Spelling game for kids: look, say, cover, write, check

How does the spelling game work?

Each word goes through five steps: look, say, cover, write and check. Your child sees the word with a picture hint and says it out loud. Then the word hides, the picture stays, and they build it from memory. In levels 1 to 3 they use letter tiles: the word's letters plus 3 extra, one of them a near miss like b for d. In levels 4 to 6 they use the whole alphabet. A wrong first try colors the letters that are off and gives one more try; after that, the game shows the spelling and brings the word back next round.

What words are in each spelling level?

The English list has 6 levels of 22 to 24 words each. Level 1, short sounds: cat, dog, sun, pig, bus. Level 2, blends and digraphs: fish, frog, duck, ship, crab. Level 3, long vowels: cake, bike, kite, boat, rain. Level 4, two beats: apple, rabbit, monkey, pizza, robot. Level 5, bigger words: giraffe, penguin, pumpkin, rainbow, octopus. Level 6, tricky words with silent letters, gh and ph: elephant, butterfly, strawberry, thumb, laugh, microphone. Every word has a picture a young child knows, and no word repeats across levels.

What comes after CVC words in spelling?

In Brainimo's word list, CVC words come first, followed by blends and digraphs, then long vowels, then two-syllable words, then bigger words, and finally tricky words with silent letters, gh and ph. That order means each level adds one new kind of spelling pattern on top of the last. It is our progression for this game, not a full school spelling or sight-word program, so it works best alongside the words your child brings home from school.

How does my child move up a spelling level?

Your child moves up when they have spelled most of the level's words right on the first try. Each round is 10 words: words missed before come first, then new words from the level. A round pays 3 stars for 9 or more first-try hits, 2 stars for 7 or more, and 1 star otherwise. Once 80 percent of the level's words have been right on the first try at least once, the next level opens and adds 5 bonus stars.

How do spelling stars turn into real rewards?

Games, chores and real rewards all run on the same stars. Stars from spelling join the stars from other games and from the missions you set, like reading for 20 minutes. Your child spends them at the Prize Counter on rewards you chose and priced, and every request waits for your approval. Nothing is handed out until you say yes, and a declined request gives the stars back.

How it works

1. 1Your child starts a round of 10 words at their level.
2. 2Each word: look, say, cover, write, check.
3. 3The round pays 1 to 3 stars, based on first-try hits.
4. 4Stars go to the Prize Counter, where your child asks for a reward.
5. 5You approve the request and give the reward in real life.

What you control as a parent

• You can set your child's spelling level (1 to 6) with a slider and see sample words first. No test needed.
• You can run a level check: read each word aloud with the screen turned away, your child writes it on paper, and you type what they wrote.
• You set the daily limit on stars from games, from 10 to 60 a day.
• You choose the rewards and their prices at the Prize Counter.

Questions parents ask