If you have a brand-new kindergartener, you may be wondering?or worrying about?school readiness. Many parents of this age spend the weeks leading up to the first day of school practicing academic basics like counting and prereading. And while those are certainly important, most kindergarten teachers will tell you that soft skills like cooperation, empathy, self-awareness, and focused attention are just as essential for a successful transition to school.
Fortunately, several high-quality apps are available to help kindergartners start the year off right. Best of all, each has the approval of the teacher community on our site for educators, Common Sense Education. Here’s a solid “app kit” for kindergartners that includes both academic skill builders and soft-skills strengtheners. Khan Academy Kids
Teaches: Numbers, simple addition, logic, letters, early reading, and storytelling

This fantastic early learning app uses games, videos, books, and creative activities to teach kids a wide range of skills in an engaging way. Khan Academy and developers worked in partnership with the Stanford Graduate School of Education to ground all the activities in effective learning.
Common Sense reviewer and education researcher Mieke V. appreciates how the app balances structured activities with creative ones: “The sweet, friendly animal guides and huge library of varied things to do make it easy for young kids to jump in and immerse themselves in learning.”
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