6 fun and educational apps for kids when you're on the go

On the road with the family this summer? Keep the kids entertained while travelling with these fun apps that’ll also teach them a thing or two.

An app that we wish was available to us when we were growing up, Duolingo has ushered in a ton of budding polyglots since it arrived on app stores ten years ago. Offering fun and interactive courses for over 30 languages, don’t be surprised when your kids have a better understanding of basic French and Spanish than you – after just a week of learning.

When you want your teens to take a break away from the ’gram, Sites in VR is a solid substitute. The app allows users take a virtual tour of landmarks in countries around the world like in Italy, Morocco and Greece – even outer space! So aside from satisfying wanderlust, children will also be well-positioned to ace any geography tests thrown their way in the future.

Brain-training can never be boring when the friendly faces behind Disney’s most popular movies are your teachers. This app is packed with puzzles where children need to use their problem-solving skills to undercover a famous Disney film scene. It’s a win-win situation where tiny tots can turn their love for Elsa and the rest into an educational practice. The only downside is that you’ll have to wrestle the screen away from them... eventually.

Replace those ‘Are we there yet?’ questions with bingo through this app that immerses children in the classic car trip game. Welcome a bit of backseat noise as little ones learn vocab (49 words in total) for everything they see from the window with signs, animals and different vehicles on the list.

You’ll find a copy of Eric Carle’s iconic caterpillar tale on the shelves of pretty much any children’s library. It’s treasured by kids for a reason, and they can bring the book to life through this interactive app. Its eight colourful activities teach animal facts, boost memory and sorting abilities and encourage healthy eating habits (there’s a game where you guide the caterpillar across a garden towards fruit).

Made for minds that love to express themselves, this app from developer Toca Boca helps children channel all that creative energy into designing their own open-ended worlds. It will also have them glued to their screen for hours. Kids can choose from a host of locations, characters and shops, and then decide how they want the scene or story to play out – the world is their oyster (literally!).