Playwords
Common Sense says
- iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- $1.99
- Kids' Games
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Playwords is an educational app for kids learning to read and spell. Three games are included in the app. First, Picture Blast shows a picture with the corresponding word below. Tapping "Questions" changes the picture. Tapping "Answers" reads the word. Next, Word Match shows a picture and says the word for it aloud. Kids tap one of four printed words that match the picture. Last, Lost Letter shows a picture, says the word aloud, and shows the word with one letter missing. Kids tap the missing letter. Difficulty in all three games is mixed. The range of words covered is wide, including such words as "cat" and "giraffe."
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Simply Wonderful!
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What's it about?
Kids choose from three levels of word exploration. In Picture Blast, kids see a colored line-drawn picture and the word. They can hear the word read aloud by tapping the word "answer" or the picture. In Word Match, kids see the same pictures from Picture Blast with four word choices. Kids must choose the word that matches the picture. In Lost Letter, kids see the same pictures and the word with one letter missing and must choose the letter block that completes the word. The sounds and background music are peaceful and score is not tracked.
Is it any good?
PLAYWORDS is a visually attractive app that helps kids learn to read and spell a variety of words. Its instruction is gentle, with no scoring or goal to reach. Each of the three games offers a different level of challenge, testing a different component of literacy. This app may appeal to a wider range of abilities than most literacy apps. Once kids have mastered the 300+ words, however, there will be little to bring them back to the app.
Talk to your kids about ...
Play the app with your child, emphasizing the letter sounds in the words.
Draw your child's attention to printed words in their world -- point out an exit sign and pronounce the word together; look at a stop sign and form the sounds in the word.
App details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Subjects: Language & Reading: letter or word recognition, spelling, vocabulary
- Skills: Communication: listening
Thinking & Reasoning: memorization - Price: $1.99
- Release date: February 12, 2011
- Category: Kids' Games
- Publisher: Pocketglow Inc.
- Version: 1.0
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 3.0 or later
- Last updated: November 11, 2020
Our editors recommend
For kids who love having fun while learning
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.