Rocket Speller
Spelling app deftly combines work and fun.
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Rocket Speller
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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 Rocket Speller mixes up academics and fun to help kids with letter recognition and spelling. As kids spell words correctly, they earn parts of a rocket to assemble and fly. The free version includes five levels and the choice of upper- or lowercase letters. The paid version, Rocket Speller PLUS, is $2.99 and includes the choice of letter name or phonetic sound and the choice of word category.
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What’s It About?
Zip, the alien, flies onto the screen along with a picture of an object. Kids fill in the blanks to spell the name of the item by dragging and dropping the right letters into place. Levels get increasingly more challenging, from Level 1, which includes three- to six-letter words and shows the letters (so kids are basically just matching the letters), up to Level 5, which includes seven- to 10-letter words with no visual or auditory hints. After kids spell three words correctly, they get to choose a piece of their rocket. After they've completed 12 words, the rocket is complete and kids get to launch it, catching stars as they soar.
Is It Any Good?
ROCKET SPELLER is simple in concept but highly customizable, making a great educational app. The drag-and-drop controls are easy enough for preschoolers to master, and Level 1 reinforces letter recognition, which is just right for little ones. Each level gets a bit more challenging and ramps up the expectations and word difficulty to continue challenging elementary-age kids. The ability to choose letter case adds another layer of learning for preschoolers, and the choice of letter name or phonetic sound in the paid version helps early readers. Kids working strictly on spelling would do fine with the free version, but for kids learning letter sounds, the paid Plus version is a good value. The mix of work and play is great.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Help your child choose the appropriate level that's challenging yet achievable.
Point out environmental text you encounter, like signs and labels, and see which words your kids recognize.
Take turns reading aloud together.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Subjects: Language & Reading: letter or word recognition, spelling
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: thinking critically, Health & Fitness: fine motor skills
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Release date: September 14, 2013
- Category: Education
- Topics: Space and Aliens
- Version: 3.8
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 6.0 or later
- Last updated: August 15, 2021
Our Editors Recommend
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Kids Learning - Little Speller 3 Letter Words
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Montessorium: Intro to Words
Clever, hands-on method for learning how to spell.
For kids who love spelling
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