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Their First Words

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Eighteen months to three

The best apps for 18-month-olds and 2-year-olds (2026)

Eighteen months is when the advice starts to change. The AAP says to choose high-quality content and use it together. The WHO is stricter until two, then allows up to an hour a day and says less is better. These are the apps we would pick for that window, ours included, with its limits stated.

Short answer

From 18 months, the best app is one you use together. Their First Words is a prompt in your hands: one picture, one word, a native voice to copy, and free to start. For a two-year-old who wants to tap, Peekaboo Barn is $3.99 once, and Khan Academy Kids and PBS KIDS Games are free.

As of · written by the makers of Their First Words

By the parents who make Their First Words · November 2026 · 6 min read

The illustration on the puzzle card

We make Their First Words, so this is our own comparison — written by the two parents who build it, not by a reviewer. The facts about every other app were checked on October 2, 2026 against their store listings and websites, and the sources are listed at the end. Prices are US prices and change. Where another app is the better choice for your family, this page says so.

The short answer

If you only read this part.

  • What the guidance says: the AAP says that from 18 to 24 months, families who use screens should choose high-quality content and use it together. The WHO recommends no sedentary screen time at one, and at most an hour a day from two to four, with less being better.1, 2
  • If you want an app in your own hands: Their First Words — one picture, one word, a native voice to copy, then it waits for you. Free to start.
  • The first game a toddler can tap: Peekaboo Barn, $3.99 once, together.
  • Free, from about two: Khan Academy Kids and PBS KIDS Games, both with no in-app purchases.
  • For video, together: Ms. Rachel, free on YouTube.
  • For quiet open play: Pok Pok, the priciest here.

The picks at a glance

Who each one is for.

AppBest forPriceWorks on
Their First WordsoursA prompt in your hands, two minutes at a time$9.99 once for everything; no subscriptioniPhone, iPad, Android
Khan Academy KidsA free library, from about twoFree — no ads, no subscriptions, no in-app purchasesiPhone, iPad (iOS 13+), Android, Amazon Fire
Peekaboo BarnThe first thing a toddler can tap, played together$3.99 onceiPhone, iPad; Android
PBS KIDS GamesFree games with familiar characters, for an older twoFree — no in-app purchasesiPhone, iPad, Android
Ms. Rachel (Songs for Littles)Video, watched together and answered out loudFree on YouTube (with YouTube’s ads unless you pay for Premium); also on NetflixAny screen with YouTube or Netflix
Pok PokQuiet, open-ended play with no words and no winningSubscription from about $6.99 a month or $45.99–$79.99 a year, or $89.99 once for lifetime accessiPhone, iPad, Android

Prices are US store prices on the day they were checked (October 2, 2026); the store is the authority for today’s price.

How we chose

The yardstick, out loud.

  • It fits the guidance: high-quality content, used together, from eighteen months.1
  • It leaves room for talk. More screen minutes at 12–36 months went with fewer words from adults and fewer back-and-forth turns.4
  • It is calm, with nothing built to keep a toddler on it.3
  • It can stop after two minutes without a fight.

We rank by fit for the family in the title, not by who made the app. Their First Words is on this list because it belongs here for some of these families and not for others, and the page says which.

The picks

One at a time, honestly.

1 of 6

Their First Wordsours

Best for: A prompt in your hands, two minutes at a time

Price $9.99 once for everything; no subscriptionWorks on iPhone, iPad, AndroidAges 0–5, in three parent-chosen stages (phrases are not split by stage)Languages English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, Korean and Russian on every card (the app’s own screens are in English)

One picture, one word, said by a native voice so you can say it yourself, in any of eight languages. The First Words stage is for up to 24 months and Growing Words is for ages two to three, and the Phrases tab adds everyday phrases as your child starts joining words. Nothing moves, nothing rewards staying longer, and the next card comes when you turn it; Auto Play is off unless you choose it.

Free with no account; $9.99 once for everything; fully offline. If your child wants something to tap, Their First Puzzles is free from the same family.

Worth knowing: We make it, and it is still a screen. It is built for you to hold, so it will not keep a two-year-old busy on their own.

See Their First Words ›
2 of 6

Khan Academy Kids

Best for: A free library, from about two

Price Free — no ads, no subscriptions, no in-app purchasesWorks on iPhone, iPad (iOS 13+), Android, Amazon FireAges 2–8, as the maker statesLanguages English, with a section of books translated into Spanish

Free and ad-free, from a nonprofit, with thousands of games, books and videos for ages 2 to 8. It is the most generous free thing on this list, and the one to reach for when your child is ready to play with a little independence.

Worth knowing: English, it needs an adult account, and it is made for independent play, so a young two-year-old will need you beside them.

3 of 6

Peekaboo Barn

Best for: The first thing a toddler can tap, played together

Price $3.99 onceWorks on iPhone, iPad; AndroidAges Toddlers; Apple rates it 4+Languages Animal names in eight-plus languages, including Spanish, German, French, Mandarin, Hindi and Japanese

Tap the barn, an animal pops out and says its name, in English or in eight-plus other languages. $3.99 once, no ads, no purchases, offline. It is the right length for this age: a minute, a laugh, done.

Worth knowing: Animals only. The fun part is you saying “cow!” with your child.

4 of 6

PBS KIDS Games

Best for: Free games with familiar characters, for an older two

Price Free — no in-app purchasesWorks on iPhone, iPad, AndroidAges 2–8, as the maker statesLanguages English, with 50+ games playable in Spanish

Hundreds of free games with characters such as Daniel Tiger, with no in-app purchases and no account. Games you download can be played offline, and more than fifty are playable in Spanish.

Worth knowing: The range runs to age eight, so many games are aimed well above two. Choosing a few together helps.

5 of 6

Ms. Rachel (Songs for Littles)

Best for: Video, watched together and answered out loud

Price Free on YouTube (with YouTube’s ads unless you pay for Premium); also on NetflixWorks on Any screen with YouTube or NetflixAges Babies and toddlers, as the channel presents themLanguages English

A former music teacher modeling first words, signs and songs slowly, with pauses for the child to answer. Free on YouTube (with YouTube’s ads) and on Netflix, English only. It works best when you answer her pauses together.

Worth knowing: YouTube’s autoplay queues the next video unless you stop it.

6 of 6

Pok Pok

Best for: Quiet, open-ended play with no words and no winning

Price Subscription from about $6.99 a month or $45.99–$79.99 a year, or $89.99 once for lifetime accessWorks on iPhone, iPad, AndroidAges Apple’s “Made for Ages 0–5” band; the maker markets it for about 2–7Languages Wordless; the app’s screens in 17 languages

Calm digital toys with no ads, no language and no winning or losing. Because it is wordless, it suits any home language, and the talking is left to you.

Worth knowing: The most expensive pick here: a subscription, or $89.99 once. The maker markets it for about two to seven.

In fairness

Where Their First Words falls short for this family.

  • It is flashcards, not play. There are no songs, puzzles or cause-and-effect games; Peekaboo Barn is the better first tap.
  • A two-year-old will not get much from it alone. If you want an app your child can use by themselves, Khan Academy Kids fits better.

What to do

This week.

  1. Pick one app and stay beside it. Saying the words yourself is the part that counts.
  2. Keep it short. Two minutes is a session, and stopping while it is still fun makes tomorrow easier.
  3. Video-call someone who loves them; the AAP counts it as relationship time, not screen time.5
  4. Read how many words a 2-year-old says if you are wondering how talking is going.
  5. Read our screen time under two guide for the guidance and the studies behind it.

Questions

What parents ask.

Is it okay for an 18-month-old to use an app?

The advice differs. The AAP says that from 18 to 24 months, families who use screens should choose high-quality content and use it with their child. The WHO recommends no sedentary screen time at one. Either way, the screen is not the point; the talking around it is.1, 2

How much screen time is okay for a 2-year-old?

The WHO says at most an hour a day from two to four, and less is better.2 A couple of minutes at a time is plenty for most of the apps here.

What are the best free apps for 2-year-olds?

Khan Academy Kids and PBS KIDS Games are free in full. Their First Words has 75 words and 35 phrases free in all eight languages, with no account needed.

Should a 2-year-old use an app alone?

Used together is what the AAP advises at this age.1 More screen minutes at 12 to 36 months went with fewer adult words and fewer back-and-forth turns, so time alongside your child is the time worth having.4

Head to head: Their First Words vs Khan Academy Kids.

What this is based on

Sources

  1. American Academy of Pediatrics (2016). Media and Young Minds. Pediatrics, 138(5) — avoid screen media other than video chat under 18 months; from 18 to 24 months choose high-quality content and use it together with the child. publications.aap.org
  2. World Health Organization (2019). To grow up healthy, children need to sit less and play more — no screen time under one; sedentary screen time is not recommended for one-year-olds; at most an hour a day from two to four, and less is better. who.int
  3. American Academy of Pediatrics (2026). Helping kids thrive in a digital world: the AAP policy explained — infants under 18 months learn best from real-world interactions; watch and play alongside your child; autoplay and other engagement-based designs crowd out sleep, play and family time. healthychildren.org
  4. Brushe, M. E. et al. (2024). Screen time and parent-child talk when children are aged 12 to 36 months. JAMA Pediatrics, 178(4), 369–375 — more screen minutes went with fewer adult words, fewer child vocalizations and fewer back-and-forth turns. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  5. American Academy of Pediatrics (2026). Tips for video chatting with infants and toddlers (Q&A) — video chat with loved ones is “relationship time,” not screen time. aap.org
  6. Apple App Store, Khan Academy Kids — free, no ads, ages 2–8, 5,000+ activities, offline downloads, privacy label. apps.apple.com
  7. Khan Academy Kids, official page — subjects, standards, teacher tools. khanacademy.org/kids
  8. Khan Academy Kids, Privacy policy — account requirement, what is collected, no advertising. khanacademy.org
  9. Khan Academy support — the app is English-only; Spanish books in the Library. support.khanacademy.org
  10. Apple App Store, Peekaboo Barn — price, languages, ad-free, offline, last update shown as June 2025. apps.apple.com
  11. Apple App Store, PBS KIDS Games — free, no in-app purchases, ages 2–8, download games to play offline. apps.apple.com
  12. PBS KIDS, PBS KIDS Games app page. pbskids.org
  13. Ms. Rachel, official site. msrachel.com
  14. Apple App Store, Pok Pok | Montessori Preschool App — subscription and lifetime prices, no ads, wordless play. apps.apple.com
  15. Their First Words, FAQ — price, free set, languages, offline use, accounts. theirfirstwords.org/faq

Facts about other apps were checked on October 2, 2026 against the sources above. Store prices are US prices on that day; they change, and the store is the authority for today’s price.

Simple Words, Special Moments

Start with one word.

75 words and 35 phrases are free, forever, with both voices. One $9.99 purchase opens the rest of the 1,000+ words and 500+ phrases, in all eight languages at once. No subscription, nothing renews.

Download on the App Store — Their First Words Get it on Google Play — Their First Words
No ads, ever Private by design Works offline No account needed Up to 4 children

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