7 apps to avoid the summer slide

Kids can actually grasp the basics of algebra before reaching middle school. Who knew? Described as a learning tool that "secretly teaches algebra,” this app includes intuitive games that require kids to isolate a DragonBox block on one side of the board just as a young mathematician would separate X on one side of an equation. Ages 5 to 8. $8, googleplay.com. $7, itunes.ca

If your kids aren't quite ready for basic algebra, they'll enjoy the more than 600 simple games and activities on Todo. They'll learn counting, addition, subtraction and multiplication, and be presented with learning games to help them tell time, differentiate days of the week and recognize geometric shapes. Ages 6 to 8. Free, googleplay.com, itunes.ca

Meet Monkey, an adorable ape who wants to help kids collect virtual butterflies, frogs, dragonflies and plants. But in order to craft their interactive terrarium, they’ll have to go through a series of amusing games which include spelling puzzles, phonics bridges, word walls and rhyming mazes. Fun and easy to navigate, Monkey’s adventures are a great way to develop your children’s reading skills. Ages 3 to 7. $2, googleplay.com. $3, itunes.ca

Hailing from Kids’ CBC show Dot, this animated tech-savvy eight-year-old encourages your kids to dive into the subjects they love the most, be it animals, books, sports or technology. As a collaborative information hub (think Wikipedia for kids), Dotopedia encourages your little ones to create and upload their own stories, audio clips and pictures into a kid-friendly digital repository. Ages 6 to 8. Free, googleplay.com, itunes.ca

Get your kids' eyes away from a TV screen and in front of a virtual blackboard for half an hour with one of iTooch’s scholastic learning sessions. Offering courses on math, science and language arts, iTooch conveniently divides its applications into grade levels (one to five). Available in both English and French, each subject comes with easy-to-follow lessons, examples and problem-solving questions. Ages 5 to 9. Free (in-app purchases may apply), googleplay.com, itunes.ca

Got tiny space-lovers at home? Send them off to the great beyond with Grandpa. Together, they can build a virtual rocket and travel to different destinations in our solar system. Along with thrilling asteroid-blasting games and extraterrestrial meetups, they’ll also discover fun planetary factoids and educational space videos with footage straight from NASA. Ages 5 to 8. $3, itunes.ca

Enhance their STEM skills with this enchanting version of the Thinkrolls app. Little royals and knights will have a blast mastering physics puzzles that allow them to banish ghosts with reflected light, defy gravity with flying potions, collapse bridges to clear their path and more. They’ll also get a kick out of exploring interactive castles with exciting brain challenges and collecting sweet treats to feed their dragon. Ages 6 to 9. Free (in-app purchases apply), googleplay.com. $4, itunes.ca

Read more: 11 cool STEM apps for kids 16 best spelling apps for kids 29 fun and safe kids' websites