On this page
The school holidays are brilliant, but let's be honest, they’re long! It only takes a day or two before you start hearing that classic phrase: "I'm bored!" We know that parents often rely on a bit of screen time to keep the peace and the kids engaged. But instead of just mindless scrolling, why not turn that old phone or tablet into a brilliant, educational tool? Having a dedicated device for the kids, maybe one of our quality refurbished phones, is a great way to manage their screen time without giving them access to your main device.
The quick verdict
To beat holiday boredom without mindless scrolling, try Duolingo for languages, Geocaching for outdoor treasure hunts, Khan Academy Kids for younger children, Roblox or Minecraft for creativity and coding, and Quick Maths for mental arithmetic. Giving children their own older or refurbished device keeps your main phone safe and makes screen time easier to manage.
School holiday apps at a glance
| App | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Duolingo | Bite-sized, game-like language lessons | Learning a new language |
| Geocaching | GPS treasure hunts for hidden caches | Getting the family outdoors |
| Khan Academy Kids | Free, ad-free educational games and books | Children aged 2-7 |
| Roblox or Minecraft | Build worlds and design games | Creativity and coding skills |
| Quick Maths | Mental arithmetic against the clock | Older primary school children |
The Top 5 Apps for Curing Holiday Boredom
These apps strike a great balance between fun and learning, ensuring that those summer skills don't completely vanish:
- Duolingo: Always a winner for a reason. Learning a new language is a brilliant holiday activity. The bite-sized lessons feel like a game, and it’s completely free to start. Even ten minutes a day makes a real difference.
- Geocaching: This turns a walk in the park into a real-life treasure hunt. The app uses GPS to guide you and the family to small, hidden caches in your local area. It gets everyone outside and engaged in the real world, using your phone as a brilliant guide.
- Khan Academy Kids: For the younger ones (ages 2-7), this is a free, comprehensive library of educational games, books, and activities covering maths, reading, and problem-solving. It’s a completely safe, advertisement-free environment.
- Roblox or Minecraft: You might roll your eyes, but these huge platforms are actually incredible tools for creativity and coding. Building complex worlds in Minecraft or designing games in Roblox encourages problem-solving and digital literacy in a format kids love.
- Quick Maths: It’s simple, but effective. This app turns mental arithmetic into a quick-fire challenge against the clock. It's fantastic for older primary school children to keep their skills sharp without feeling like they are doing actual homework.
Giving Your Kids the Right Device
If you're worried about handing over your brand new flagship phone, why not recycle your old one? You could be sitting on a decent amount of cash that you can then put towards a lower-cost, high-quality handset for the kids' apps. It's so easy to sell your old tech to Envirofone. We offer great prices and a straightforward process, meaning the holidays don’t have to completely break the bank. Keeping an older phone in the family for these apps is a smart, sustainable move all round!
Frequently asked questions
What apps can keep kids busy in the school holidays?
Good apps for the school holidays include Duolingo, Geocaching, Khan Academy Kids, Roblox or Minecraft, and Quick Maths. They balance fun with learning, so holiday screen time is more than mindless scrolling.
Is Khan Academy Kids free?
Yes. Khan Academy Kids is a free, comprehensive library of educational games, books and activities for children aged 2-7, covering maths, reading and problem-solving in a safe, advertisement-free environment.
What is Geocaching?
Geocaching is an app that turns a walk into a real-life treasure hunt. It uses GPS to guide you and your family to small hidden caches in your local area, getting everyone outside and engaged.
Are Roblox and Minecraft educational?
Roblox and Minecraft can be great tools for creativity and coding. Building complex worlds in Minecraft or designing games in Roblox encourages problem-solving and digital literacy in a format children love.
Should my child have their own phone for apps?
A dedicated device for the children, such as an older family phone or a quality refurbished phone, helps you manage their screen time without handing over your main device.
