Montessori Letter Sounds - Phonics in English, Spanish, French & Italian

Montessori Letter Sounds helps young children develop early literacy skills for reading, spelling, and speaking letter sounds. Kids can play four games that test their ability to identify sounds in words (I Spy), memorize letter sounds and shapes (Letter Sounds), identify letter sounds within words (Mix & Match), and write words as they hear them (Sound It Out). Correct answers earn kids marbles that unlock additional levels and the last two games. The app's Toolbox lets kids explore letters, sounds, and words on their own, through a sandbox and notebook (kids trace letter shapes in the sand or with colored markers), the image box (kids browse images and learn their names), and the phonetic alphabet (kids explore shapes and sounds of letters and phonemes in print and cursive script).

Kids can explore the alphabet, letter sounds, and words in each of five languages (American English, British English, Spanish, French, and Italian), and a bilingual option lets kids hear instructions in one language while they learn letter sounds in another. Adults can set any of these languages as the primary and secondary language of instruction. Within the games, kids can toggle back and forth between two languages to hear different words for the same object (for example, "apple" and "manzana"). All activities are available in all five language options.

Kids who thrive on Montessori-style learning will love this app: It's a charming, gentle way to delve deep and explore letter sounds through simple, self-directed activities. The Note to Parents section emphasizes this connection. There's thoughtful design behind each game, and kids must master the first two activities, focusing on letter shapes and sounds, before progressing to more complex tasks in later games. The kids' voices that give instructions for each game speak slowly and clearly in all five language options. These exemplars make for great models for kids' own spoken responses, and the speakers' encouraging words help kids gauge their progress and persist through each task. The Toolbox feature is especially good. Although kids don't earn marbles for exploring those sections, they offer opportunities for practice and exploration.

Kids who are expecting more bells and whistles could be disappointed -- these simple games have a deliberate pace. Nevertheless, it's a great fit for anyone looking for a thoughtfully designed, comprehensive way to help kids to explore letter shapes and sounds.