STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) are all about understanding the world around us and how things work. There’s no better way to do that than hands-on exploration, and these STEAM apps ensure kids and teens always have the tools they need to discover amazing things everywhere they go. Plus, many of them are just plain fun!
STEAM Apps: Science
The field of science encompasses a lot of subjects. These STEAM apps cover geology, biology, physics, chemistry, ecology, meteorology, and more.
Britannica Kids
Britannica offers a whole variety of STEAM apps for kids age 8 and up. Choose from Volcanoes, Snakes, Rainforests, Solar System, and Dinosaurs. (iOS, $1.99 each)
Tappity
Kids K-5 can get a complete science education from this subscription-based app. It covers every topic imaginable, with fun interactive lessons, games, and experiments. (iOS, $14.99/month)
NSF Science Zone
Students of any age can get lost for hours browsing the high-res photos and videos on this app. They cover any science topic you can think of, from space to microbiology and everything in between. (iOS, Free)
Google Science Journal
Turn your phone into a pocket-size science tool. Try free science activities, document experiments and research, and record observations of the world around you. (iOS, Android, Free)
Marco Polo Weather
Little ones will love learning about different types of weather with this cute app. Create a virtual environment, then control the weather to see its effects. ( iOS/ Android, Free)
[contextly_auto_sidebar]
Earth Now
Learn how the Earth’s climate is changing by exploring visualized climate data from NASA. Zoom in and out on a beautifully colored interactive globe. ( iOS/ Android , Free)
NASA Globe Observer
Help NASA by making environmental observations to complement satellite data. There are multiple ongoing projects you can join and contribute to, including the mapping of trees and mosquito habitats. ( iOS/ Android , Free)
Project Noah
This citizen science project has set out to map every living species on the planet, and you can help! Report your sightings, help identify other spottings, and contribute to all sorts of ongoing research projects. ( iOS/ Android , Free)
WWF Rivers
This augmented reality app tells the story of rivers and their ecosystems. Learn how people and wildlife interact with river systems, and what happens if a river is dammed or its health suffers. ( iOS/ Android , Free)
The Human Body by Tinybop
Tinybop creates terrific apps for the younger set. This one focuses on human anatomy, at a level little ones can comprehend. ( iOS/ Android/ $3.99)
Visual Anatomy Lite
This interactive reference tool is a must-have for older students of human anatomy or biology. It includes rotational images and lots of helpful animations. ( iOS/ Android , Free)
Frog Dissection
All the learning value of dissection, none of the formaldehyde smell! This app is a good substitute for middle and high school biology students. (iOS, $3.99)
3D Brain
Explore the parts of the brain with this 3-D rotational app. See each part and get details about what it does. ( iOS/ Android, Free)
NASA
This is the place for all things space. Explore NASA’s latest articles and tweets, watch live NASA TV, and check out the incredible image gallery. ( iOS/ Android , Free)
Pocket Universe
This beautiful app makes it easy to explore the night sky, even when it’s cloudy. Younger kids might need some guidance, middle school and up will enjoy it on their own. (iOS, $2.99)
SkyView
Budding stargazers and experienced astronomers alike will find a lot to like in this app. Augmented reality makes it easy to identify what you see the night sky, in the present, past, or future. ( iOS/ Android, Free)
Orbit
In this addictive gravity puzzle game, you launch a planet into orbit around a black hole with the flick of a finger. The goal? To keep the planet in a stable orbit, rather than being devoured by the black hole. ( iOS/ Android, Free)
EarthViewer
View and explore Earth’s history over the last 4.5 billion years. This research-based app includes interactive features and in-depth maps on concepts like continental reconstruction, sea level, and global temperature. ( iOS ,Free)
Cat Physics
This might seem like too much fun to be educational, but these puzzles actually have a lot to teach. Kids of all ages will gain a better understanding of physics in practice. (iOS/Android, $1.99)
Pocket Physics
This no-frills app lays out the basic concepts, formulas, and theories of physics. All information is available offline, too, so you can look up information without getting distracted by social media or email notification. (Android, Free)
Chemistry & Homework
The interactive periodic table in this app is a terrific resource on its own, but you also get a molar mass calculator, solubility tables, acid strengths, and more. ( iOS/ Android, Free)
NOVA Elements
Explore the periodic table in-depth with this free app for students. Watch a 2-hour episode of NOVA, play a fun chemistry game, and dive deep into an interactive periodic table. (iOS, Free)
STEAM Apps: Technology
Computer programming and coding are the technologies of today… and tomorrow. These technology STEAM apps help kids learn to code, at every age.
Move the Turtle
It’s never too early to learn computer programming! This fun app is great for kids ages 5 and up. They’ll learn concepts like loops, variables, and conditional instructions, and much more. (iOS, $1.99)
Kodable
Kodable is a programming app for kids ages 4-10. There are separate versions for younger kids and older kids. Many schools use Kodable to teach kids the basics of computer programming from a young age. (iOS, $6.99/month)
Swift Playgrounds
Learn the programming language Swift, used by Apple to create apps. This colorful, user-friendly app includes clear instructions, a glossary of common coding terms, and a variety of fun and engaging levels to play. (iOS, Free)
Hopscotch
This app is ideal for middle school students who want to learn coding. Play around to learn how to create cool games, animations, or complete apps. (iOS, Free)
Scratch
Scratch was designed by MIT to teach students ages 8-13 to think the way programmers and coders do. Kids create interactive stories, animations, and videos using Scratch, learning the basic fundamentals of coding. (Android tablets and Chromebooks, Free)
Scratch, Jr.
This app is basically a simplified version of Scratch for kids ages 5-7. It has limited capability but gets little ones comfortable with the concepts. ( iOS, Android , Free)
SoloLearn C++
Older students can teach themselves C++ programming language with 80 complete lessons that include quizzes to test your knowledge along the way. SoloLearn offers a variety of other programming courses, including Javascript and HTML. ( iOS/ Android , Free)
TapTyping
Teens seem to be able to type on a phone keyboard with amazing speed, but it’s a skill they learn over time. TapTyping gives you practice using an iPhone keyboard, highlighting problem areas and common mistakes. (iOS, $3.99)
The Typing Game
The Typing Game is similar to TapTyping, but for Android phones. (Android, Free)
STEAM Apps: Engineering
For kids who love to build, engineering might just be their future career. These engineering STEAM apps give them a chance to develop and hone their skills.
Bridge Constructor
Put your physics knowledge to work by building bridges in a variety of environments. Then, put them to the test to see if they hold up to the stress! ( iOS/ Android, Free)
Blueprint 3D
Improve your spatial awareness as you rotate the puzzle until the blueprint image suddenly becomes clear. Be warned: this learning game is frustratingly addictive! (iOS/$.99, Android/Free with in-app purchases)
The Robot Factory
This Tinybop app lets kids design a virtual robot, then put it to the test to see if it can walk, run, fly, talk, and more. (iOS/$2.99)
Cargo-Bot
In this game, you teach a robot how to move crates. 36 levels of increasing difficulty force kids to be clever and creative to find the best solutions. (iOS, Free)
SimplePhysics
Design structures from tree houses to Ferris wheels with this cool engineering app that’s all about practicality and application. The app keeps track of the cost of actually building your structure, challenging you to design the most cost-effective solutions. (iOS, $.99)
Rube’s Lab
Save Rube’s Lab from certain destruction by solving the engineering puzzles in this game. Your time and tools are limited, so think fast! (iOS/Android, Free with in-app purchases available)
World of Goo
This physics puzzle game is beloved for its unique concept and engaging graphics. Solve puzzles by building with giant gobs of talking goo. It’s a ton of fun, and terrific for developing problem-solving skills. (iOS/Android, $4.99)
Minecraft
They’re playing it anyway, so why not give them some engineering practice while they’re at it? Find some cool ideas here. (iOS/Android, $6.99)
Truss Me!
Learn what a truss structure is and how it behaves with these simulations that use the same tech that real engineers rely on to test the safety of their structures. This is a realistic look at the skills engineers need to know. (iOS/Android, Free)
Crazy Gears
Give young engineers a kick-start with this fun app focused on mechanical engineering. Kids build with gears, pulleys, chains, and rods to solve puzzles. (iOS, $2.99)
STEAM Apps: Art
STEAM apps for graphic design and the arts give students a way to explore their creativity everywhere they go.
Assembly
This graphic design app isn’t made especially for kids, but they’ll still find a lot here they can do. Create beautiful vector graphics that can be exported to other graphic design programs. (iOS, Free with in-app purchases)
Stop Motion Studio
The very simplicity of stop motion technology makes it perfect for kids. This app creates surprisingly sophisticated and polished movies from your own stop motion creations. (iOS/Android, $4.99)
Easy Stop Motion Studio
Very young kids will like this introduction to stop motion. They’ll use colors and shapes to create characters, then animate them with the stop motion process. (iOS, $3.99)
ArtStudio
Get the benefit of a variety of art materials and supplies with this app. It allows you to create beautiful, detailed works of art with simulated brushes, paints, and other materials. (iOS, $4.99)
Sketchbook
Attention, artists! This free app turns your phone or tablet into the ultimate surface for sketching, coloring, and creating. ( iOS, Android, Free)
iMovie
Apple’s video editing software lets you create, edit, and share professional-looking videos using a variety of templates, graphics, text, and audio. ( iOS, Free)
VideoShow
This terrific video editor for Android has many of the same features as iMovie, allowing you to make top-notch videos even if you have no prior experience. (Android, Free)
LEGO Movie Maker
Everything is awesome when you download this app and make your own LEGO movies! Build a set, record your movie, and share it with friends. (iOS/Android, Free )
PhotoViva
PhotoViva lets you draw on the pictures you take, with a variety of brushes and special effects that go far beyond ordinary filters. (iOS, $4.99/Android, $1.99)
KaleidaCam
Take a pic and transform it into an incredible kaleidoscope image. Kids of any age will never tire of playing with this one, seeing the world in a whole new way. (iOS, Free)
STEAM Apps: Math
From little ones just learning their numbers to high schoolers tackling calculus, these STEAM apps for math offer something for every student.
Bugs and Numbers
Early learners will enjoy these non-traditional math games as they learn all about numbers with the help of some very clever bugs. (iOS/Android, $2.99)
TouchMath
The TouchMath system has been around for over 40 years, teaching elementary kids to learn math in multisensory ways. The app brings that system to today’s technology. (iOS/Android, $1.99)
King of Math 2
Kids ages 10 and up will enjoy practicing math skills with this fun app. It’s an excellent way to review math facts in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. (iOS/Android, $2.99)
King of Math Junior
This app is for kids ages 5-9 who are just learning basic math skills. They’ll be introduced to concepts from counting and addition to shapes and fractions. (iOS/Android, $2.99)
Prodigy Math
Prodigy is a well-known free program for teaching kids K-8 the math skills they need to succeed. The fun games keep kids engaged and adapt to suit each kid’s needs. (iOS/Android Free)
IXL Math
Kids who need extra math practice can really benefit from IXL’s comprehensive curriculum, which covers all ages K-12. (iOS/Android, $19.95/month; schools can receive volume rates)
Khan Academy
Khan Academy provides free lessons on a wide variety of subjects, including math. It’s especially good for kids who need to practice concepts they’ve already learned in class. (iOS/Android, Free)
Quizlet
Need to practice math facts, formulas, shapes, or anything else that requires memorization? Head to Quizlet, where you can use digital flashcards already created, or make your own for any subject. (iOS/Android, Free)
Photomath
Scan any math problem with your camera to get colorful, step-by-step instructions on how to solve it. Resist the temptation to use this to speed through homework, and instead let the app help you learn how to do the math yourself. ( iOS/ Android, Free)
Graphing Calculator + Math, Algebra & Calculus
This app replaces the bulky (and expensive) graphing calculator students have been toting around for decades. Parents will wish they had these in high school! All the functionality, no batteries required. (Android, Free)
Graphing Calculator X84
Another graphing calculator app, this one for iPhone and iPad. (iOS, Free)
Geometry Pad
Bring geometric equations to life with this app, which allows you to create fundamental shapes, then explore and change their properties. Export and save documents to your device or the cloud. (iOS/Android, Free)
Fractals
Fractals are some of the coolest patterns in the world. Play with two of the most famous (Mandelbrot and Julia) in this beautiful interactive app. (iOS, $2.99)
Can’t get enough science? Check the best resources for free online science videos.
Online learning is the path to the future. Find a huge collections of the best online learning resources here.
