Hidden Things: Find & Learn

Hidden Things (in Turkish: Gizli Şeyler) is a calm hidden-object game for children aged 3–7, built around what learning research says helps young children learn words. The first 3 scenes and every feature are free; one optional purchase unlocks the rest. No ads, no subscription, no data collected. On the App Store since 2013, rebuilt from scratch for version 3.0. HOW IT WORKS Your child searches hand-painted scenes for a cup, a kite, a carrot and more. Every find is said aloud and shown in writing, in one or two languages (“Cup… Tasse!”). In Quest mode the game asks for one thing at a time: “Where is the kite?”, “Find something red!”, “Find two things you can eat!”. After each scene a short picture quiz asks “Which one is the kite?”, and words come back over the following days. BUILT ON LEARNING RESEARCH • Active, not passive: children learn best when they think actively, stay engaged without distractions, connect it to their own lives and talk with others (Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2015, Psychological Science in the Public Interest). Hidden Things asks your child to search and remember, has no ads or distracting extras, uses everyday objects and gives you questions to ask. • Remembering over days: recalling new words again at spaced intervals helps preschoolers keep them (Haebig et al., 2021; Leonard et al., 2024, Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research). The quiz brings each word back after 1, 2, 4 and 7 days. • Better with you: children are more engaged when a parent joins in (Ewin et al., 2021, Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies), and talking about new words together helps them understand and remember them (University of Oxford LIFT project). Turn on “Play together” to get a question after every find, such as “What sound does it make? Where does it live?” • No manipulative design: most apps for young children contain ads or design that pushes them to keep playing or to pay (Meyer et al., 2019, Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics; Radesky et al., 2022, JAMA Network Open). Hidden Things has no ads, no subscription, no streaks and no pressure timers; its one optional purchase sits behind the parental gate, and it reminds your child to take breaks. These studies look at general learning principles; Hidden Things itself has not been tested in a scientific study. SKILLS THEY PRACTISE • Vocabulary in English, German and Turkish; German nouns always with der/die/das • Colours, counting and sorting by meaning • Visual scanning and figure–ground perception • Attention and finishing a task FEATURES • 8 hand-painted scenes, 81 hidden things, ordered from easy to hard; each finished scene opens the next • Scenes from everyday life, such as “School Morning” • Three modes: Relaxed (no clock), Quest (find what you hear) and Challenge (beat the clock) • “Do you remember?” quiz and word game with spaced review • Word book with memory stars; tap to hear words again • Difficulty by age (3–4, 5–6, 7+): bigger tap areas and gentle automatic hints for the youngest; word-only quests for 7+ • Hint button, pinch-to-zoom, spoken words for children who can't read yet FOR PARENTS • One-minute setup on first launch: age, languages, play together • Parent-gated area: words learned, words remembered well, 7-day report • Words to practise together away from the screen, plus printable picture word cards (PDF) • Optional “Say it”: your child says a word and hears their own voice; the recording never leaves the device and is deleted right away • Adjustable break reminder (15–45 min) • Full version: one payment for the other scenes and every future one, Family Sharing included • No ads, no subscription, no external links, no data collected Hidden Things is a playful game, not a therapy or medical tool.