# First Words for Toddlers Lite — Preschool learning & reading > Toddler early reading and spelling app using synthetic phonics. (iPhone/iPad app by Read 'n' Learn.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-for-toddlers-lite/id448160262 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Read 'n' Learn](https://appshunter.io/developer/1005499252) - Category: Games, Education, Family, Word - Price: Free - Rating: 4.51/5 from 99 App Store ratings · 53 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 9.0 · 48 MB - Languages: English - Released: 2011-07-07 - Data updated: 2026-08-30 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-for-toddlers-lite/id448160262/reviews.md ## What is First Words for Toddlers Lite? "First Words for Kids" starts with 15 words across Animals, Vehicles, Shapes and Colours, Household Items and Numbers. The full Pro version includes 121 words. Three hint settings (colour hints, letter hints, and combined hints) together with five difficulty levels let you fine-tune the challenge as your child grows. The thumbnail navigation lets children browse all words freely, with no time pressure and no countdowns. Featured by Apple on the US App Store in Games/Educational and Games/Kids. ________________________________ SYNTHETIC PHONICS "First Words for Kids" uses synthetic phonics to help children learn to read by linking each letter and letter combination to its sound, then showing how those sounds blend into full words. This is the evidence-based approach recommended by national literacy frameworks in the UK, the US and Australia. Two phonics levels are included: Synthetic Phonics Basic: introduces blending using simple, single-sound phonemes. Designed for children who are just starting out. Synthetic Phonics Advanced: introduces graphemes (letter groups that represent one sound), digraphs (two letters that together make a new sound), and letters with more than one sound. For children ready for a bigger challenge. The app was designed with children who have autism and speech delay in mind. No timers. No pressure. A clean interface that moves at the child's pace. ________________________________ THE MISSION ReadnLearn exists because of Marios. Aris's son has autism and speech delay. Every design decision in every ReadnLearn app comes from watching Marios learn. What works for him works for every child who learns differently. readnlearn.com/the-mission-autism-educational-tools/ ________________________________ FEATURES ● Letter sounds through two levels of synthetic phonics, plus letter names ● 15 words in 5 categories (121 words in the Pro version) ● Three hint settings to control how much support the child receives ● Six difficulty settings that grow with the child ● Thumbnail navigation so children can explore all words freely ● Tap any image to hear its sound and name ● Interface designed for small fingers ● Colourful artwork with animations and sound effects ● Studio recordings of all letters, words and spelling ● No timers. No pressure. No ads. ● Flight Mode reminder for uninterrupted offline use ________________________________ KNOW WHAT'S INSIDE We follow the Know What's Inside best practices for children's apps, set by Moms with Apps. ________________________________ DISCLOSURE At ReadnLearn, children's privacy and safety come first: ◇ Does not collect or share personally identifiable information ◇ No social network links or social features ◇ No ads ◇ No in-app purchases ◇ Feedback, Tell a Friend and Buy Now buttons are behind a parental gate ◇ More Games button and page are behind a parental gate Privacy policy: readnlearn.com/kids-learning-apps/privacy/ Support: readnlearn.com/kids-learning-apps/#support ________________________________ IF THIS APP HELPED YOUR CHILD Leaving an honest review helps other families with autism, speech delay and learning differences find this app. And if there is something you want added or changed, tell us. Every piece of feedback shapes the next update. app-feedback@readnlearn.com ________________________________ ABOUT ReadnLearn ReadnLearn was founded by Aris Karavias, a children's illustrator and educational app developer with 27 years of experience and 25 published educational apps. His son Marios has autism and speech delay. Every design decision in every app comes from watching Marios learn. The apps have been downloaded over a million times across six languages. Questions or feedback: app-feedback@readnlearn.com Support: app-support@readnlearn.com readnlearn.com ## Key features - Learn letter sounds with synthetic phonics - Learn words and spelling - Recognize letters and match to words - Interactive exploration of categories - Adjustable difficulty settings - Child-friendly interface ## Recent user reviews (10 of 53) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-for-toddlers-lite/id448160262/reviews.md ### 5/5 — It’s educational for kids *2026-01-03, version 4.6* It is so educational for kids and helps kids and toddlers make learning easier and more fun for kids ### 5/5 — Awesome! *2016-12-12, version 4.4* It's simple learning words app. Easy to use! I think kids learn words while having fun. :) ### 5/5 — Excellent app *2016-11-22, version 4.4* My 3 year old daughter absolutely loves this app. It helps improve her reading and writing. ### 5/5 — Nice Sounds *2016-11-19, version 4.4* The sounds in this game were good for my ears. Reading teaching tools continue to improve and become more accessible - this one is good to add to your list. ### 5/5 — Amazing app *2016-11-19, version 4.4* This is a great app for kids. My 2 year old loves playing this game when she has my Phone. As a parent that knows how important learning is to a child's development, I highly recommend this game ### 5/5 — Very educative *2016-11-11, version 4.4* Great to teach kids ### 5/5 — Teacher *2016-11-03, version 4.4* Motivating! Student use prompts my good review! I have a young student with special needs and strong opinions who is motivated to work with speech sounds and early reading with this app. It's format is clear and quick with a dash of humor. Great App! ### 5/5 — Awesome cool game app! *2016-11-01, version 4.4* Professionally made app, easy to understand and use. I've been waiting for something like this app. Incredibly useful and well-designed app with great UI/UX! Thanks:) ### 5/5 — Love this app to teach my kids *2016-10-27, version 4.4* This app is excellent to teach kids how to read and write. The app shows you an image then the name of that image and your kid have to match the letters with the word, it tells your kid the sound of each letter and how to read it. Your child definitely is going to know how to read and write sooner than normal. Proved with my 3 year old kid. ### 5/5 — Perfect for my three year old! *2016-10-22, version 4.4* This is great as an introduction to phonetic reading. The difficulty level is just right for a three or four year old just beginning to recognize letters. ## Frequently asked questions about First Words for Toddlers Lite ### What does First Words for Toddlers Lite do? This app helps toddlers learn early reading skills using synthetic phonics. It introduces letter sounds, helps children learn words and how to spell them, and aids in recognizing letters and matching them to words. The app features engaging artwork, sound effects, and animations to make learning fun. ### What are the key features of this app? Key features include learning letter sounds through two levels of synthetic phonics, learning words and spelling, recognizing letters (uppercase and lowercase) and matching them to words, and a unique navigation system for exploration. It also offers adjustable difficulty settings and a child-friendly user interface. ### Is this app free to use? Yes, the Lite version of this app is free. It includes 15 words across 5 categories. A Pro version is available which includes 121 words. ### What age group is this app suitable for? This app is designed for toddlers and preschoolers who are beginning to learn to read and spell. The adjustable difficulty levels and engaging content cater to young learners. ### How does the synthetic phonics feature work? The app introduces synthetic phonics by linking individual letters and letter combinations with their appropriate sounds. It demonstrates how to blend these sounds to pronounce words. There are two levels: Basic, for introducing blending with simple words, and Advanced, for more complex words and letter sounds. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 4.6.1 — 2026-05-26 Fixed in-app purchase and buy links so upgrading to the full version works correctly. Fixed synthetic phonics colour display so combined letter groups now show a consistent colour throughout. Updated for current iOS. We are actively developing this app. If there is something you want added or changed, we want to hear from you: app-feedback@readnlearn.com ### 4.6 — 2025-12-27 Minor Improvements and Optimisations ### 4.5.1 — 2022-08-18 ● Minor improvements and optimisations ### 4.5 — 2019-12-15 ● Added Support for IOS 13 ● Minor improvements and optimisations ### 4.4 — 2016-08-23 ● Added a new category "Numbers" with 3 words! -15 numbers through in app and the Pro Version ● Removed the Sound FX and added words of positive reinforcement when a word is completed ● Minor improvements and optimisations ## Apps similar to First Words for Toddlers Lite | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Learning words kids toddlers](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learning-words-kids-toddlers/id898720622) | 4.2 (520) | Free | Games | | [Learning Games for Toddlers AZ](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learning-games-for-toddlers-az/id887870077) | 4.2 (4,440) | Free | Games | | [Educational games kids 2-3-4-5](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/educational-games-kids-2-3-4-5/id639384857) | 4.2 (55,965) | Free | Games | | [RMB Games: Pre K Learning Park](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rmb-games-pre-k-learning-park/id1507729133) | 4.3 (480) | Free | Games | | [Kids ABC Games 4 Toddler boys](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kids-abc-games-4-toddler-boys/id1095144788) | 4.5 (16,549) | Free | Games | | [RMB Games: Preschool Learning](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rmb-games-preschool-learning/id1485219279) | 4.4 (906) | Free | Games | ## More apps by Read 'n' Learn - [First Words With Phonics](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-with-phonics/id448163359) - [German First Words Phonics](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/german-first-words-phonics/id448163609) - [German Words Phonics Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/german-words-phonics-lite/id448164211) - [Italian First Words Phonics](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/italian-first-words-phonics/id448305271) - [Italian First Words Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/italian-first-words-lite/id448306112) All apps by Read 'n' Learn: https://appshunter.io/developer/1005499252 ## Related topics [first words for toddlers lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/first-words-for-toddlers-lite) --- *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 2026-08-30.*