8 Apps to Encourage Kids to Love Nature
Summer is close and it’s time to hit the outdoors. Whether at school or at home, you can make the time they spend outside very educational. We’ve gathered some of the top nature apps to encourage kids to get outdoors, learn about the world around them, and discover ways they can make nature last for generations to come.
Exploring Nature
Project Noah (FREE) encourages kids to document their finds in nature. The app allows kids to take photos to document their finds and review photos and notes from other animals to see the types of plants and animals found in the area. Kids can also play a part in real scientific research, completing missions to help out science labs and have fun learning about the plants and animals around them.
NatureTap (FREE) uses beautiful photos to help kids learn more about birds and other animals. Simply tapping on a photo reveals in-depth information about the animals, as well as animal sounds. They can also play fun games to test their animal knowledge. Older kids will appreciate the app most, but younger kids will love the pictures and sounds.
Toca Nature (PAID) places kids in the role of a creator and allows them to experience nature firsthand. Kids build their own forests, mountains, and other natural scenery, and then zoom in to explore the wildlife that appears. The app contains realistic sounds of nature and cycles between day and night so kids can experience all elements of the outdoors.
Parts of Plants – A Montessori Approach (PAID) teaches the kids the parts of plants using the Montessori methods. Six different activities introduce kids to different plant parts and help them learn the names of tons of flowers and plants. They’ll be able to take what they learn with them the next time they head outside, helping to recognize the plants and flowers they see.
Using and Taking Care of the Earth
In addition to experiencing nature, kids need to learn how to use and take care of the Earth. These apps teach kids about the importance of preserving the Earth by introducing them to concepts such as recycling. They also show them the beginnings of planting a garden so they can see how the Earth can give back to them.
GroPlay apps (PAID) are a series of five different apps focused on teaching kids about the environment. The top apps in the series are Gro Garden and Gro Recycling. Gro Garden introduces kids to the basics of planting a garden. They plant and harvest the garden and use the scraps to build up their compost pile. In Gro Recycling kids learn about the recycling process by feeding the recycling bins. They also get to sort items in the trash by what they are made of.
The Lorax (PAID) has been telling kids about the importance of caring for the Earth for decades. This classic book has been upgraded into a fun ebook that allows kids to interact with the pages. Kids and parents can also record their own narration to personalize the story a little more. 
Grow Your Garden HD (PAID) is another fun gardening app for kids. Kids play games and solve puzzles to help them take care of their garden and build basic math skills at the same time.
Do you have any favorite apps that encourage kids to get out and explore nature?