iCanRead

Here’s another great spelling/reading app for early readers. iCanRead helps your child learn to spell and read by having them work with letter “magnets” on a fridge. The idea is simple, drag the letters into the correct order underneath a picture that is hanging on the fridge. The app can be setup to display answer hints (outlines of the correct letters) or hide them. You can choose whether you want your child to spell the word or have them choose the word from several choices and drag that under the picture. There is also a hint button you can tap to make the correct letter or word shake. Each time you correctly spell a word you’ll earn coins. These coins can be saved in a piggy bank and used to purchase additional words.

The only tricky thing that I experienced with this app was figuring out how to turn the displayed answer hints on and off.  Once I figured this out I also discovered another neat feature that I’ll talk about in a minute. On the main screen there is a button that says “Sign In”. Tap this and you’ll see a screen that says “Sign In” at the top and “iCanRead” underneath that. If you tap the blue arrow next to “iCanRead” you’ll find the options page. Here you can choose whether letters are displayed as uppercase or lowercase or a combination of both. You can set the app to display letters or words and you can slide the answer hints from on to off. Be sure to tap “Update” when you’ve made your changes.  Now for the feature I discovered and really liked. Back on the main “Sign In” screen there is a plus sign at the top right. Tap this and you can create a brand new user profile. Give it a name and then choose the options you want this profile to have and tap the “Create” button. Looking at the “Sign In” screen now you’ll see an iCanRead profile and the one you just created. You can do this for all of your children so more than one can use the app and they can each have their own levels of difficulty. I like apps that work out options like this, it makes it much easier when you’ve got multiple kiddos who use your iPhone.

One last thing that I liked about iCanRead – when you are spelling words you have to place the letters in the correct spelling order. If you are spelling ANT you must place the A first, no starting with the T. I like this because it puts an emphasis on spelling and is about more than picking out the right letters.

There is a free version of iCanRead that is also available however it comes with fewer features. It has only ten words to spell, no options for capitalization and you cannot turn the help hints off.

Price when Reviewed: $.99

Seller: Star Dot Star Development Studios

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review purposes.