Khan Academy: Screen Time to Learning Time

Keeping a toddler between the ages of three and five busy, engaged and entertained throughout the day, is no easy feat. I could write home about it.

But in this column, I’m plugging you with a single app, for iOS and Android, that we love. Leave a comment if I should do a roundup of the best apps out there, in my next column.

If you introduce a mobile device or tablet app to a toddler older than 18 months, it should be interactive and an adult should be present to monitor the content, comment on it and ensure it is not an isolated play or learning experience.

We know growing toddlers need a combination of physical, emotional, nutritional and cognitive support to thrive. For optimal health and well-being, they need sufficient sleep, movement and real-world interactions too.

But technology isn’t the enemy here, at least not when viewed as digital tools that are available and introduced in order to compliment, enhance, and assist modern day parenting and nurturing.

Since introducing a flexible home-school schedule for my four-year-old, I spend a few days a month curating activities, worksheets and apps suited to her developing needs, understanding and personality.

And for the days when I haven’t collected my lot from the printers, there’s one App that I’ve been turning to recently, Khan Academy Kids.

Children learn simply by watching others, parents particularly. Therefore wanting to spend time on their phones and tablets should come as no surprise. It only makes sense to download and offer games and apps of high value that keep them engaged.

I’ve found the Khan Academy Kids app engaging with its storytelling nature, challenging, and a much better alternative to most TV shows and videos that overstimulate children with massive dopamine hits turning screen time into ‘scream time’.

What is Khan Academy?

It’s an American nonprofit educational organisation created in 2006 by Sal Khan with the intention of creating online tools to educate students.

The website and app are filled with over 10 000 video lessons and activities. There’s no subscription fee or ads and all the educational content that’s constantly being updated is free.

Toddlers get mini lessons in reading, writing, math, social-emotional skills and more when they hop on the Khan Academy Kids App.

Parents can create a personalized learning path for each child after creating a profile with their name and date of birth. Once kids get good at a skill, the lessons become more challenging.

After turning 4, little ones can graduate to the regular Khan Academy app for lessons stretching through high school and college. It’s an excellent choice for little minds because it offers variety.

In my opinion, children should have options to explore their interests and strengths within topics like math, science, reading, history and more that are offered. I value the choice.

The app uses animated animals to keep kids interested with clear and concise instructions that build strong listening skills – a big win for parents going through the most with every toddlers rebellious nature.

The sheer number of available activities under one roof makes Khan Academy Kids app ideal for us who want a single app that does it all, while finishing a cup of tea in one sitting.

It teaches reading through fun animal stories, my daughter has started to recognise words because of it, and other drag-and-drop / matching activities make things like counting fun. Still, learning through play, the best way.

Khan Academy Kids isn’t just about academics. The comprehensive activities help kids improve their emotional development, working memory, strategy, logic, and other mental attributes. It’s available for download on iOS and Android devices. And, enjoy that cup of tea.

More Tech with a Toddler posts here: https://www.recharged.co.za/author/sanobar-khan/