With so many online learning tools available now it’s hard to know which ones are of any real value, and which ones are just eye candy for kids.

Luckily, we have combed through the vaults to cherry pick a selection of apps below that will help get your child off to a flying start to 2018!

Early years – play based learning

Endless Reader – Free with in-app purchases

Introduces ‘sight words’, the most commonly used words in children’s books. Kids need to recognise these words by sight in order to achieve reading fluency.

Its makers say kids will have a blast learning sight words and their context and usage with the adorable Endless monsters. Each word features an interactive word puzzle with letters that come alive.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar – $4.49

This app is designed to spark your child’s creative exploration, cultivate imaginative thinking and encourage artistic expression. The creators say your little ones will love exploring and experimenting with shape, colour and texture, inspired by the creator of the world’s favourite caterpillar.

Toca Band – $4.99

You can play together with your kids and experiment with sounds, beats and rhythms in lots of fun ways. Choose from 16 different cool characters – each with their own unique quirky sound and musical rhythms. Put your band members on stage to get the music started – then move them around and see what happens

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy – $7.99

This app is an interactive book that lets kids run fingers over the text to hear the story and touch any word to hear and see it spoken and spelt. You can even colour in pages of the story and record your own voice. Hear the barking dogs and the ferocious yowl of Scarface Claw, all part of the interactive experience, giving children and parents’ hours of fun. This is not only a marvellous story, but a superb aid for early learning and literacy development.

Primary school

Carmen Sanediego Returns – $5.99

A global spy game in which kids learn geography and problem solving while chasing international criminal Carmen Sandiego. Your children will learn about geography as they travel the world, decipher clues and capture the elusive villains in adrenaline-filled missions.

Quick Maths Pack – $5.99

A bundle that contains four apps from the award-winning Quick Maths series — Arithmetic & Times Table, Fractions, Maths+, Clocks – Telling Time. With a focus on mathematical fluency, the “Quick” series is a perfect learning tool for those still developing their arithmetic skills, and an excellent practice tool for those needing a refresher.

Monster Chords – Free

A new and one-of-a-kind way to learn the guitar. This app makes learning every chord a fun challenge, and it removes the tedium that can come with music learning by making it a game! Perfect for beginners of all ages, all you need is a guitar.

Star Walk 2 – $4.49

A nifty tool for learning the exact position of stars, planets, constellations, comets, ISS, satellites, star clusters, nebulae and meteor showers in the night sky.

Secondary school

Swift Playgrounds – Free

Billed as a revolutionary new app for iPad that makes it fun to learn and experiment with code. You solve interactive puzzles in the guided “Learn to Code” lessons to master the basics of coding, while additional challenges let you explore code and create programs that are engaging and unique.

The Homework App – Free

Perfect for students who want to get organised with features designed to ensure you never forget your homework again. Featuring an in-app calendar so you can see your tasks on a daily, monthly or yearly basis.

Mathspace – Free

An online maths textbook, workbook and mark book, covering the Australian Curriculum 5-12. Featuring a bank of over 30,000 interactive questions covering everything from addition to algebra, geometry to graphing, probability to statistics.

Duolingo – Free with in-app purchases

Helps your budding traveller learn another language with engaging mini-games that test your reading, writing and speaking skills. Languages include: Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Irish, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, and English.