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    Guides for parents

    How to choose a learning app for a young child in India

    There are hundreds of learning apps for young children, and most of their store pages say the same things. This checklist helps you look past the screenshots. It is written for parents in India of children aged 3 to 8, and it works for any app, including ours.

    1

    Start with what you want it for

    Decide the job first. Do you want something your child uses alone for a few minutes while you cook, or something you do together? A plan for what to learn each week, or answers to the questions your child asks? Phonics, numbers, or broader early learning? Different apps do different jobs, and the one that suits a neighbour's child may not suit yours.

    2

    Is it made for this age?

    • Look for a clear age range, and levels that match Indian school years: Nursery, LKG, UKG, Class 1 and Class 2.
    • Check whether it follows the NCF-FS, India's framework for ages 3 to 8, and says how.
    • The words, voices and examples should suit a young child. Names, foods, festivals and places your child knows make a difference.
    3

    How does it use the screen?

    • Is it meant to be used with an adult, or alone?
    • Does it autoplay the next thing, or stop and let the child finish?
    • Are there timers, scores, streaks or leaderboards that push a child to keep going?
    • Does any of the learning happen away from the screen?

    Guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics favours high-quality content used together with an adult over passive, solo screen time.

    4

    Is it safe?

    • No ads. Ads in a children's app can lead a child somewhere you did not choose.
    • No links out of the app, and no chat with strangers.
    • If the app makes content with AI, ask how it is checked before your child sees it, and whether you can read it first.
    • Look for a published safety page that says what the app will and will not show a child.
    5

    What happens to your child's data?

    • Read who holds your child's data, where and for how long. A careful app lists its service providers.
    • In India, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 requires verifiable consent from a parent before a child's personal data is processed. The app should ask you, not your child.
    • Check that you can delete your child's profile and data yourself.
    • Be careful with apps that ask for your child's photo. Ask what it is used for and who sees it.
    6

    Price and commitment

    • Can you try it free before paying, without entering a card?
    • Is the price in rupees, with tax shown, and can you cancel easily?
    • Does one plan cover all your children, or is it per child?
    • Are there purchases inside the app that a child could tap?
    7

    Try it together for a week

    The real test is a week of use. Sit with your child for the first few sittings. Watch what holds their attention, whether they talk about it afterwards and whether it fits your family's routine. Keep the one your child asks for and you are happy to sit beside.

    8

    Where Yarnily fits

    Yarnily is a week-by-week learning programme for ages 3 to 8, done together at home. Here is how it answers this checklist.

    • Age: five levels, Nursery to Class 2, mapped to India's NCF-FS.
    • Screen: about 25 minutes on screen a week and about 90 minutes together away from it. Nothing autoplays, and nothing is timed or graded.
    • Safety: every book is checked for age and safety before a child sees it, and you can read it first. Books stay private unless you publish them. The full list of what Yarnily will never write is on the safety page.
    • Ads: none. Yarnily Kids, your child's side, has no sign-in, no ads, no analytics and no links out.
    • Privacy: made in India under the DPDP Act 2023. A parent's consent is the basis for every child profile, and the list of service providers is public.
    • Price: the first book is free, with no card. One plan covers up to 4 children. Plans are bought directly, with no app-store billing.
    • Install: a web app with nothing to download. It runs in any browser and can be added to the home screen.

    Start your child's first weekSee how Yarnily worksThe research

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    Questions parents ask

    What makes a learning app good for a 3 to 8 year old?

    It suits the child's age, has no ads, does not push the child to keep going with timers or streaks, keeps your child's data private and gives a parent a part to play. Some of the learning should happen away from the screen.

    Are learning apps safe for young children?

    Many are, but check before you give one to your child. Look for no ads, no links out of the app, no chat with strangers, a published safety page and a clear privacy policy that asks for a parent's consent. If the app uses AI to make content, ask how it is checked before your child sees it.

    Do children's apps in India need a parent's consent?

    Yes. India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 requires verifiable consent from a parent or guardian before a child's personal data is processed.

    Is there a learning app for young children in India with no ads?

    Yes. Yarnily is one: a week-by-week learning programme for ages 3 to 8 with no ads, mapped to the NCF-FS and done together at home. Its app for children, Yarnily Kids, has no sign-in, no analytics and no links out.

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