Picture Packets vs Syllable Count (Multi
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Picture Packets
This app is the final step in a comprehensive reading and writing curriculum for beginning readers. It helps children transition from reading with sounds to reading with letters by providing hints for vowel sounds within words. The goal is to build reading and writing confidence.
- Reading and writing curriculum
- Focus on vowel sounds
- Transition from sounds to letters
- Builds reading confidence
- Part of a 14-app series
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Center for Innovation in Education Picture Packets - Vowels Dekodiphukan Description The fourteenth of the fourteen apps that comprise the Baratta-Lorton Reading Program. The Reading Program is a reading and writing curriculum for beginning readers and any child who has already experienced difficulty in learning to read. 99% unique – 100% effective - 100% free Background for the fourteen apps The Baratta-Lorton Reading Program also known as Dekodiphukan (pronounced decode if you can) was developed by the Center for Innovation in Education whose many other offerings include Mathematics Their Way, the first non-traditional math curriculum adopted in by the State of California. Dekodiphukan has been in use in classrooms across the United States and Canada since 1985. The Program has been used to teach thousands of children to read and to write regardless of background or supposed lack of reading readiness. To date, no child using the program in a classroom setting has ever failed to learn to read or to write. This Dekodiphukan reading and writing curriculum is now a series of fourteen apps plus a parent-guide for the iPad that, within a period of six months to a year (or occasionally a bit longer for some special needs children), will enable every child using it to read and to write. Reading with enjoyment. Writing creatively. Dekodiphukan is a full fledged curriculum. It is a set of specific learning activities, not a set of games. The curriculum’s fourteen apps are all free with no ads - popup or otherwise - included. While the apps may be downloaded all at once and stored in a folder on the iPad, no more than two or three of the apps are used at any one time by the child. Picture Packets - Vowels The fourteenth and last of the Fourteen Apps, but not the last of the learning taking place The Picture Packets-Vowels are the next to last step in transitioning the child from reading with sounds to reading with letters. At the Picture Packets-Transition level, all the sounds that make up a word are shown above the word they represent. At the Vowels level, only the vowel sounds are included as hints for the letters. The last step takes place in the creative writing that evolves from the child’s work with the Stamping app, and is described in the third phase of the Creative Writing instructions included in The Guide. The goal of the Baratta-Lorton Reading Program is to allow children to learn to read and to write with confidence. Once this goal has been achieved, it is the parent's willing responsibility to insure this reading and writing ability is given opportunity for endless use. The last step is not an app at all. The last step is parents encouraging their child to use the reading and writing skills they now possess. Picture Packets - Vowels Introduced after the child can read Picture Packet-Transition words with ease
Syllable Count (Multi
This educational game helps children improve reading and spelling by practicing syllable counting. Players collect coins by correctly identifying syllables in words, which can then be used to unlock prizes for a fun monster vs. robot fighting game. It includes progress tracking for parents and teachers, with customizable difficulty levels.
- Syllable counting practice
- Coin collection for prizes
- Monster vs. Robot fighting game
- Progress reports for parents/teachers
- Customizable difficulty levels
- Multi-user support (up to 30)
- Text-to-Speech and sound effects options
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Syllable Count (Multi-User) is a fun game to improve your child's reading and spelling abilities. Breaking the word down by syllables can help kids read the word. Practice sounding out the word (to hear the sound of a vowel) or breaking the word into parts will build a strong foundation in reading for beginning readers. All of the app's 6,500 words are all grouped into 7 syllable words. In this game, your child will collect the coins by answering the number of syllables in the word correctly. Then, kids can spend their coins for the prizes from a game machine. All of the prizes you get will be used and played in fighting game, You (Monster) vs Robot, which is similar as rock-paper-scissors game. Try to count the syllables in a word as many as you can! Syllable Count (Multi-User) also includes a progress report for a parent and teacher to track their child's performance. An additional setup option allows them to control the level of difficulty by customizing the number of syllables in a word to match their child (i.e, more syllable words make more difficult). This game will help your child improve their reading skills in a fun and interactive environment. **Plus, this game allows multiple users, so parent or teacher can add up to 30 users to customize the level of difficulty and keep the progress report for individual child. **You can turn on/off the Text-to-Speech to read the words, and sound effects. ***If you have any questions or problems related to our app, please email us at playsmart.kids@gmail.com. We are willing to assist you.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Picture Packets at Free against Syllable Count (Multi's $0.99. Picture Packets also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.0). Syllable Count (Multi's advantage is update cadence (every 6 months vs every 69 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Picture Packets is free to download; Syllable Count (Multi costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Picture Packets holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Picture Packets ships an update every 69 months, Syllable Count (Multi every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Picture Packets | Syllable Count (Multi |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $0.99 |
| Rating | 4.5 (4 ratings) — better | 4.0 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 69 months | Every 6 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 14.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 148 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bob Baratta-Lorton | Jariya Tuantranont |
Customer experience
Picture Packets
Syllable Count (Multi
In-app purchases
Picture Packets
No in-app purchases
Syllable Count (Multi
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Picture Packets free?
Is Syllable Count (Multi free?
Which has better reviews, Picture Packets or Syllable Count (Multi?
Do Picture Packets or Syllable Count (Multi have ads?
Which is updated more often, Picture Packets or Syllable Count (Multi?
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