You’ve packed the snacks, found the headphones, and charged the tablet. Then your child opens their favorite app—and it won’t load without an internet connection.
A little planning can save you that particular travel headache. These apps for kids that don’t need WiFi offer everything from letter games and digital coloring to coding projects and clever puzzles.
There is one catch: offline play doesn’t always mean the entire app works without internet. Some apps include a smaller offline section, while others need games, activities, or episodes downloaded first. Set everything up at home, then test your choices with WiFi and mobile data switched off.
The age suggestions below are starting points for choosing activities, rather than official app-store age ratings. Prices, device support, and subscription options can change, so check the linked developer information or store listing before downloading.
1. Khan Academy Kids
Suggested ages: 2–8
Cost: Free
Khan Academy Kids brings together stories, early learning activities, and creative play. It’s a useful first download when you want a mix of activities instead of a tablet filled with separate games.
Its offline section, Kodi’s Suitcase, includes stories, letters, numbers, logic, and tracing. The Create section is also accessible offline.
Before you disconnect: Create your account online and show your child where to find the suitcase in the Library. The full online library is not available offline.
Explore Khan Academy Kids’ offline activities.
2. PBS KIDS Games
Suggested ages: 2–8
Cost: Free
Familiar characters can make a new game easier to jump into. PBS KIDS Games offers activities featuring characters from its children’s shows, with options involving learning and problem-solving.
It’s a practical choice for families who want variety in one app.
Before you disconnect: Download supported games and check which ones open offline in your installed version. Don’t assume every game shown in the app will be available without internet.
3. Moose Math
Suggested ages: 3–7
Cost: Free
Moose Math turns early number practice into playful activities involving counting, addition, subtraction, shapes, and sorting.
It’s worth considering for a child who enjoys completing small tasks and seeing numbers used in a colorful setting.
Before you disconnect: Install the app and try its activities once. Khan Academy identifies Moose Math as offline-capable.
Find Moose Math and other Duck Duck Moose apps.
4. Fish School
Suggested ages: 2–5
Cost: Free
Fish School introduces letters, numbers, shapes, and colors with an underwater theme. Friendly fish give preschool learning a playful backdrop.
Choose this one for younger children who enjoy tapping, listening, and exploring simple activities.
Before you disconnect: Install the app and open it before your trip. Its Google Play listing identifies it as an offline game.
5. Endless Alphabet
Suggested ages: 3–7
Cost: Paid access; check your device’s store
Endless Alphabet uses animated monsters, talking letters, and word puzzles to introduce vocabulary. Children move letters into place, then watch an animation that gives the word meaning.
This is a fun option for children who love silly characters and enjoy revisiting favorite words.
Before you disconnect: Let the app finish downloading its content and check several words offline. Look for the original app by Originator, since similarly named apps exist.
6. Sago Mini World
Suggested ages: 2–5
Cost: Subscription for full access
Sago Mini World offers imaginative play that gives preschoolers room to explore. It’s a good fit for children who prefer making things happen at their own pace.
For travel, pick a handful of activities your child already enjoys instead of trying to download everything.
Before you disconnect: Download individual games within the app. Only pre-downloaded games work offline.
Read Sago Mini World’s offline instructions.
7. Sago Mini School
Suggested ages: 2–5
Cost: Subscription for full access
Sago Mini School offers playful learning activities organized around topics. It’s another option for preschoolers who enjoy exploring a little of everything.
You could choose this for a short learning session between snacks, stories, and looking out the window.
Before you disconnect: Open the parent section and check Topics. Download arrows indicate activities that still need downloading for offline play.
Check Sago Mini School’s offline setup.
8. Sago Mini First Words
Suggested ages: 2–5, with an adult nearby
Cost: Subscription for full access
Sago Mini First Words offers playful opportunities to explore words and sounds. It may suit a child who enjoys repeating what they hear and interacting with characters.
This is one to try together first, especially if your child needs help understanding an activity.
Before you disconnect: Play each activity online once. The developer says those activities can then be played offline.
Read the First Words offline instructions.
9. Toca Boca Jr
Suggested ages: 2–6
Cost: Subscription for full access
Toca Boca Jr brings a collection of pretend-play games into one app. Children can explore creative activities without needing every session to end with a score.
It’s a useful pick for kids who enjoy experimenting and inventing their own little stories.
Before you disconnect: Download the individual games you want available. Installing the main app alone doesn’t make every game ready for offline use.
Check Toca Boca Jr’s offline instructions.
10. Toca Boca Hair Salon 4
Suggested ages: 4–9
Cost: Some access may be available initially; subscription unlocks more
Hair Salon 4 gives children a place to experiment with hairstyles and colorful makeovers. It’s a creative choice for a child who would happily spend a whole car ride designing a dramatic new look.
Before you disconnect: Base items are available offline after downloading. If you unlock subscription items, open each station and unwrap its supplies while connected first.
Read Hair Salon 4’s offline instructions.
11. Crayon Club
Suggested ages: 3–8
Cost: Subscription for full access
Crayon Club is an option for children who love coloring but can’t bring their entire art drawer along. Let your child choose a few favorite pages before leaving home.
It makes a handy change of pace after a more challenging puzzle game.
Before you disconnect: Spend a few minutes coloring each chosen page online. The developer says that individual page can then be used offline.
Check Crayon Club’s offline setup.
12. Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Pets
Suggested ages: 3–8
Cost: Free download; optional purchases
Kids can color and care for digital pets, bringing creative play and pet-themed activities together. It’s a cheerful choice for children who like looking after little animal characters.
Before you disconnect: Install the app and try the pet activities. Crayola says its features work offline except for purchases and videos in the theater.
Explore Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Pets.
13. Pok Pok
Suggested ages: 2–7
Cost: Subscription
Pok Pok offers a digital playroom with open-ended activities. Its approach makes it worth considering for a child who enjoys exploring without racing a timer or chasing a high score.
Try it at home to see whether its style holds your child’s interest before relying on it during a long journey.
Before you disconnect: Download the app and complete subscription setup online. The developer recommends reconnecting every few weeks for updates.
14. ScratchJr
Suggested ages: 5–7
Cost: Free
ScratchJr lets kids build animated stories using picture-based coding blocks. They can make characters move, add sounds, and experiment with what happens when they change a sequence.
Give them a tiny project to start: make an animal cross the screen or create a two-character story.
Before you disconnect: Install the tablet app and practice making a project. Create projects locally; sharing or finding online resources can require a connection.
15. MathTango
Suggested ages: 5–9
Cost: Subscription for full access
MathTango is worth a look for children who enjoy a game setting alongside math practice. It gives you a different option from the preschool number apps on this list.
Choose the lesson settings before handing it over so your child starts with suitable activities.
Before you disconnect: Download the latest version, open it online, and set up your child’s profile. Subscription renewals, signing out, or updates may require another connection.
Read MathTango’s offline instructions.
16. Thinkrolls: Games for Kids 2–8
Suggested ages: 2–8
Cost: Subscription for full access
The Thinkrolls collection centers on puzzles and problem-solving. It’s a good starting place for children who like testing an idea, watching what happens, and trying again.
If you’re comparing this collection with the separate Thinkrolls apps below, check what’s included before buying overlapping content.
Before you disconnect: Set up and verify your subscription online. Account access and community puzzle sharing need internet, while gameplay supports offline use.
Check Thinkrolls’ offline details.
17. Thinkrolls 2
Suggested ages: 3–9
Cost: Paid standalone app; check the listing
Thinkrolls 2 adds logic challenges involving movement and physical properties. Children guide characters through obstacles, experimenting with ways to roll, float, glide, and reach the next part of a puzzle.
It’s a strong candidate for kids who enjoy figuring things out through repeated attempts.
Before you disconnect: Install the standalone game and test it. Its Google Play listing identifies offline play.
18. Thinkrolls: Kings & Queens
Suggested ages: 5–9
Cost: Paid access; versions vary
This Thinkrolls adventure gives logic puzzles a castle-inspired setting. It may appeal to a child who loves a fantasy theme alongside a good challenge.
Sit together for the first few puzzles so they understand how to experiment when the answer isn’t immediately obvious.
Before you disconnect: Check the exact version and unlock the content you want online. The standalone Google Play listing supports offline play.
Explore Thinkrolls: Kings & Queens.
19. Pettson’s Inventions
Suggested ages: 5–10
Cost: Paid app
Pettson’s Inventions asks children to help assemble unusual machines. They figure out where objects belong, then see whether their invention works.
It’s a fun pick for a child who likes building, tinkering, and asking what each part does.
Before you disconnect: Install and test the game. Its Google Play listing identifies it as offline.
20. PAW Patrol Academy
Suggested ages: Preschool and early elementary
Cost: Subscription for full access
PAW Patrol Academy is worth considering when familiar characters are what persuade your child to try a new activity. Fans can explore learning activities in a setting they already recognize.
Before you disconnect: Download the app, finish account or subscription setup, and open the activities while online. The developer confirms activities can be played without WiFi or data after downloading.
Check PAW Patrol Academy’s offline details.
21. Inventioneers
Suggested ages: 6–10
Cost: Free starter content; paid full version
Inventioneers combines invention puzzles with tools for building your own contraptions. Kids can explore how different objects interact, then keep adjusting their design.
This is a good choice for a child who wants creative freedom after solving the ready-made challenges.
Before you disconnect: Unlock and test the desired content online. Offline gameplay is supported; sharing inventions with friends needs a connection.
22. Monument Valley
Suggested ages: 7 and up, depending on puzzle confidence
Cost: Paid game; optional additional content
Monument Valley uses optical illusions and impossible architecture to create beautiful puzzles. Players move parts of each scene to uncover a route for the main character.
It’s worth trying with older children who enjoy visual challenges. A parent may want to stay nearby for trickier sections.
Before you disconnect: Install the original game and any purchased extra chapters. Its Google Play listing supports offline play; cloud syncing needs internet.
23. 1-Minute Maths
Suggested ages: 5–8
Cost: Free
White Rose Education’s 1-Minute Maths offers short bursts of number practice. Activities cover skills such as recognizing quantities, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
It’s useful for a quick activity while waiting, although the timed format may not suit a child who dislikes working against a clock.
Before you disconnect: Download the app. White Rose says no login or internet access is needed to use it.
24. PBS KIDS Video
Suggested ages: Preschool and early elementary, depending on the show
Cost: Free where available
Sometimes a child wants to watch a familiar show after spending time playing games. PBS KIDS Video allows supported episodes and clips to be downloaded for offline viewing.
This is the viewing option in the list, so pair it with one or two interactive apps if you want variety.
Before you disconnect: Download eligible videos and check their expiration notices. Downloads can expire, and availability depends on your region and supported device. Live television still needs internet.
Read PBS KIDS Video’s download instructions.
25. Toca Boca Jr Classics
Suggested ages: Preschool and early elementary
Cost: Apple Arcade subscription
Toca Boca Jr Classics brings several Toca games together through Apple Arcade, including activities involving cooking, building, pets, and hairstyling.
If your family already subscribes, check this collection before paying separately for a similar pretend-play app.
Before you disconnect: Install the app and download the individual games you want. It’s a separate product from the standard Toca Boca Jr app, with some overlapping themes.
Explore Toca Boca Jr Classics and check its offline instructions.
How to Get Kids’ Apps Ready for Offline Use
The best time to discover a missing download is while you’re still at home. Use this quick checklist before leaving:
- Install and open every app. Finish account creation, purchases, and subscription setup.
- Download the actual activities. Some apps need separate downloads for games, topics, pages, or videos.
- Switch off WiFi and mobile data. Airplane mode can help, but make sure WiFi hasn’t been switched back on separately.
- Close and reopen each app. Test more than its opening screen. Start the games or episodes your child will use.
- Check free storage. Leave room for downloads, and avoid offloading the apps you need.
- Test again after major updates. An update can change offline access or require content to be downloaded again.
- Charge the device and headphones. Keep a charging cable within reach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some free apps for kids that don’t need WiFi?
Khan Academy Kids, Moose Math, Fish School, ScratchJr, and 1-Minute Maths are places to start. PBS KIDS Games also offers supported offline games. Remember that Khan Academy Kids provides a specific offline section rather than its full online library.
Can kids use offline apps on an airplane?
Yes, provided the app and any necessary content are ready beforehand. Follow the airline’s device instructions and test the app with WiFi and mobile data off before boarding.
Does an offline app work without cellular data too?
An activity that truly supports offline use should work without either WiFi or cellular data. Turning off WiFi alone isn’t a reliable test if the device can still connect through a mobile network.
Do subscription apps work offline?
Some do after setup and downloads. However, they may need occasional internet access to verify a subscription, refresh content, or complete an update. Check the specific app before a long trip.
Choose a Few Apps Your Child Already Enjoys
You don’t need all 25 apps to prepare for a trip. Start with a learning app, a creative app, and a puzzle or pretend-play favorite. Let your child try them at home, download what they enjoy, and give everything an offline test.
Once the tablet is ready, add a few books, travel games, and snacks to your bag. Having several activities to rotate through gives everyone more options when the journey starts to feel long.
