Key takeaways
- Game-based learning works because children practice English repeatedly without feeling like they are doing a lesson.
- Each of the five platforms here targets different skills: phonics, reading, vocabulary, listening, and comprehensive curriculum.
- Age range matters when choosing a platform: a tool built for 3-year-olds will not hold a 10-year-old’s attention.
- Games build exposure and comfort with English, while a tutor adds the feedback and conversation that games cannot provide.
- Combining structured game time with a weekly lesson produces faster results than either approach alone.
Your child plays the same mobile game for two hours without stopping. Getting them to sit down for a language worksheet for ten minutes is a different story entirely. The frustration is familiar to every parent trying to help their child learn English outside the classroom.
The good news is that games and language learning are not opposites. Several well-established platforms use game mechanics to build real English skills, from recognizing letters to reading full sentences.
A children’s English tutor can build on what your child picks up through games, giving them the conversation practice and pronunciation feedback that a screen cannot provide.italki connects parents with 30,000+ expert tutors trusted by over 10 million learners worldwide, with 15+ years of experience teaching young English learners at every level.
This guide covers five platforms: Wordwall, Starfall, ABCmouse, Funbrain, and PBS Kids, with age ranges, skill focus, access details, and a section on how to use these tools alongside a tutor for the best results.
Find Your Perfect Teacher
Build real English confidence with personalized lessons from a teacher who matches your goals, schedule, and learning style.
Book a trial lesson
Table of contents
- Wordwall
- Starfall
- ABCmouse
- Funbrain
- PBS Kids
- How to combine games and tutoring for faster progress
Wordwall
Age range: 5-14 (adaptable by teachers and parents) Skills built: Vocabulary, spelling, reading, comprehension Access: Free tier available at wordwall.net; paid subscription for full access Wordwall is a platform where teachers and parents create custom interactive games around any topic they choose. The main advantage of Wordwall over most apps is the customization. You can create games around the exact words your child is working on, which means the platform reinforces learning rather than introducing random vocabulary in a random order. How to use it: Start by searching the Wordwall public library for games tagged “English for kids” or “ESL beginner.” Thousands of pre-made activities are available for free. If you want to make your own, the free tier gives you a limited number of creations, and the subscription unlocks unlimited games and additional activity types. Getting support with Wordwall: The customization of Wordwall works best when paired with a teacher who can suggest exactly which words and grammar points to target. An English tutor for kids can review the games your child is playing and focus lessons on areas the platform isn’t reinforcing yet.
Starfall
Age range: Pre-K to Grade 2 (roughly ages 3-8) Skills built: Phonics, letter recognition, early reading, listening Access: Free core content at starfall.com; membership unlocks additional content Starfall is one of the most trusted phonics resources for young English learners. For children learning English as a second language, the phonics focus is particularly valuable because it builds the foundation that everything else depends on: understanding the relationship between letters and sounds in English. How to use it: Starfall works best as a daily 10-15 minute activity for children aged 3-8. The guide to English minimal pairs pairs well with Starfall’s phonics approach for parents who want to understand more about how English sounds work. Combine phonics with conversation: Starfall teaches sound-letter relationships, but pronunciation emerges through speaking. Pair Starfall with a tutor who can assess your child’s phonics progress and correct pronunciation in real conversation, where it matters most.
Find Your Perfect Teacher
Build real English confidence with personalized lessons from a teacher who matches your goals, schedule, and learning style.
Book a trial lesson
ABCmouse
Age range: 2-8 Skills built: Reading, phonics, mathematics, science, art, and early vocabulary Access: Subscription-based at abcmouse.com; free trial available ABCmouse is one of the most comprehensive early learning apps available for young children. What makes ABCmouse different from other phonics apps is the curriculum structure. Lessons follow a clear progression, so a child who starts from zero can move through the platform systematically. An English teacher for young learners can review your child’s progress on a platform like ABCmouse and use that information to focus their lessons on the gaps the app is not filling. italki tutors with experience teaching young learners have 15+ years of expertise in identifying what works for each child’s learning style and pace. They can supplement ABCmouse by providing personalized feedback and one-on-one practice on the exact areas your child finds challenging.
Funbrain
Age range: Pre-K to Grade 8 (roughly ages 3-14) Skills built: Reading, vocabulary, mathematics, problem-solving, listening Access: Free at funbrain.com; no subscription needed Funbrain has been a major educational platform since 1997 and has one of the broadest age ranges of any platform on this list. For English learners specifically, the reading library is one of the best free resources available. Once a child can decode basic English words, they need to encounter those words in real sentences to develop fluency, and Funbrain provides exactly that. Turn reading into speaking: Funbrain’s strength is passive comprehension, that is, your child reads and understands. The gap is speaking: turning comprehension into production. Practice the stories your child reads with a tutor to build conversation fluency on top of reading comprehension.
Find Your Perfect Teacher
Build real English confidence with personalized lessons from a teacher who matches your goals, schedule, and learning style.
Book a trial lesson
PBS Kids
Age range: 2-8 Skills built: Listening, vocabulary, early literacy, social-emotional skills Access: Free at pbskids.org and via the PBS Kids app; no subscription needed PBS Kids is the digital extension of the US public broadcaster’s children’s programming. For English language learners, the listening input is particularly valuable: the characters speak clearly, at a pace children can follow, with visual context that helps comprehension. For complete beginners aged 2-8, the combination of familiar characters and slow, clear speech makes PBS Kids one of the most accessible starting points. Build active speaking from passive listening: PBS Kids teaches receptive skills: your child hears English and understands it. To develop productive skills, combine PBS Kids with a weekly lesson to transform listening comprehension into active speaking practice.
How to combine games and tutoring for faster progress
Games give children repeated exposure to English in an environment where there is no pressure and no embarrassment about getting something wrong. The limitation is that games cannot ask “why did you say that?” or notice that your child is confusing “he” and “she,” or that they are using the past tense correctly in writing but not yet in speech. An English tutor online fills those gaps. The combination that works well for most young learners looks something like this: two or three short game sessions per week (15-20 minutes each), plus one weekly lesson with a teacher. The games build exposure and confidence. The lesson builds accuracy and the ability to communicate in real conversation. italki’s community of 30,000+ expert tutors, trusted by over 10 million learners worldwide, includes teachers who specialize in English for young learners and can work around your child’s schedule, level, and learning style. Ready to pair games with personalized instruction? Build confidence faster with a tutor who specializes in teaching young learners. Book a trial lesson with a children’s English tutor and find the right fit for your child.
Find Your Perfect Teacher
Build real English confidence with personalized lessons from a teacher who matches your goals, schedule, and learning style.
Book a trial lesson
FAQ
At what age can a child start learning English with online games? Most of the platforms on this list have content starting from age 2. Starfall and PBS Kids both work well for toddlers with simple letter and sound activities. Very young children (under 4) benefit most from games they do alongside a parent rather than independently. How much time should a child spend on English learning games each day? For children aged 3-7, 15-20 minutes per day is a practical target. For children aged 8-14, 20-30 minutes per day is manageable alongside schoolwork. Consistency matters more than session length. Can these platforms help children who are already learning English at school? Yes, and that is where they tend to work best. Children learning English at school have a grammatical framework in place, and games help them build vocabulary and fluency on top of it.
Want to learn a language at italki?
Here are the best resources for you!
