# First Words With Phonics — Preschool learning & reading > Early childhood educational app for learning first words with phonics. (iPhone/iPad app by Read 'n' Learn.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-with-phonics/id448163359 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Read 'n' Learn](https://appshunter.io/developer/1005499252) - Category: Education, Games, Family, Word - Price: $1.99 with in-app purchases - Rating: 3.90/5 from 20 App Store ratings · 14 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 9.0 · 86 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2011-07-07 - Data updated: 2026-07-19 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-with-phonics/id448163359/reviews.md ## What is First Words With Phonics? "First Words for Kids" includes 42 words across Animals, Vehicles, Shapes and Colours, Household Items and Numbers. Additional word packs are available through a one-time in-app purchase, bringing the total up to 121 words. Three hint settings (colour hints, letter hints, and combined hints) together with five difficulty settings 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 ● 42 words in 5 categories (up to 121 words through one-time in-app purchase) ● Learn words and how to spell them ● Recognise upper and lowercase letters and match them to words ● 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 ◇ Contains one-time in-app purchases for additional word packs, behind a parental gate ◇ Feedback and Tell a Friend 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. ________________________________ 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. Feedback: app-feedback@readnlearn.com Support: app-support@readnlearn.com ## Key features - Learn letter sounds with synthetic phonics - Spelling and word recognition - Interactive animal exploration - Adjustable difficulty settings - Child-friendly interface - Engaging artwork and sound effects - In-app purchases for more words ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: $1.99. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Vehicles 20 Words | $0.99 | one-time | | Shapes and Colors 25 Words | $0.99 | one-time | | 30 Household Items | $0.99 | one-time | | 15 Numbers | $0.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (10 of 14) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-with-phonics/id448163359/reviews.md ### 1/5 — SLP *2016-04-06* Very bad... Has bugs that can't be fixed ### 5/5 — Fantastic Phonics Tool *2014-12-22* What a goldmine to get young preschoolers started on the right track with phonics skills. Love it! ### 5/5 — Recommend *2014-08-26* Fantastic App and great customer support! ### 5/5 — Highly Recommended *2014-03-11* My 3yr old and 5yr old love this app, especially the list of animals and the funny sounds and animations. I love the phonetics setting, great job! ### 3/5 — Poor pronunciation *2014-03-10* I have left feedback on numerous occasions about: 1. Fox is NOT pronounced f-o-c-k. 2. Pink is not pronounced p-ee-n-k. 3. Koala is not pronounced k-o-a-l-a (as in "at"). 1. Fox = fo(ks) 2. Pink = pink (short "i") 3. Koala = koala (same sound as the first "a" sound given.) I have talked with several English teachers including two Kindergarten teachers and they agree. I have experienced a correction only to have it revert back to the original. If they will fix these errors I will keep the app because, aside from these errors, it is quite good. I am hiding it from my 2-year-old for now until these errors have been corrected. ### 1/5 — Careful *2013-12-02* Great app but 30 words is all you get ! ### 5/5 — Fabulous *2013-11-10* The best phonics exercises for toddlers I have ever seen!!! My 2 year old knows how to spell thanks to this app!!! ### 5/5 — Sounds *2013-08-15* I like how it sounds off each letter then puts it all together! ### 5/5 — Great app *2013-07-02* I absolutely love this app...it's fun to use and teach. ### 4/5 — Good *2013-02-21* Game ## Frequently asked questions about First Words With Phonics ### What is the learning methodology used in Kids Learn First Words? Kids Learn First Words utilizes Synthetic Phonics, a method that links individual letter sounds and letter combinations to help children learn to read by blending sounds into words. It offers both basic and advanced levels of synthetic phonics to cater to different learning stages. ### How many words can children learn with Kids Learn First Words? The app comes with 42 words across five categories. An additional 121 words can be unlocked through in-app purchases, significantly expanding the learning content. ### What are the hint alternatives available in Kids Learn First Words? Kids Learn First Words provides three distinct hint alternatives to assist children: color hints, letter hints, and a combination of both color and letter hints. These can be adjusted along with five other settings to fine-tune the difficulty. ### Is Kids Learn First Words suitable for very young children? Yes, the app is designed with a user interface specifically developed for children's fingers and features engaging, colorful artwork with animations and sound effects. Its age rating is 4+. ### Does Kids Learn First Words have ads? No, Kids Learn First Words does not contain advertisements. The developer prioritizes children's privacy and safety and has confirmed the app is ad-free. ### What devices are compatible with Kids Learn First Words? Kids Learn First Words is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices, making it accessible on a range of Apple mobile products. ### How often is Kids Learn First Words updated? The app was last updated on December 27, 2025, indicating recent development and maintenance. The latest version available is 4.6. ### What is the price of Kids Learn First Words? Kids Learn First Words is available for a one-time purchase of $1.99. This price grants access to the core features of the app. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 4.6.1 — 2026-05-28 Fixed in-app purchase links so additional word packs now unlock correctly. Fixed synthetic phonics colour display so combined letter groups 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 — 2022-08-17 ● Minor improvements and optimisations ### 4.5 — 2019-12-15 ● Added Support for IOS 13 ● Minor improvements and optimisations ### 4.4.2 — 2017-01-30 ● Corrected a bug that prevented some devices to purchase through in-App the extra numbers ● Minor improvements and optimizations ## Apps similar to First Words With Phonics | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Khan Academy Kids](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/khan-academy-kids/id1378467217) | 4.8 (124,301) | Free | Education | | [Kids ABC Phonics Tracing Games](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kids-abc-phonics-tracing-games/id1482752587) | 4.5 (6,484) | Free | Education | | [Splash Reading: Games for Kids](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/splash-reading-games-for-kids/id492885924) | 4.3 (2,434) | Free | Education | | [First Grade Learning Games](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-grade-learning-games/id530703273) | 4.4 (47,412) | Free | Education | | [Letter Games for Kids](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/letter-games-for-kids/id1421120099) | 4.2 (751) | Free | Education | | [Word Wizard for Kids School Ed](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-wizard-for-kids-school-ed/id447312716) | 4.0 (143) | $12.99 | Education | ## More apps by Read 'n' Learn - [First Words for Toddlers Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-for-toddlers-lite/id448160262) - [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 --- *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 2026-07-19.*