Learning sight words is a crucial step in early reading, as research shows that these commonly used words make up around 75% of vocabulary in children’s reading material. This significant role in literacy makes it essential to find effective learning tools. Sight word apps build on traditional flashcard methods by providing kids with an engaging, interactive platform to master these words.
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In this blog, we will explore some of the best sight word apps that blend education with entertainment to ensure your child learns while having fun.
Free Sight Word Games
But first let’s dive into what are sight words? Sight words are high-frequency words that kids are encouraged to recognize instantly without sounding them out. They help children read more smoothly and quickly because they appear often in text.
11 Best Sight Word Apps for Kids
1. SplashLearn
Who is it for: PreK–Grade 5
SplashLearn is a comprehensive tool for teaching sight words, providing over 2,200 games and worksheets for both Dolch and Fry word lists. With a solid foundation in phonics, SplashLearn helps children progress from recognizing individual letters to reading full sentences.
Through engaging games, kids can learn to recognize new sight words quickly and accurately. Worksheets reinforce these concepts by providing targeted practice to strengthen their understanding of the words. The Dolch list covers high-frequency words from preschool to grade 3, while the Fry list includes resources for more advanced vocabulary, ensuring children are supported at every stage of their reading development.
Why SplashLearn is a Favorite for Teaching Sight Words:
- Extensive Library of Games and Worksheets: The platform provides a large selection of sight word games and worksheets for both Dolch and Fry word lists, making learning engaging and effective.
- Instant Feedback and Progress Tracking: Immediate feedback and progress tracking help children grasp concepts quickly while allowing parents and teachers to monitor learning.
- Curriculum-Aligned Content: Aligned with educational standards, SplashLearn supports kids through every step, from phonics to reading comprehension.
- Hundreds of Books: After mastering sight words, kids can apply their skills by reading hundreds of books on SplashLearn, reinforcing their learning.
Devices: iOS and Android
Price: SplashLearn is free to download, providing users with access to two games daily at no cost. For full access, subscriptions start at $7.50 per month with an annual plan after the free trial. Teachers can use SplashLearn for free as a valuable classroom resource.
2. Reading Ninja
Who is it for: K- Grade 3
‘Reading Ninja’ is an inventive sight word game app that engages children by incorporating the excitement of a ninja slicing game with the educational task of learning sight words. It’s designed to help children improve their speed and accuracy in word recognition, making it an entertaining way to practice and reinforce sight word knowledge.
Features: With a variety of levels that cater to different reading stages, Reading Ninja keeps the challenge appropriate for the child’s skill level. It includes a vast library of sight words, ensuring the content is never repetitive and always suitable for the child’s growing abilities.
Devices: Compatible with iOS devices
Price: While the initial download is free, it offers in-app purchases for advanced levels and features, ranging from $0.99 to $2.99, allowing parents to customize the learning experience.
3. Teach Your Monster to Read
Who is it for: Preschool – Grade 1
‘Teach Your Monster to Read’ is a highly engaging app that transforms learning to read into a delightful game. With its foundation in phonics, complemented by sight word recognition, it’s an ideal kindergarten sight words app. The journey begins with simple letter recognition and evolves into reading full sentences, supporting children at each step of their reading development.
Features: The app boasts a rich, interactive narrative where children can create and customize their monster, leading it through a series of fun-packed educational games. It covers everything from basic phonics to complex sentences, perfect for children aged 3-6.
Device: Compatible with iOS and Android
Price: The initial download is free, with the full game priced at around $4.99, offering a comprehensive experience without further in-app purchases.
Related Reading: Best Reading Apps for Kids: How to Use Screens For Stories
4. Reading Eggs
Who is it for: K-Grade 5
Reading Eggs is one of the most comprehensive sight words apps available, offering a multi-faceted approach to learning. It combines sight words with phonics and includes a vast library of digital books, songs, and rewards, making it a full-featured learning experience.
Features: The app provides over 2,500 e-books, detailed lesson plans, and interactive activities that cater to individual learning paths. It’s designed to hold a child’s interest with colorful animations and characters that guide them through learning.
Devices: Compatible with iOS and Android
Price: It operates on a subscription basis, with monthly plans starting around $9.99, and offers a free trial period for new users to explore the app’s offerings.
5. Sight Words by Little Speller
Who is it for: K- Grade 2
‘Sight Words by Little Speller’ emphasizes the spelling aspect of sight words, making it a unique tool among apps for learning sight words. It’s designed to reinforce word recognition through interactive spelling exercises.
Features: One of the key features is the app’s customization options, which allow parents and teachers to tailor the difficulty level and word lists to match their child’s or student’s learning needs. It also includes voice prompts for auditory learning and interactive puzzles to enhance engagement.
Devices: Compatible with iOS devices
Price: It is usually free to download, with optional in-app purchases for additional content, typically costing under $5.
6. Starfall Learn to Read
Who is it for: K- Grade 2
Starfall Learn to Read is known for its effective combination of phonics and sight words, making it one of the best sight word games for early readers. The app uses entertaining read-along stories and songs to make learning to read fun.
Features: Starfall’s interactive elements stand out, with games and animations that encourage children to engage with the reading process. It’s particularly good for children who are just starting to read on their own.
Devices: Compatible with iOS and Androi
Price: Starfall offers a free version with the option to subscribe for more content, with subscriptions starting at around $35 per year.
Related Reading: Best English Games to Help Kids Practice & Master the Language Quickly
7. Sight Words Sentence Builder
Who is it for: K- Grade 2
Sight Words Sentence Builder is an educational app that helps children learn to construct sentences using sight words, which is a critical next step after individual word recognition. It’s designed to strengthen a child’s grasp of sentence structure and grammar, making it one of the best sight word apps for budding readers.
Features: The app provides an interactive learning experience where children drag and drop words to build sentences, accompanied by illustrations to enhance comprehension. As children progress, the sentences become more complex, building their reading and writing skills.
Device: Compatible with iOS and Android platforms
Price: It’s typically free to download, with options for in-app purchases that unlock a wider range of sentence complexity and additional levels for a comprehensive learning experience.
8. Endless Reader
Who is it for: K- Grade 3
Endless Reader is a fun and educational app that introduces children to sight words through interactive puzzles and cute, engaging animations. It’s particularly effective for visual learners and is considered one of the best sight word apps due to its unique approach to word association and sentence structure.
Features: Each word is presented in the context of a sentence, helping children understand its usage. The app’s characters bring the words to life, making learning enjoyable and memorable. Endless Reader covers a vast array of sight words, from basic to more advanced, ensuring it grows with your child’s abilities.
Devices: Compatible with iOS and Android devices
Price: It offers a selection of words for free, with the option to purchase additional word packs, which range in price but offer a wealth of content for the investment.
9. Spelling City
Who is it for: K- Grade 6
Spelling City is a comprehensive educational platform that offers an extensive selection of word games, making it a versatile tool for learning sight words. It’s an ideal app for classroom and home use, providing a fun and interactive way to improve spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
Features: With over 35 games and activities, Spelling City offers a customizable learning experience. Teachers and parents can create word lists or use the thousands available on the app, tailored to the child’s learning level and the curriculum.
Devices: Compatible with iOS
Price: Spelling City offers a basic free version, while the premium membership provides full access to all games and features. The premium subscription is priced at $29.99 per year.
10. Hooked on Phonics
Who is it for: Pre-K – Grade 2
Hooked on Phonics is a well-established app known for its successful reading program that combines phonics with sight word learning. It’s designed to help children read by teaching them through a balanced mix of phonetic patterns and sight word recognition, making it one of the best sight word apps for comprehensive literacy development.
Features: The app includes over 250 interactive games, videos, and songs that make learning to read an enjoyable experience. It’s structured in lessons that align with school curriculums, providing a step-by-step approach to reading that has been proven effective for decades.
Devices: Compatible with iOS and Android
Price: It offers a free trial to give parents and children a taste of the program, with various subscription options available afterward. The monthly subscription is around $6.99, with annual options offering better value, typically priced at $39.99.
Related Reading: How to Teach Phonics to Kids - Step By Step Guide
11. Bob Books Reading Magic
Who is it for: Pre-K – Grade 1
Bob Books Reading Magic is a beloved app that follows the principles of the Bob Books method and is renowned for its success in helping children transition from deciphering letters to reading words and sentences. This app is particularly effective for children just beginning to learn sight words, offering a gentle introduction to these essential building blocks of reading.
Features: The app features interactive animations that bring the classic Bob Books to life, with drag-and-drop letter games that reinforce letter sounds and word formation. It progresses through 12 scenes, each designed to build reading skills step by step, ensuring children gain confidence as they learn.
Devices: Compatible with iOS and Android
Price: The app is typically priced at around $3.99, including the full set of scenes and activities without any additional in-app purchases.
Related Reading: Best English Learning Apps for Kids to Make Learning a Breeze
10 Tips for Using Sight Word Apps in the Classroom
When integrating sight word apps into the classroom, it’s important to use them as tools that complement your teaching rather than as replacements for traditional methods. Here are some tips to make the most of these digital resources:
1. Incorporate Apps into Lesson Plans: Plan specific times during the week for app-based activities. Align the app content with the sight words you cover in class to reinforce learning.
2. Personalize the Experience: Many apps offer customizable features. Use these to tailor the difficulty level and word lists to match your student’s learning needs.
3. Encourage Regular Practice: Set aside time for students to use sight word apps regularly. Consistent practice can help solidify their understanding and recall of sight words.
4. Track Progress: Take advantage of apps that provide tracking and reporting features to monitor each student’s progress. This can help you identify which students may need additional support.
5. Facilitate Group Learning: Use apps as a basis for group activities. Students can collaborate on sight word games, encouraging collaboration and social learning.
6. Communicate with Parents: Share app recommendations with parents so they can support their child’s learning at home. Some apps may have home connection features that you can utilize.
7. Balance Screen Time: While apps are valuable educational tools, balancing screen time with other learning activities is important. Ensure that students also engage with books, writing, and hands-on activities.
8. Create a Reward System: Many apps have built-in rewards, but creating a classroom-specific reward system for reaching sight word milestones can motivate students.
9. Provide Feedback: Give students constructive feedback on their app usage and progress. Personal attention can boost their confidence and encourage continued use.
10. Stay Updated: Keep up with updates to your chosen apps and explore new ones to keep the content fresh and engaging for students.
By thoughtfully integrating sight word apps into your teaching, you can provide a dynamic and interactive learning experience that supports the development of essential reading skills.
Enhance your teaching with interactive sight word games that kids love. Teachers, sign up for free and bring excitement into your reading lessons!
Conclusion
Sight word apps make learning to read engaging and fun, helping kids easily grasp these essential words. Whether you’re a teacher or parent, these apps offer creative ways to support learning. Remember to use them alongside books, storytelling, and writing for a balanced reading approach.
Related Reading: Sight Words for First Graders That They Can Easily Learn
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the best sight word apps for iPad?
The best sight words apps for iPad include SplashLearn, Sight Words Sentence Builder, and Bob Books Reading Magic. These apps are user-friendly, highly interactive, and offer a range of activities tailored to different learning levels.
Are there any apps specifically for practicing Dolch sight words?
Yes, if you are looking for the best app for sight words to teach dolch sigh words, SplashLearn is one of the best options.
What are the best sight word app for Android?
For Android users, SplashLearn and Hooked on Phonics are the best apps to learn sight words. They offer a variety of interactive games and activities that make learning sight words engaging and effective for children.
