# First Phrases Lite > Interactive animated app for toddlers learning basic English phrases. (iPhone/iPad app by Hamaguchi Learning & Development, LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-phrases-lite/id474142004 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Hamaguchi Learning & Development, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/460288922) - Category: Education, Games - Price: $0.99 - Rating: 4.65/5 from 17 App Store ratings · 15 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 9.0 · 92 MB - Languages: English - Released: 2011-12-07 - Data updated: 2026-06-10 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-phrases-lite/id474142004/reviews.md ## What is First Phrases Lite? This interactive, beautifully illustrated and animated app for the iPHONE is perfect for the toddler or speech-delayed child who is learning how to put two-three words together or any child who is learning basic English phrases. It provides many opportunities to both hear (receptive), see, and say/record (expressive) 10 different verb + noun combinations, such as: eat the carrot, drive the train, close the door, drink the juice, sleep on the bed, turn on the light, and more. A delightful cat performs them, with 28 possible animation combinations. It is also a great way to teach the article “the” in a meaningful phrase context. **For more verb and character choices, we suggest upgrading to the full version of this app. First Phrases Lite includes user settings for up to 3 children. How you play: Tell the cat what to do! By touching the illustrated parts of the phrases in order (verb+ object forms: “eat the carrot”) the child hears the pre-recorded spoken phrase modeled. The user has the option to repeat this action once, twice or three times in the settings for maximum auditory input. The child then watches an animation of the cat performing the command to help the child associate the words and their meaning. Now it’s the child’s turn to say it and tell the cat what to do! Touch the microphone and record, listen again, and watch the animal follow your direction. Use visual support if needed by tapping the shapes above the microphone. This format is especially powerful for children with speech delays and autism spectrum disorders who need strong visual support with as little background clutter as possible, and for use in speech therapy sessions. The format also is a terrific way to support early literacy for left to right orientation, reading (with text on feature) and word boundaries. Options include text on/text off, recording feature on/off, presentation of the phrase in 3 segments (verb + the + object) or 2 segments (verb + the object). Developed by noted speech-language pathologist and author of Childhood Speech, Language & Listening Problems: What Every Parent Should Know, Patti Hamaguchi, M.A., CCC-SLP. Hamaguchi Apps for Speech, Language & Auditory Development is committed to bringing you the highest-quality interactive and colorful apps at the most affordable prices. PRIVACY POLICY: We do NOT collect personal data from our users and have no ads! Personal data regarding user performance on the tasks on this app are self-contained and not transmitted in any way. To find out more about this app and our other upcoming projects, visit our website: www.hamaguchiapps.com ## Key features - Interactive animations - Verb + noun phrase learning - Record and playback feature - Visual support for phrases - User settings for multiple children - Text on/off option ## Recent user reviews (10 of 15) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-phrases-lite/id474142004/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Great features for a lite app! *2012-11-06, version 1.2* Love the customizable features and the ability to create 3 users with their own settings. The kids love being able to tell the cat what to do - engaging and educational! ### 5/5 — Great! *2012-11-05, version 1.2* Love the animation! Very engaging for young learners. I like the recording feature. ### 5/5 — First phrases lite (IPhone) *2012-11-01, version 1.2* By: Papadiz Really good app for early learners. Functioned well on my IPhone. May have been a little smoother than on the IPad. ### 4/5 — Fun Way To Learn! *2012-10-24, version 1.2* This is a fun way to learn to put words together to learn speaking phrases. The visual cues are helpful and not to "busy." I like being able to repeat the initial phrase more than once. Also good for cognitive work. Recording to hear one's own voice is always an added fun step for kids. ### 4/5 — Great Lite version *2012-10-17, version 1.2* This is a great lite version, if you try it ... you will see it is worth the upgrade to the full version!! I have a more detailed review in the full version but it is a very helpful app for parents and caregivers alike. Children both with speech struggles and those on ASD will find this helpful as well as typical developing toddlers. ### 4/5 — Great speech app! *2012-10-15, version 1.2* This a a useful app for users who need to work on putting simple sentences together. One can choose to work on 2 or 3 sentence segments. The animation reinforces the sentences. I like that up to 3 users can be chosen and specific custom settings for each of them. The narrator in the lite version is a little boy. This app also has a nice feature that the user can repeat the phrase and record it. I like this app in the iPhone/iPod touch format so that a therapist could have multiple students working independently reinforcing skills just learned. Great app! Can't wait to try the full version! ### 3/5 — Interesting App *2012-10-15, version 1.2* I felt this was a bit limited. It would be useful as a therapy tool but beyond that I think the user might get bored with it easily. Graphics are great and voice is clear. ### 5/5 — Useful App *2012-10-14, version 1.2* Great app for teaching sentence structure. I love the animations, and the white background helps avoid distraction. Children will love selecting words to tell the cat what to do, recording the directions, and watching as cat performs the action. ### 5/5 — Great app *2012-10-13, version 1.2* Love how it starts with words and then shows how each picture goes together to form a sentence. Pictures are bright and pleasing to look at. You can also record your own voice for sentence playback. ### 5/5 — Progressive learning *2012-10-13, version 1.2* What a great way to scaffold learning sentence structure. First in imitation then putting the words in order. I like the animation for motivation and reinforcement. ## Frequently asked questions about First Phrases Lite ### What is First Phrases Lite? First Phrases Lite is an interactive, animated iPhone app designed to help toddlers and speech-delayed children learn basic English phrases. It uses visual and auditory cues, along with a recording feature, to teach verb + noun combinations. ### How does First Phrases Lite help with speech development? The app provides opportunities to hear, see, and say phrases like 'eat the carrot.' It offers animations of a cat performing commands, helping children associate words with actions. The recording feature allows children to practice saying the phrases. ### Is First Phrases Lite suitable for children with autism? Yes, the app's format is powerful for children with autism spectrum disorders, offering strong visual support with minimal background clutter. It is also designed for use in speech therapy sessions. ### Can multiple children use First Phrases Lite? Yes, First Phrases Lite includes user settings for up to 3 children. This allows for personalized use and tracking for different children. ### What are the customization options in First Phrases Lite? Users can customize settings such as repeating phrases multiple times for auditory input, turning text on or off, and enabling or disabling the recording feature. Phrases can also be presented in 2 or 3 segments. ### Does First Phrases Lite have ads? No, First Phrases Lite does not contain advertisements. The developer, Hamaguchi Apps, is committed to providing high-quality apps without ads. ### What is the price of First Phrases Lite? First Phrases Lite is available for a one-time purchase of $0.99. This pricing reflects the developer's commitment to affordable educational tools. ### How often is First Phrases Lite updated? The latest version of First Phrases Lite is 1.5, which was last updated on January 31, 2018. While updates may not be frequent, the app is designed for stable educational use. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.5 — 2018-01-31 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. iOS 11 optimization ### 1.4 — 2013-10-25 iOS7 compatibility ### 1.3 — 2013-08-05 - More Animations - Able to play completed verbs again - Minor enhancements ### 1.2 — 2012-05-07 We've added optional visual support to the recording page, created a more user-friendly Settings page, taken out the ability to pause an animation by touching the animation and improved the recording responsiveness. ### 1.1 — 2012-03-27 1. Fixed the issue with iOS 5.1 incompatibility 2. Fixed the title display issue in iOS 5.1 ## Apps similar to First Phrases Lite | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Talk Tales, Simple Sounds](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/talk-tales-simple-sounds/id6446865855) | 5.0 (5) | $19.99 | Education | | [Wh Questions by Teach Speech](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wh-questions-by-teach-speech/id989346596) | 3.1 (7) | $3.99 | Education | | [Minimal Pairs for Speech Therapy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minimal-pairs-for-speech-therapy/id1207483809) | 4.1 (231) | $0.99 | Education | | [Escuchar y Repetir](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/escuchar-y-repetir/id560216433) | — | $5.99 | Education | | [Tell Me About It!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tell-me-about-it/id497843880) | 3.9 (15) | $2.99 | Education | | [VAST: Autism and Apraxia - CAS](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vast-autism-and-apraxia-cas/id426041133) | 5.0 (1) | $2.99 | Education | ## More apps by Hamaguchi Learning & Development, LLC - [First Phrases Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-phrases-lite/id460291615) - [First Phrases HD](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-phrases-hd/id473894018) - [First Phrases](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-phrases/id474146399) - [Fun With Directions HD](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fun-with-directions-hd/id475972703) - [Fun With Directions HD Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fun-with-directions-hd-lite/id478249055) All apps by Hamaguchi Learning & Development, LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/460288922 --- *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 2026-06-10.*