These days, it can seem more difficult than ever before to keep kids excited about learning. With tablets, online games and text messages, students seem so easily distracted. But the good news is that this technology does not have to be the bane of your existence. You can use those devices in the classroom to make learning fun with these trustworthy, user-friendly apps and tools.

1. Kahoot. Students play a fast-paced, multiple-choice game using their devices. The app generates a detailed report of wrong and right answers from each student, providing an instant, easy-to-use assessment tool. You can create your own “Kahoot,” or choose a ready-to-use template.
2. Socrative. This app allows you to pepper your instruction with on-the-fly questions that students can answer with their phones or tablets, allowing you to assess each student’s comprehension quickly and easily. The game format makes students more motivated to respond.
3. Google Classroom. Chances are that you have already explored the potential of other apps in the Google suite (such as Google Drive and Google Forms) to breathe new life into instructional activities. Google Classroom takes it to the next level, providing one easy-to-use platform for distributing assignments, grading, making announcements, and facilitating class discussions.
4. Animoto. If you are looking for a fun, engaging way for students to share what they have learned, this app is perfect for you. Kids can show off their knowledge by making and sharing their own short video. They will love playing with different styles and adding songs and clips to make their video truly their own.
5. PowerSchool Learning. This handy learning management system works seamlessly with the popular Power Schools grading program to connect multiple platforms that you may use for instruction and assessment. It organizes your digital materials and provides one login for all your tools and apps in one place.
6. Chatzy. This app allows you to easily create a channel for student dialogue. You can use it to facilitate deeper discussion, respond to questions, or to easily generate exit tickets. Simply create a virtual chat room and invite students to join. No registration is necessary.
7. Seesaw. Students create digital portfolios which can be easily shared with parents, along with your feedback, simplifying parent-teacher communication and giving students more ownership of their learning. A drawing and recording tool adds even more fun and authenticity.

With these easy-to-use apps, the magic of student engagement in the digital age is right at your fingertips.