-designed and highly educational activities challenge and engage kids in all the right ways.
Grades: K–5 Price: Free
Mystery Science
Big questions, kids’ curiosity drive impressive science curriculum
Bottom line: These powerful science units capitalize on elementary school students’ natural curiosity.
Grades: K–5 Price: Paid
CK-12
Super STEM resource with highly accessible content
Bottom line: Making STEM content accessible to kids with different learning styles, CK-12 could be the key to mastery for some students.
Grades: K–12 Price: Free