What does ready for kindergarten mean? Three teachers, three checklists: letter sounds, counting and shapes, and sitting still, holding a pencil, and following directions. All three matter; no single app covers them all.
This list covers the year before kindergarten and its first months. Every pick builds one part of readiness: letters and sounds, numbers and shapes, fine motor skills, listening and routines, or first-day confidence. Some are free, some are subscriptions, one is screen-free and hands-on.
We checked every resource on its official website on November 11, 2026, for a PreK and kindergarten fit, clear information about what is free, and activities a teacher or parent can start. Unstated prices are marked as such.
Key takeaways
- Khan Academy Kids is free, no ads, covering early literacy, math, and social-emotional skills for ages 2–8.
- Waterford UPSTART is a no-cost at-home program for 4-year-olds: 15-minute daily sessions and a family coach.
- Teach Your Monster to Read is free on computers, walking children from first sounds to short books in three stages.
- Get Set for School is the only hands-on option: a 36-week Pre-K curriculum with multisensory pre-writing work.
- PBS KIDS Games is free, with 280+ curriculum-based games for ages 2–8.
Quick comparison
| # | Tool | Best for | Grades / audience | Pricing | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | free all-round start | Ages 2–8, PreK–2nd grade | Free | Free (nonprofit) | |
| 2 | at-home kindergarten prep | Age 4, the year before kindergarten | Free | Free (nonprofit) | |
| 3 | guided learning path | Ages 2–8, Toddler–2nd grade | Free + paid | Yes | |
| 4 | free phonics on computers | Beginning readers, first two years | Free + paid | Yes | |
| 5 | free games, familiar characters | Ages 2–8 | Free | Free (nonprofit) | |
| 6 | hands-on Pre-K readiness | Pre-K, ages 3–5 | Paid | No | |
| 7 | animated read-alouds | Ages 2–8 | Free + paid | Trial only | |
| 8 | playful daily practice | Ages 2–8 | Free + paid | Yes |
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Request a listingThe 8 best picks
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Free (nonprofit)
- Grades / audience
- Ages 2–8, PreK–2nd grade
Khan Academy Kids is a free learning app for ages 2 to 8. Games, books, and lessons build early literacy, math, and social-emotional skills. Teachers get a free account to assign lessons and see class reports, for classroom stations or home use.
What we like
- 4,000+ standards-aligned activities in math, ELA, and executive function
- Mapped to Common Core and Head Start Early Learning Outcomes
- Free teacher accounts with lesson assignment and reports
- No ads and no subscriptions
Watch out for
- The schools version is a separate paid option — check which version you need.
- A classroom needs enough tablets or a shared device.
Pricing: Free, no ads, no subscriptions; a separate Khan Academy Kids for Schools option exists.
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Free (nonprofit)
- Grades / audience
- Age 4, the year before kindergarten
Waterford UPSTART is an at-home PreK program from Waterford.org for the year before kindergarten. Families use it 15 minutes a day, five days a week, for adaptive reading, math, and science. A family coach checks in, and qualifying families can get a computer and internet access.
What we like
- Adaptive reading, math, and science lessons for the year before kindergarten
- 15-minute daily sessions, five days a week
- A family coach who checks in and supports parents
- A computer and internet for qualifying families
Watch out for
- Availability and eligibility depend on where a family lives — check the signup page.
- A home program, not a classroom curriculum — teachers point families to it.
Pricing: No cost to accepted families; funded by sponsors, partners, grants, or local governments.
- Pricing
- Free + paid
- Free plan
- Yes
- Grades / audience
- Ages 2–8, Toddler–2nd grade
ABCmouse is a structured early learning program for ages 2 to 8, with a Learning Path in reading and math. Its Pre-K level builds phonics, vocabulary, and early reading alongside number concepts, patterns, and shapes — the core of kindergarten readiness. Parents can track progress in Parent Tools.
What we like
- Personalized Reading and Math Learning Paths, toddler through 2nd grade
- Pre-K level covering phonics, vocabulary, number concepts, patterns, and shapes
- Books, games, songs, videos, and printables for reading, math, science, social studies
- Up to three child profiles on a Premium subscription
Watch out for
- The annual price can change with promotions — check the price at signup.
- Pair it with hands-on writing practice, not pencil skills alone.
Pricing: Premium is $14.99 a month or $79.99 a year; Basic is free with up to 10 learning activities a day for one child profile.
- Pricing
- Free + paid
- Free plan
- Yes
- Grades / audience
- Beginning readers, first two years
Teach Your Monster to Read is a phonics game where children create a monster and teach it to read, through three games for the first two years of learning to read. The first stage starts with first letters and sounds, then blending short words and tricky sight words. Teachers can set up a class and use Practice Mode to target the sounds a child finds hardest.
What we like
- Three stages: First Steps, Fun With Words, and Champion Reader
- First stage covers the first 31 letter-sound combinations and blending
- Practice Mode with flashcards and mini games for targeted practice
- A progress tracker showing strongest and weakest letter sounds
Watch out for
- Children need an account to save progress — set up test players and class accounts first.
- US teachers may need a Data Processing Agreement for school use.
Pricing: Free to play on computers; the phone and tablet apps are paid, price shown in the app store.
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Free (nonprofit)
- Grades / audience
- Ages 2–8
PBS KIDS Games is a free collection of curriculum-based games for ages 2 to 8, built around PBS KIDS characters such as Daniel Tiger, Wild Kratts, and Sesame Street. Games cover reading, math, science, and social-emotional skills, and run in a browser or the app. Short and self-contained, they fit as a five-minute center.
What we like
- 280+ free curriculum-based games for ages 2–8
- Games tied to PBS KIDS shows, including Daniel Tiger, Wild Kratts, and Sesame Street
- Plays in a browser or the PBS KIDS Games app
- No subscription and no in-app purchases
Watch out for
- Games vary in difficulty — preview one before assigning it to a whole group.
- Some app features, such as offline play, have changed — check the current app description before planning around them.
Pricing: Free to play on the PBS KIDS site and in the app, with no subscription.
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- No
- Grades / audience
- Pre-K, ages 3–5
Get Set for School, from Learning Without Tears, is a complete Pre-K program for kindergarten readiness, with no screen required. Its 36-week curriculum covers six learning areas through play, movement, and multisensory tools. Children build fine motor, pre-writing, and letter skills with hands-on materials.
What we like
- A 36-week Pre-K curriculum in six learning areas, including literacy, readiness and writing, math
- Multisensory teaching with visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile activities
- My First School Book activity book for pre-writing and readiness skills
- Teacher guides with daily lessons for whole-group and small-group work
Watch out for
- Kit prices run into the hundreds and thousands — get a quote first.
- A print and hands-on program, it needs shelf space and materials, not just a device.
Pricing: Paid; My First School Book is $16.20 and the Readiness and Writing Pre-K Teacher's Guide is $65.94; full curriculum kits are priced per kit.
- Pricing
- Free + paid
- Free plan
- Trial only
- Grades / audience
- Ages 2–8
Vooks turns real children's picture books into animated, read-aloud storybooks, with narration, music, and highlighted text. Children can watch, listen, or read along, building vocabulary, word recognition, and a feel for stories. Teachers can use it for storytime, and Storyteller lets an adult record narration for later.
What we like
- Animated read-aloud storybooks with narration and highlighted read-along text
- An audio-only Listen library for bedtime, car rides, and quiet time
- Storyteller, for recording your own narration
- Vooks Creator for iPad, where children make their own digital books
Watch out for
- No free plan beyond the 7-day trial — plan the trial week around a real storytime slot.
- School and district licensing is quoted per customer — check the teacher price first.
Pricing: $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year, with verified teachers paying $4.99 a month or $24.99 a year; every plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
- Pricing
- Free + paid
- Free plan
- Yes
- Grades / audience
- Ages 2–8
Lingokids is a play-based learning app for ages 2 to 8. Games, songs, and videos cover early reading, math, science, and social-emotional skills. The app adapts to a child's age and level, and the free Basic plan gives 10 fresh activities a day with no ads. Plus unlocks 4,000+ activities, offline play, and four child profiles.
What we like
- 4,000+ games, songs, and videos across early reading, math, science, and more
- Activities that adapt to each child's age and level
- Free Basic plan: 10 activities a day, refreshed daily, no ads
- Plus adds offline play, up to four child profiles, screen time limits, and progress reports
Watch out for
- The free plan does not let children replay a favorite game.
- App store prices are usually higher than website prices and change by country — check the price where you subscribe.
Pricing: Basic is free; Plus is $13.49 a month or $161.88 a year on the website after a 7-day free trial.
How we chose
We started from tools PreK–6 teachers actually use and checked every one against its official website, pricing page and feature pages on November 11, 2026. We kept tools that fit elementary classrooms, noted whether a free plan exists, and wrote down honest limitations next to the strengths. Nobody paid to be included, and we don't use affiliate links on this page.
- Fit for PreK–6 classrooms, special education or homeschool
- Clear information on the official site about what the tool does and who it is for
- Free plan or free-for-teachers option noted where one exists
- Still active and maintained, with rebrands noted
How to choose the right tool
Start with the weakest skill, not the nicest app. Letter sounds the gap? Pick Teach Your Monster to Read or Khan Academy Kids. Pencil grip the gap? Get Set for School beats any screen.
Check what is free before planning. Khan Academy Kids, PBS KIDS Games, and Teach Your Monster to Read on a computer are free. ABCmouse and Lingokids offer a free tier, Vooks is trial only, and Waterford UPSTART is free only for qualifying families.
Match the tool to the device you have. Teach Your Monster to Read is free on computers but paid on tablets, Lingokids is phones and tablets only, and Get Set for School needs no device. Hardware you do not own is not free.
Keep screen time short and pair it with hands-on work. Ten to fifteen minutes on an app, then hands-on work, beats a long session alone. Waterford UPSTART builds this in: 15 minutes a day, five days a week.
Preview everything with a child's eyes. Play one game or watch one story yourself, and check the pace, voice, and difficulty. A game too hard in the first minute loses a four-year-old.
Plan for the first day, not just the first skill. Vooks read-alouds and Waterford UPSTART routines build listening, waiting, and following directions — the skills that make the first week go smoothly.
Best pick by situation
- No budget, and you need one app for letters, numbers, and routines: Khan Academy Kids — free, no ads, lessons a teacher can assign and track
- A family wants a structured at-home plan before kindergarten: Waterford UPSTART — 15 minutes a day, five days a week, with a family coach, no cost for accepted families
- Your class needs phonics practice on computers: Teach Your Monster to Read — free on computers, three stages from first sounds to short books
- You want readiness work with no screen: Get Set for School — a 36-week Pre-K curriculum of play, movement, and multisensory materials
- You need a quick, free game center with characters children know: PBS KIDS Games — 280+ free games tied to PBS KIDS shows, in a browser or app
- You want a calm group storytime for vocabulary: Vooks — animated read-alouds with highlighted text children can follow
- You need short daily tablet play with a built-in limit: Lingokids — free Basic plan gives 10 fresh activities a day, no ads
Pair it with printables
These Activity Express printables pair with the tools above for hands-on readiness: letter practice, fine motor work, and early math and literacy for PreK and kindergarten.
Frequently asked questions
Which kindergarten readiness resource is completely free?
Khan Academy Kids and PBS KIDS Games are free, with no ads and no subscriptions. Teach Your Monster to Read is free on computers, and Waterford UPSTART costs nothing for accepted families.
What should a child know before kindergarten?
Most lists cover the same ground: letter sounds, counting and shapes, pencil grip and scissors, following directions, and simple routines such as taking turns. The tools here cover those skills in different combinations — pick the one that matches the gap.
Is ABCmouse or Khan Academy Kids better for kindergarten readiness?
Khan Academy Kids is free, covering early literacy, math, and social-emotional skills with teacher reports, suiting a classroom with no budget. ABCmouse is a more structured path with a Pre-K level for kindergarten readiness, but its free tier allows only 10 activities a day.
Can I use these resources in a classroom?
Yes — with a device and a speaker for the apps, and print materials for Get Set for School. Khan Academy Kids has free teacher accounts, Vooks has a teacher price, and Waterford UPSTART is a home program for families, not classrooms.
How much time should a preschooler spend on these apps daily?
Short sessions work best. Waterford UPSTART asks for 15 minutes a day, five days a week, and the free tiers of ABCmouse and Lingokids are built around 10 activities a day. Follow that pattern: a short app session, then hands-on work.
Make a tool for teachers?
Built something teachers love? We keep these guides fresh, so send us a new tool, updated pricing or a featured spot request.
Request a listingDisclosure: no tool on this page paid to be included and we don't earn commissions from these links. Featured placements, if we ever offer them, will be clearly labeled "Sponsored". Details were checked on each provider's official website on November 11, 2026 and can change.