Word Wagon - by Duck Duck Moose
Charming objects and animals turn spelling into play
Take a look inside 4 images
Word Wagon - by Duck Duck Moose
Pros: Colorful images are paired with words, spelling hints, and fun rewards.
Cons: Kids hear the same introductory story each play session, and the app doesn't track user progress between sessions.
Bottom Line: Word Wagon is fun to use with students at various spelling skill levels.
Teachers may want to make a list of some of the more difficult sight words included on this app and introduce them to students before they play on Word Wagon. Since there's no progress tracking and kids start from scratch on each level every time they play, this app is likely most fun and least frustrating as an occasional supplement to other early spelling activities that are more organized and progress-oriented. Or consider making your own simple chart- or card-based progress tracking system for kids to use in conjunction with Word Wagon. This way, kids get the opportunity for repetition in spelling the included words, as well as a beginning exercise in record-keeping.
Word Wagon - by Duck Duck Moose is a phonics and spelling app designed for pre-readers or emerging readers. Letters within words are initially pronounced as the letter name, then phonetically. As a little mouse and bird bop along, kids can tap any items -- such as vehicles, colors, or animals -- that pass by on the bottom of the screen and move letter boxes into place to spell them. This colorful app includes four levels on which kids can either see the silhouettes of the letters in place or try to spell the word without any such hints. For each word they spell, kids win an animated sticker for their virtual sticker book. Correct spellings earn them a chance to play a connect-the-stars constellation game. Word Wagon does not keep track of progress from session to session.
Kids can learn about letters, phonics, and spelling with Word Wagon. Teachers or kids can choose one of four progressively more difficult levels: letters, phonics, and spelling of short and longer words. As words are completed, the narrator spells them phonetically and the corresponding letters are shown with highlights around them. The app includes 103 words (44 Dolch sight words) in topics such as animals, transportation, and food. Some sight word choices, like shoe and tractor, include phonetic combinations that aren't well-suited to beginners on this app because it may be confusing when the narrator separates the sounds by combinations that they may not yet know (pronouncing "er" when highlighting the "or" in tractor, for example). Still, the option to choose Levels 1 through 4 makes Word Wagon a good fit for kids at different skill levels. The colorful sticker-collecting feature and the bonus constellation game are fun and rewarding.
Learning Rating
Community Rating
Great for Vocabulary Review
I liked that students have to correctly drag each letter into the boxes to complete the exercises. There was also a conveyor belt of items, which had graphics move across for students to click on before spelling that word. I thought this was very helpful in keeping their attention because if they don't click on it in time, the object will disappear. I think it is a nice way to review general terms that students should be familiar with. However, the words don't really have anything in common, and don't directly tie into what the students are learning about. I think a way to improve this would be by having separate sections that include words for a specific topic (i.e. sports, colors, etc.). I definitely think this app helps to reinforce words that students should be using in conversation, but I think it would be better if there were levels with common topics to avoid having words like "nest" and "bike" being associated together.
Explore Our Favorite Tools
