PBS KIDS Games vs Reading Eggs

PBS KIDS Games is a free collection of educational games for children ages 2 to 8. Its app listing describes more than 280 curriculum-based games covering subjects such as math, reading, science, and art, with play available in English and Spanish. The web catalog includes titles such as Stu's Delivery Service, City Island Adventure Game, and Carl's Collections. A Building Games topic includes Marble Run, Toy Maker, and Alma Train Game. PBS KIDS also describes its apps as a way to watch and play its content while away from home. The service is listed for web, Android, iOS, and Windows, and the PBS KIDS Games plan costs nothing. An account is not required to use PBS services, though an account can save progress, settings, or created content. PBS says it does not collect information that directly identifies a child on its own, but may collect information about game activity, videos watched, pages viewed, and links clicked. For accounts, usernames are moderated to discourage personal information and passwords are encrypted. PBS identifies itself as a private nonprofit corporation founded in 1969.

Reading Eggs is an online reading program for children ages 2–13, with self-paced lessons that adapt to a child’s level after a placement test. Instruction covers phonics, phonemic awareness, sight words, vocabulary, comprehension, and reading for meaning. The home pricing page lists 692 interactive lessons, 716 printable worksheets, and more than 4,000 children’s books. A family dashboard shows completed lessons, books read, estimated reading age, and quiz scores. Reading & Math includes Mathseeds, an early math program for ages 3–9. Homeschool Max adds lesson and book assignment, detailed reporting, a Teacher Toolkit, and Read-Aloud Fluency recording. Plans cover up to four children: Reading & Math costs $13.99 a month or $99.99 a year; Homeschool Max costs $41.90 a month or $299 a year. A 30-day trial is available, with no free plan. Reading Eggs runs on web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. The company says it does not use behavioral ad targeting for children or students.