Choosing Apps to Support Young Children's Learning

By: Carrie Portrie, M.Ed, EC-SEAT Coordinator

When choosing apps to support young children with communication, social, and academic skills adults need to be intentional. There are many apps available for young children that parents, early education and care providers may use with children. Adults caring for young children and providing supports that include touch technology and app selection can consider some of the following steps and questions.

• Do research
• Who is the developer? What is their background and experience? 
• Is the app age appropriate?
• What is the cost?
• Determine the purpose
• What functional capabilities are being supported if a child uses this app? (ex. language, communication, mobility, social or emotional, cognitive)
• How will this app promote access and participation for the child in their learning?
• Talk to the family (if the app is selected in a school, care, or intervention setting) 
• What are their technology preferences/use and the child's interests?
• Try out the app with the child and family or share with a care provider or teacher.
• Evaluate effectiveness
• Does the child seem engaged? 
• Are there any distracting features? What may be some solutions? 
• Make adjustments if needed
• Add Guided Access if using an iPad
• Find another app that attends to the same goals but better fits the child's abilities or interests
• Is there another solution? One that is low tech which will also support the child's learning and participation?

For more information about selecting apps there are multiple resources which support "feature mapping" and selecting appropriate assistive technology for young children.

App Selection

• "Apps, Adaptations and Accessory" documents on the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Institute on Disability (IOD) Assistive Technology website
• "Assistive Technology for Kids with Learning Disabilities: An Overview" By: Kristin Stanberry, Marshall H. Raskind on the Reading Rockets website
• "Technology Evaluation Criteria for Apps" by EC-SEAT scholar Laura Kazmierczak https://ecseat.blogspot.com/2017/05/technology-evaluation-criteria-for-apps.html
• "Technology Can Help Young Children Succeed" a PACER Center Information Sheet

Technology Use and Selection with Young Children 

• "Technology and Interactive Media Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8" A joint position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at Saint Vincent College
• Assistive Technology for Young Children by Kathleen Curry Sadao Ed.D., Nancy B. Robinson Ph.D., CCC-SLP