UpDraft Phonics

Built on the Science of Reading by a Columbia CS grad. Drag letter blocks, hear each phoneme, and spell CVC words across 4 engaging rounds in 11 themed lessons.

UpDraft Phonics is a phonics game for early readers built on the Science of Reading. Designed for kindergarten through second grade, it teaches CVC words and word families through an engaging four-round gameplay loop.

HOW IT WORKS

Round 1 - Spell It Kids hear a word spoken aloud, then drag letter blocks into place to spell it. Each letter makes its phoneme sound when dropped, reinforcing the connection between letters and sounds.

Round 2 - Swap It The first letter slot unlocks. Kids swap the onset to build a new word from the same word family, deepening their understanding of how words work.

Round 3 - Find It Three chalkboards appear, each showing a different spelling. Kids tap the correct one to complete the lesson.

Round 4 - Complete It A sentence appears with a missing word, shown with a glowing question mark. Kids listen to the sentence, then tap the object that correctly completes it.

BUILT ON THE SCIENCE OF READING

UpDraft Phonics focuses on phoneme-grapheme correspondence, the foundation of structured literacy. Every mechanic is designed to reinforce the sounds letters make, not just their names.

11 THEMED LESSONS

Lesson 1: Classroom (-AT words) Lesson 2: Witch's Cottage (-AN words) Lesson 3: Kitchen (-IT words) Lesson 4: Garden (-UG words) Lesson 5: Swamp (-OG words) Lesson 6: Camping (-AP words) Lesson 7: Ocean (-IN words) Lesson 8: Space (-UN words) Lesson 9: Diner (-OT words) Lesson 10: Bedroom (-ED words) Lesson 11: Pirate Ship (-IP words)

Each lesson features a unique hand-illustrated backdrop, themed 3D letter blocks, and original audio recorded phoneme by phoneme.

HINT SYSTEM

Wrong answers trigger helpful hints rather than punishment. Distractor letters disappear after incorrect drops. Correct letters glow to guide kids to the right slot. Learning continues even when kids make mistakes.

DESIGNED FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

Large, tappable letter blocks designed for small hands. Clear audio for every phoneme and word. No reading required to navigate - kids can play independently.

Lesson 1 is free. Lessons 2-11 unlock with a subscription.

$2.99/month or $19.99/year.

Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/