8 Best Kids’ App Features Every Mom Wants

When people ask me what it’s like to build an educational app, they usually imagine meetings, code, designers, and endless testing. While all of that is true, there’s another part they don’t see.

I’m not just the founder of Poikilingo. I’m also a mom of two.

And honestly? Most of the decisions we’ve made over the years didn’t start in a product meeting. They started in my own living room, during flights with bored children, long road trips, bedtime negotiations, or after downloading yet another kids’ app that made me think…

“Seriously? Who thought this was a good idea?”

So if I could build the “perfect” kids’ app from a parent’s perspective, what would I include? Quite a few things.

1. Family Sharing (Because Kids Come in Multiples!)

One thing has always annoyed me as a parent:

• You finally find a great app.
• You pay for it.
• Then you discover you have to pay again because your second child wants to use it too.

Wait… what?

They’re siblings. They live in the same house. Why should parents have to purchase the same app multiple times? That’s why Poikilingo allows family sharing. One purchase covers the whole family.

Because parenting is already expensive enough.

2. It Should Look Great on Phones and Tablets

Parents and children rarely use the same devices. I usually check settings, notifications, downloads and subscriptions from my phone. My daughters, however, almost always play on tablets.

That means both experiences matter. The parent area has to work beautifully on a small screen, while the games need to take advantage of the larger tablet display.

It sounds obvious. Surprisingly, many apps still get this wrong.

3. Offline Play Is a Lifesaver

If you’ve ever traveled with children, you already know.

Airplanes. Road trips. Summer houses. Camping. Hotels with terrible Wi-Fi. Expensive roaming packages.

Offline mode isn’t a luxury—it’s a survival tool.

That’s why Poikilingo lets families download content ahead of time so children can keep learning even without an internet connection.

There is one important catch, though! Offline mode only works for content that has already been downloaded, so parents do need to prepare before leaving home. Think of it like downloading movies before a flight—you do it once, and everyone’s happier later.

4. Absolutely No Ads. Ever.

This one is non-negotiable. Nothing ruins a learning moment faster than an advertisement interrupting a child. Even worse are apps that advertise themselves as “paid” but still show ads unless you purchase an additional upgrade.

As a parent, that feels misleading. As someone who lives in Europe, where advertising aimed at children has traditionally been heavily regulated, it’s disappointing to see how many digital products still rely on this model.

At Poikilingo, we simply don’t show ads.

• Not during the free trial.
• Not after the trial ends.
• Not in the free version.

When the trial finishes, children can still enjoy a limited selection of activities—but they’ll never be interrupted by advertisements. Learning deserves better than that.

5. Safety Should Never Be Optional

Parents shouldn’t have to wonder whether an app is collecting unnecessary data or whether a child could accidentally buy something. As parents, we have already heard the stories of kids burning their parents credit card in an online game. That is why every external link and every purchase in Poikilingo sits behind a parental gate.

We also take children’s privacy seriously and only collect the information necessary to provide the service. Because educational apps should earn parents’ trust; not test it.

6. Teaching More Than Just Vocabulary

Many educational apps focus on teaching numbers, colors or languages.

Those things matter. But children also absorb values. That’s why every activity in Poikilingo is carefully reviewed with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in mind.

Yes, of course we support Goal #4: Quality Education. But we also try to weave sustainability and responsible citizenship into everyday moments.

For example:

• Poiki uses compost instead of chemical fertilizers.
• When Kevin leaves the tap running, children are gently reminded that wasting water isn’t good for the environment.
• Everyday choices become tiny opportunities to learn empathy and responsibility.

They’re small moments. But that’s exactly how children learn.

7. Screen Time That Parents Can Feel Good About

Let’s be honest: Parent guilt around screen time is real.

I feel it too.

That’s why I wanted every activity to support skills children will actually need as they grow up.

• Creativity.
• Problem solving.
• Curiosity.
• Language.
• Communication.

Rather than simply keeping children busy, we try to help them think, imagine and explore. In fact, this commitment helped Poikilingo earn Google’s Teachers Approved badge, recognizing the app as one that offers a high-quality experience for children and promotes creativity.

As a founder, I’m proud. As a mom, I’m even happier.

Bonus: A Mix of Accents Is Actually a Good Thing

This one probably comes from my background in language education.

Many language-learning apps use just one accent. Real life doesn’t.

Children today grow up in an incredibly international world.

They may learn English from an American teacher, watch cartoons from Australia, have classmates from India, and spend holidays in the UK. The same happens with Spanish, Portuguese and many other languages.

Exposing children to different native accents helps them build stronger listening skills and prepares them for real conversations rather than a single “textbook” version of a language.

Instead of confusing children, this broadens their linguistic repertoire and teaches them that languages naturally come in many beautiful varieties.

That’s the world our children are growing up in. Why shouldn’t their language app reflect it?

Building the App I Wanted for My Own Children

When I started Poikilingo, I wasn’t trying to build just another kids’ app. I was building the app I wished existed for my own daughters.

• An app that respected parents.
• Protected children.
• Worked offline.
• Didn’t interrupt learning with ads.
• Encouraged creativity.
• And quietly helped raise kind, curious little global citizens.

Because at the end of the day, that’s what educational technology should do. Not simply entertain children. But help them grow.

If you’re a parent, I’d love for you to take a moment and think about what truly matters to you in a kids’ app. Is it safety? Flexibility? Meaningful learning? Or simply peace of mind?