# Cambugs 3: First Words > Early reading app for children focusing on first words and fluency. (iPhone/iPad app by Cambugs.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cambugs-3-first-words/id929792621 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Cambugs](https://appshunter.io/developer/574190431) - Category: Education - Price: Free - Rating: 4.50/5 from 10 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 11.4 · 18 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2015-06-22 - Data updated: 2026-08-03 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cambugs-3-first-words/id929792621/reviews.md ## What is Cambugs 3? Cambugs 3: First Words teaches children the first words they will need to become successful readers! This is the final step on their journey to become fluent, confident readers — following our previous apps, Cambugs: Letter Sounds and Cambugs 2: Phonics. Cambugs 3: First Words introduces 25 new bugs, and a more exciting bug collection on iPad. Cambugs has been developed by educational psychologists and parents. We know the importance of parents taking an active role in their children’s learning, so we developed an apps where parents/teachers and children work together. Cambugs 3: First Words is targeted at pre-readers, as well as struggling older readers. It uses evidence-based techniques that research has shown helps children develop their reading skills. You will notice in this app that children engage in lots of repetition — this is because this is a very effective strategy for ensuring that children remember and retain the words that they learn. There is also a test for ensuring that your child is able to remember their words quickly and fluently — this is because fluency is a key skill needed for becoming a confident reader. ◆ Developed by educational psychologists using teaching techniques that we know work. ◆ Teaches your child their words to a level where they can demonstrate confidence and fluency — key skills needed for later decoding and comprehension of text. ◆ Uniquely designed as a joint activity so that you are guiding your child through their learning. Think of it as being a bit like sitting down and reading a story with your child. ◆ When children learn a new words they are rewarded with a ‘Cambug’. These bugs have been designed by children for children. ◆ Statistics screen allows you to keep track of how many words your child knows and which they need to learn. This is very useful if being used in a school setting. Cambugs 3: First Words includes four activities: ‣ Sorting: Sort words into two piles (words your child knows and words that have yet to be learned ). This initial activity ensures the app is personalised to meet the specific learning needs of your child. ‣ Learning: Children learn a new word alongside words that they know already. This is called ‘interleaved learning’ and ensures your child remembers their words. ‣ Fluency Test: Children are timed to see how quickly they can say each word. The app automatically puts words that your child has not yet learned fluently back in the unknown pile to be re-learned at a later date. If your child likes the competitive element of the test, switch on the “Time Challenge”. ‣ Bug Collection: Your child can add new bugs in their collection whenever they learn new words and they can visit this and interact/play with them at any time! Cambugs apps are developed and operate in line with the recommendations of world-famous educationalist and researcher John Hattie PhD. Hattie has detailed that “positive effects (of computer-assisted education) are achieved through the same applications of the same principles of learning that apply to all areas of human learning… and here is one hidden aspect: it is critical to realise that the computer is not ‘the teacher’. But what it can do is allow a human teacher or teachers to design and deliver instruction to other humans through a different medium, in a different manner”. — Hattie, J., & Gregory, Y. (2014). Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn. 198-199. ## Key features - Teaches first words for reading success - Developed by educational psychologists - Joint learning activity for parents and children - Collectible bugs as learning rewards - Progress tracking statistics - Sorting, learning, and fluency test activities ## Recent user reviews (1 of 1) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cambugs-3-first-words/id929792621/reviews.md ### 4/5 — Great app *2015-09-30* My son loves doing this and the lure of new bugs acts as a great incentive for him to keep going. He asks to do it every morning, so what more can I ask for? Only issue I have found is that if you don't sort the full list of 100 words into "known" and "not known" right at the start, and instead choose to "take a break" I couldn't find any option to then carry on at a later stage and had to start all over again. I guess you could argue that it's pretty basic for the cost, and am sure my son will eventually get bored, but it is much better than paper flashcards! ## Frequently asked questions about Cambugs 3 ### What is Cambugs 3: First Words? Cambugs 3: First Words is an educational app designed to teach children essential first words to help them become confident readers. It follows a structured learning path with engaging activities and rewards. ### Who developed Cambugs 3: First Words? Cambugs 3: First Words was developed by educational psychologists and parents, incorporating evidence-based teaching techniques to ensure effective learning for children. ### What age is Cambugs 3: First Words suitable for? The app has an age rating of 4+ and is targeted at pre-readers, as well as older children who may be struggling with their reading skills. ### Does Cambugs 3: First Words have ads? No, Cambugs 3: First Words does not contain advertisements, providing an uninterrupted learning experience for children. ### How does Cambugs 3: First Words track progress? The app features a statistics screen that allows parents and teachers to monitor how many words a child knows and which words they still need to learn, aiding in personalized learning. ### What learning activities are included in Cambugs 3: First Words? The app includes four main activities: Sorting to personalize learning, Learning for interleaved word acquisition, a Fluency Test to measure speed and accuracy, and a Bug Collection for motivation. ### Can parents and teachers use Cambugs 3: First Words together with children? Yes, the app is uniquely designed as a joint activity, encouraging parents or teachers to guide their child through the learning process, similar to reading a story together. ### How often is Cambugs 3: First Words updated? The latest version is 2.1, and the app was last updated on October 2, 2018. It is available on iPhone and iPad. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.1 — 2018-10-02 Support for iOS 12 and the new iPhones. Adds number to the full app name to emphasise progression through the Cambugs apps, and to make it easier to find the app that was just downloaded. ### 2.0 — 2018-09-05 Stickers, landscape, Split View and more. This update adds a Messages sticker pack with all the bugs. Cambugs is now fully unified across iPhone and iPad and works at any shape and size. • The app can now be used in landscape. • Supports Split View and Slide Over on iPad. • Runs at the proper size on iPhone X and the 10.5" iPad Pro. The passcode lock feature has been removed. This update requires iOS 11 or later. ### 1.6 — 2016-07-24 • Cambugs now appears at native size on the big iPad Pro. • The timed test has been renamed to the fluency test. ### 1.5 — 2015-09-17 This little update ensures everything works correctly on iOS 9, and adds some bugs on the activity selection screen. ### 1.4 — 2015-06-22 No release notes. ## Apps similar to Cambugs 3 | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [The New School App](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-new-school-app/id1474388180) | 5.0 (3) | Free | Education | | [Solis USA States and Capitals](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solis-usa-states-and-capitals/id1479512480) | — | Free | Education | | [ANZAC Correspondent](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anzac-correspondent/id1469171280) | — | Free | Education | | [영 단어즙](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1480979760) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Education | | [CBC Highlands](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbc-highlands/id1475147920) | 4.3 (6) | Free | Education | | [Victoria International Schools](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/victoria-international-schools/id1480979200) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Education | ## More apps by Cambugs - [Cambugs: Letter Sounds](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cambugs-letter-sounds/id574190228) - [Cambugs 2: Phonics](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cambugs-2-phonics/id676677690) - [Cambugs: Letter Sounds Schools](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cambugs-letter-sounds-schools/id874415942) All apps by Cambugs: https://appshunter.io/developer/574190431 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-03.*