Parents' Guide to

Name Play: a name reading and writing practice kit

By Mieke VanderBorght, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Games cleverly use familiar names as early reading practice.

Name Play: a name reading and writing practice kit Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

Community Reviews

age 4+

Based on 1 parent review

age 4+

Impossible for child to navigate. No way to turn off background music.

Don't waste your money. Buttons are in text so child cannot understand and there are many of them. There is no way to turn off the background music without turning off all audio. There are no verbal or example instructions for the child.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

What fun it is for kids to see their own names -- and those of people they know -- front and center in this collection of simple but cleverly effective activities. Because kids see familiar names as the protagonists, they get to feel a great sense of ownership over what might otherwise be relatively standard letter-play games. It's also harder for these simple games to feel repetitive because kids will likely delight in repeating each game with the names of all their classmates, friends, and/or family. One downside is that it's not always obvious what to do, and some games might get missed -- such as the gnomes that scale the lockers when the lights are turned off -- because there are few instructions. The parent dashboard is a nice touch to help parents feel involved, but it doesn't give any particularly useful information. Overall, Name Play: a name reading and writing practice kit nicely personalizes kids' experience with early literacy games.

App Details

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