We Reviewed Dozens Of The Best Reading Together Apps So You Don’t Have To. Here Are Our Top Picks.
Top Reading Together Apps
Bring your child’s bedtime stories into the digital age with our recommended selection of the best ebooks for toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarten aged children. These interactive reading apps will teach young children the joys of reading in a format they’ll love.
Our editors searched high and low to find the best selection of free (and paid) eBooks for kids, animated eBooks for beginners as well as advanced learners. We have chosen everything from animated, talking picture books to ebooks with puzzles and games, audiobooks with both read to me and read to myself functionality as well as record voice features. We also have a category for ebooks for iPad as this has been a big request from readers.
Whether your child is an early reader or you find yourself on the go, the interactive ebooks we’ve chosen will help your children read along to their favorite stories.
As parents we have seen that in this day of iPhones and iPads it is really hard to just site down and tell a child a story. Fairy tales and cartoon books used to capture their attention, these days not so much. Instead of fighting the trend, we have found that the best interactive children’s stories for iPhone, iPad and Android devices all add to the storytelling experience. You can really enjoy the best children’s books with enchanting visuals and a classic story and bring a little more magic to your kid’s world.
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The Best Interactive Books for Kids
As a parent, my way to spend time with my kids is by reading with them. It used to be physical books but now my kids are so into the iPad that I’ve now found the best books are ones that now live on idevices. That’s right, the best children’s books are mostly found on your iPad and iPhone.
The real difference is that the interactive children’s eBooks are a better at helping children to read and have fun with stories. Most of these fun eBooks have elements of interactive action like recording a voice or clicking on an element during the story. Kids read or listen to stories and identify words that correctly complete sentences. It takes the learning experience of identifying letters, sounds, and words to another level.
Bob Books Reading Sight Words
Bob Books Reading Sight WordsiOS App Store / Google Play Store
Bob Books Reading Magic Sight Words is an engaging and fun look at thirty common words that will help kids learn to read and spell while they enjoy the familiar characters and scenes from a favorite series.
The app costs $2.99 and has high ratings on both app stores. It’s perfect for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and even first graders as they get started with reading skills.
Charlie Jumped Out of the Clock
Charlie Jumped Out of the ClockCharlie Jumped out of the Clock is a cute storybook app that teaches children all there is to know about telling time in a fun way. Following Grandpa throughout his day, readers learn to set the clock. The book features 17 interactive scenes, 9 quizzes and a practice mode. Overall, there are more than 30 minutes of storytime here.
The app costs $3.99 and is recommended for children ages 4 and up. Enjoy!
My Little Pony: Pinkie Pie’s Sister
My Little Pony: Pinkie Pie’s SisterMy Little Pony: Pinkie Pie’s Sister is a cute storybook app that My Little Pony lovers will really enjoy. In this story, children are introduced to the Pinkie Pie’s very unique, very different sister. The ebook features all of your child’s favorites from the My Little Pony series. It has a wholesome lesson, too.
The app costs $2.99 and also includes a handy sight words practice section. It’s just right for emergent readers and anyone who adores My Little Pony.
The Watch Kids – K12 Life Skills and Good Habits
The Watch Kids – K12 Life Skills and Good HabitsDuh Color Stuff is an adventure-filled mystery with lots of plot twists and added activities for children to enjoy. Follow along as the Neighborhood Watch Kids save the neighborhood by following intricate clues and working together to solve the very strange mystery.
This app costs $3.99 and features 10 mini-games and 21 possible endings to the story. It’s a great way to give kids a positive message about life.
Nighty Night Construction Trucks
Nighty Night Construction TrucksNighty Night Construction Trucks is a cute storybook app that is perfect for bedtime. With a rhyming storyline, text highlighting, and fun interactive illustrations, little readers are going to love this fun story about putting the construction trucks to bed.
The app costs $2.99. Besides enough heavy equipment to build a city, it features read to me and read to myself modes. There are also matching games at the end of the story.
Curious George and the Firefighters
Curious George and the FirefightersCurious George and the Firefighters has kid appeal all right! Kids revel in the antics of the little monkey, and most are already fascinated with fire trucks. Combine the two and you have a recipe for a book they will love.
This ebook costs $3.99 and in the tradition of all Curious George books, it’s outstanding. Your preschooler or early elementary child will love it.
My Naughty Shadow- Interactive Children’s Book
My Naughty Shadow- Interactive Children’s BookMy Naughty Shadow introduces kids to a little girl and her shadow. Like their shadows, kids will find that her shadow is a little bit naughty. It likes to skip down the stairs, play hide and seek, and jump out and scare her. For kids who are afraid of their own shadows, this cute little story offers a playful way to help them talk about their fears.
This award-winner costs $1.99 and features fun interactions at every turn.
The Cat in the Hat
The Cat in the HatiOS App Store / Google Play Store
Here’s a classic from Oceanhouse Media that will tickle your children’s funny bones while helping them get ready to read. The interactions are beautifully illustrated in true Seussian style and are highly engaging.
This ebook costs $3.99 on the App Store and $7.99 for the Android version. It’s worth every penny and then some, because your kids will want to read it again and again.
Chuggington – We are Chuggineers
Chuggington – We are ChuggineersiOS App Store / Google Play Store
Chuggington-We are Chuggineers is a great storybook app with fun activities and videos sprinkled throughout that children will love. Players will help the Chuggineers complete various tasks to help them build a bridge to help get them to Tootington. This highly engaging adventure is one that every train lover.
The app costs $3.99 and features 17 pages, 7 video clips from the television show, and 4 engaging minigames.
The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Car Trip
The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Car TripiOS App Store / Google Play Store
The Berenstain Bears are headed on a car trip in this illustrated ebook about the popular family of bears. Kids can go along for the ride while they listen to a narrator or read the book themselves. They’ll find highlighted text, tappable words, and classic Berenstain Bears illustrations accompanied by peppy background music.
The book costs $2.99 and will keep kids engaged for hours. One feature is that you can record your own narration and share it with others.
Jack and the Beanstalk Children’s Storybook
Jack and the Beanstalk Children’s StorybookExperience Jack and the Beanstalk like never before in this wonderfully illustrated storybook, featuring over 30 pages of interactivity which your child will enjoy. This timeless tale comes alive with audio narration, read-along text, and interactive games and features. Each page contains a hidden surprise! Dive into the pages of Jack and the Beanstalk.
The book is $2.99 and includes a hidden surprise on each page. One of the best is making the giant complain about heights!
Nighty Night
Nighty NightiOS App Store / Google Play Store
“Nighty Night!” is the perfect App for a daily go-to-sleep ritual with cute animals, sweet lullaby music and great narration. All around the house the lights go out, and in the barn even the animals are tired. But who puts them to bed? Who turns out the lights in their stalls? That is the task for small children aged 1-4. A lovely way to set the mood for bedtime.
The app costs $2.99 and offers additional in-app purchases to get extra animals and a music video for small fees.
Another Monster at the End of this Book
Another Monster at the End of this BookThere’s something waiting at the end of this book. Could it be…a monster? Loveable, furry old Grover is about to find out—and he’s bringing his equally loveable and furry friend Elmo with him! In this sequel to the best-selling Monster at the End of This Book app, Grover invents silly, giggle-worthy ways to prevent readers from getting to another monster.
This award-winner costs $3.99. It features loads of interactive activities (some very, very creative), and much more.
Little Stories. Bedtime Books
Little Stories. Bedtime BooksiOS App Store / Google Play Store
Little Stories. Bedtime Books features 3 free stories that you can use as read-to-me ebooks, read to myself stories, or even voice over the narration and record yourself so your child will hear your voice. The complete collection of stories features over 700 gorgeous illustrations.
The app is free to download. There are 15 additional stories available for $1.99 each or you can buy a bundle for $5.99.
HOMER Stories: Kids Library
HOMER Stories: Kids LibraryThis vast library of interactive nursery rhymes, fairy tales, bedtime stories, and books featuring favorite television characters is available by subscription, but it will keep your child in new reading material almost as well as your local library can. Best of all, you don’t have to leave home to access it.
This app is subscription based. A monthly subscription costs $7.99, and allows you to create up to four separate kids’ profiles on the system, so it’s great for families. There are stories for preschoolers up through upper elementary ages.
