Read words.Catch critters.
Five minutes of reading practice, done together. Every word your child reads powers up a team of pixel critters. Turn on voice recognition and the game moves on by itself.
- Free
- No ads
- No accounts
- Works offline
How reading becomes a game
-
Read together
Your child reads the word out loud. With voice recognition on, the game moves on by itself; otherwise you tap Got it! when they've got it. Tricky word? Park it and come back to it.
-
Catch the critter
Finish the list and the wild critter is caught in a spinning biscuit tin, then joins your child's collection.
-
Power up your team
Every word read levels up your team, ready for the next wild critter and the boss battles.
Read out loud. The game moves on.
Turn on voice recognition and your child just reads. When Word Critters hears the word, or one that starts with the same sound, it moves straight on to the next.
- Optional. It's off until a grown-up turns it on, from a card on the first practice screen or with the microphone button.
- Private. It works on your phone, even offline. Nothing is recorded, stored or sent.
- You stay in charge. It shows what it heard so you can step in, and Got it! always works.
Reading practice worth coming back to
They'll ask to play
A wild critter shows up for every list. Every word read powers up the team, and each critter ends in a spinning biscuit tin. The more they read, the more boss battles open.
Beat the bosses
Read enough words and a boss battle unlocks. There are six stages, and every word your child reads powers up the whole team.
Every few words the team's special is ready: tap the bolt. Earn heals to bring a tired critter back to full strength, and win again to earn up to three stars.
Grow a team of six
Level them up, watch them evolve, and pick a favourite to lead the way.
Collect them all
Pixel critters to find, each with its own name and look. Some are shy. Some are cheeky.
Practice that matches school
- Lists for every year. Reception to Year 3+, in the usual teaching order, including words from past phonics screening checks.
- Your school's words, too. Paste in this week's spelling list, or snap a photo and ask an AI app to list the words, then paste them in.
- A quick first go. Every year starts with a 10-word Starter list, about two minutes.
- You're in charge. Voice recognition is optional, and Got it! always works. It shows what it heard, so you can step in.
Word lists use words from the English national curriculum (Department for Education) and past phonics screening checks (Standards and Testing Agency), © Crown copyright, under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Word Critters follows the curriculum but is not endorsed by the Department for Education.
87 critters to find. Meet a few.
Bin Fox
Pearly Pigeon
Brew Hedgehog
Street Mouse
Thames Eel
Bollard Crab
Tower Raven
Pearly King
Why Word Critters exists
My son loves games where you collect creatures. I wanted him to enjoy his school reading the same way, so I made Word Critters for the two of us. Now it's here for your family too.David Lau, designer and dad
Calm, private and yours
No ads. No accounts. No tracking. No data collected. It works without internet, and everything stays on your device. The microphone is used only for optional voice recognition, on your phone.
- No ads, everNothing sells to your child, and there are no purchases.
- Nothing collectedNo sign-up and no personal data. Voice recognition runs on your phone and never records or sends sound.
- Grown-ups firstLinks out, permission requests and Reset sit behind a grown-ups-only question.
What parents say
Questions parents ask
Is it really free?
Yes. No ads, no purchases and no subscription.
What ages is it for?
Ages 4 to 8: Reception to Year 3, on iPhone and iPad.
Does it need the internet?
No. It works offline.
What data do you collect?
None. There are no accounts and nothing leaves your device. See the privacy policy for the details.
What is voice recognition?
Your child reads the word out loud, and the game moves on by itself when it hears the word, or one that starts with the same sound. It shows what it heard, so you can step in, and Got it! always works.
Does it use the microphone?
Only if you turn on voice recognition, which is optional and off until a grown-up turns it on. The recognition happens on your phone: nothing is recorded, stored or sent, and it works without internet. Without it, you tap Got it! when they've read the word.
How do I turn voice recognition on?
A card offers it the first time you practise. You can also turn it on in Settings, or with the microphone button at the top of the practice and boss battle screens. The first time, the phone asks for microphone permission.
Does it follow the school curriculum?
The word lists follow the English national curriculum, and you can add your school's own list.
How long does a go take?
About five minutes. The Starter list takes about two.
Is there an Android version?
Coming soon.