ABC's are Fun

What it is: 4 sets of activities for learning the alphabet: animated flashcards with the letters of the alphabet, letter tracing, alphabet song and 2 minigames.

What you do with it: view the flashcards, touch the objects for short animations or interactions (e.g. P lets you play the piano). Trace lowercase and uppercase letters using a virtual chalkboard. Create your own version of the Alphabet Song by choosing a word representing every letter of the alphabet. Two minigames: listen to the name of the letter and point to the correct letter on the screen, or point to the picture with an object whose name begins with a particular letter sound.

What we liked: the concept, good range of activities, the interactive elements adding extra variety to the 'flashcards' activity. The app is easy to use, provides the user with extra audio and visual instructions and tips.

What we didn't like: doesn't distinguish clearly enough between letter names and letter sounds. We didn't find the graphics particularly lively and appealing. The idea behind creating your own alphabet song is very good but the resulting song sounds like a string of words connected together, not like a real song. The tracing activity is a bit limited when compared with standalone tracing apps (does not recognize letters, the letters may be are too small for some kids to trace properly).

Bottom line: a very solid all-around package for learning the letters of the alphabet.

Appysmarts