Cambly Kids
- Format
- Live 1-on-1
- Ages
- 4 to 15
- Lesson
- 30 min
- Trial
- $2
- Price
- $12.50 to $23.00 a lesson
Says all tutors are native English speakers; kidSAFE certified; unused weekly minutes expire.
Parents' guide
English for kids: how to choose what works for your child
Short, regular, enjoyable contact beats long, rare lessons. Here is what fits each age, how to judge a trial lesson, what it costs, and what you can do at home for free.
The short answer
For most children aged 4 to 12, the best start is two short live lessons a week (25 to 30 minutes) with a teacher who is good with children, plus a few minutes of English at home: songs, stories, games. Under 4, skip lessons and play in English together. Choose by the trial lesson, the teacher and the cancellation rules, not by the brand.
What works at each age
Ages 2 to 3
Play, not lessons
Songs, picture books and naming games with a parent, a few minutes at a time. Live lessons rarely work yet: most programmes start at 4. If you use an app, sit with your child and keep it short.
Ages 4 to 6
Short, playful, with a familiar face
25 to 30-minute lessons, once or twice a week, with a teacher who uses movement, songs and lots of praise. The same teacher every week matters: young children open up to someone they know.
Ages 7 to 9
Speaking plus first reading
Children can follow a curriculum now: vocabulary by topic, simple sentences, phonics and early reading. One to one gives them far more speaking time than a big class.
Ages 10 to 12
Structure and real conversation
Grammar starts to make sense, and children can talk about their own interests. A good mix: one or two lessons a week, plus reading or videos they choose themselves.
Ages 13 to 17
Goals they care about
Teenagers learn best when English serves something they want: school grades, an exam, gaming, music or study abroad. Let them help choose the teacher. See English for teens online.
Live lessons, apps or both?
Live lessons with a teacher get a child speaking with feedback: someone listens, waits, prompts and corrects kindly. In a one-to-one lesson your child is the only one answering, so they speak far more than in a class of 25. The downsides are cost and scheduling.
Apps and games are good for first words, listening and keeping English in the week between lessons. They do not teach a child to hold a conversation, and they need screen-time limits.
The combination that works for many families: one or two live lessons a week, and 5 to 10 minutes of English on other days, ideally with you nearby.
Options compared
Prices are from each provider's own pages, checked on 25 October 2026, in US dollars. See Guru and SpeakyKid share an owner with LearnEnglish.life; we include them where they fit and list their limits. Options are grouped by type (children's programmes, a tutor marketplace, an app) and listed alphabetically within each group. For more options by age, including apps and free resources, see English platforms for kids compared.
Novakid
- Format
- Live 1-on-1, plus groups
- Ages
- 4 to 12 in its terms (footer: 4 to 15)
- Lesson
- 25 min
- Trial
- Free, no card
- Price
- From $9 (non-native) or $17 (native) a lesson, US
Structured CEFR course with level certificates; 3, 6 or 12-month plans.
SpeakyKidshares our owner
- Format
- Live 1-on-1, human teacher
- Ages
- 4 to 17
- Lesson
- 25 min
- Trial
- Free, no card
- Price
- $5.00 to $7.40 a lesson; from $32.07 a month
Parent picks the teacher; monthly plan; games between lessons. Small teacher team (48 listed); renewing plans only, no single lessons.
See Guru tutorsshares our owner
- Format
- Marketplace, live 1-on-1
- Ages
- 4 and up
- Lesson
- 25 or 55 min
- Trial
- 3 free lessons
- Price
- Cheapest English teacher: $4.63 for a single 25-minute lesson, $2.78 a lesson in a 100-pack. Teachers set their own prices.
Pay-as-you-go packs; choose a teacher who teaches children. No set curriculum.
Lingokids
- Format
- App, no teacher
- Ages
- 2 to 8
- Lesson
- Self-paced
- Trial
- 7 days free, then paid
- Price
- Free tier; $13.49 a month on the website (more in the iOS app)
Games and songs for first words; English is one of 18 subjects. Phones and tablets only.
Lesson lengths differ (25 vs 30 minutes), so compare per lesson length: Cambly Kids' $12.50 to $23.00 for 30 minutes is about $10.42 to $19.17 for 25 minutes. Novakid shows full prices only after sign-up. For the full head-to-head, read Novakid vs SpeakyKid, Cambly Kids vs Novakid and Lingokids vs Novakid.
How to judge a trial lesson
A free or cheap trial is the best evidence you will get. Sit in the next room, listen, and check these five things:
- Who talks more? In a good lesson the child speaks for a large part of the time. If the teacher talks for 20 of 25 minutes, look elsewhere.
- Does the teacher wait? Good teachers give a child time to find the word instead of answering for them.
- How are mistakes handled? Look for gentle recasting ("You goed to the park? Oh, you went to the park!") rather than "No, wrong".
- Is it active? For under-8s: movement, songs, props, pictures, a change of activity every few minutes.
- How does your child feel afterwards? "Can I do it again?" is the result you want. One bad trial can be the teacher, not the method: try a second teacher before you give up.
Before you pay: five questions to ask
- Can I choose the teacher, and change if it does not work?
- How long is a lesson, and what does one lesson cost at the plan I want?
- How far ahead can I move or cancel a lesson without losing it?
- How long is the commitment, does it renew automatically, and can I get a refund?
- Are lessons recorded, who can see the recordings, and when are they deleted?
Ten minutes at home: a free routine that helps
You do not need perfect English to help. These activities work with any level, a few times a week:
- Song of the week. One song, every day for a week. Children learn chunks ("Can you...?", "I like...") without noticing.
- Picture-book time. Point and ask: "Where is the cat?", "What colour is the bus?". Let your child answer with one word at first.
- English minute at dinner. One minute, English only: "What did you eat? Was it yummy?"
- Re-use lesson words. Ask the teacher for the week's words and use them at home.
Free material: free English resources for kids, and our word games for older children.
Try it now: a 5-minute "Find it!" game (ages 4 to 8)
Say a sentence, your child finds the object and says the word back. Start easy and build up:
- "Find something red." (colours)
- "Find something soft." (describing words: soft, hard, big, small)
- "Find something you can eat." (verbs: eat, drink, wear, read)
- "Find two things under the table." (numbers and places)
- Swap roles: your child gives the instruction, you find it.
What your child should say back, and how to help
Aim for a word first ("Apple!"), then a phrase ("A red apple!"), then a sentence ("I found a red apple."). If your child answers in your home language, repeat it in English with a smile ("Yes, an apple!") and move on. No corrections, no tests: the goal is to make English feel like a game.
Step 5 matters most: giving instructions is real speaking, not just recognising words.
An 8-week starter plan (ages 6 to 10)
- Week 1: book two free or low-cost trials with different teachers. Use the checklist above.
- Weeks 2 to 4: two 25-minute lessons a week with the teacher your child liked. At home: the song of the week and one picture book.
- Week 4: ask the teacher three things your child can now say. Check the plan's renewal date.
- Weeks 5 to 8: keep the rhythm. Add an English minute at dinner. Let your child play a word game after lessons.
- Week 8: review honestly. Is your child speaking more, and enjoying it? If not, change the teacher before you change the platform.
Milestones, if you want them
Cambridge English offers exams for young learners: Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers. They are optional, but some families like them as a goal. Our Cambridge English exams guide explains the levels, and kids' exam prep covers preparation.
Want a shortlist for your child's age, goal and budget? It takes about a minute, no email.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best age for a child to start English?
There is no hard cut-off. From about 4, many children enjoy short live lessons with a playful teacher. Before that, songs, books and games with a parent are enough. Starting early can help with listening and pronunciation, but children who start later with regular practice also make good progress. Regular, enjoyable contact matters more than the starting age.
How many English lessons a week does a child need?
Two short lessons a week (25 to 30 minutes) is a good rhythm for most children aged 5 to 12. One lesson a week works if you add a few minutes of English at home on other days. Young children rarely need more than three a week unless they ask for it.
Does my child need a native-speaker teacher?
Not necessarily. A teacher who speaks clear English, is trained to work with children and keeps your child talking matters more than where they were born. Native-speaker options exist (Novakid Premium, Cambly Kids) and usually cost more. Judge by the trial lesson.
Is online learning OK for a 4 or 5-year-old?
It can be, if lessons are short (25 to 30 minutes), active and with a teacher who uses songs, movement and props. Sit nearby for the first lessons. If your child loses interest after 10 minutes in a trial, wait a few months or try another teacher before deciding.
How much do online English lessons for kids cost?
On 25 October 2026, the live one-to-one programmes on this page listed $5.00 to $23.00 a lesson in US dollars: Cambly Kids $12.50 to $23.00 for 30 minutes, Novakid from $9 (non-native teacher) or $17 (native) for 25 minutes, with full prices only after sign-up, and SpeakyKid $5.00 to $7.40 for 25 minutes. Marketplace tutors can be cheaper. Lingokids, an app, has a free tier and costs $13.49 a month on its website.
How do I know if lessons are working?
After 6 to 8 weeks your child should understand more of the lesson without translation, answer simple questions with whole phrases, and remember words from earlier lessons. Ask the teacher what your child can do now that they could not do a month ago. If nobody can answer, change something.