You Clever Kid
Reading practice for ages 3 to 12

Read it out loud. Your buddy is listening.

Your child reads a word, number or price out loud. Their buddy listens, helps with the sounds when they get stuck, and cheers every win.

Download on theApp Store

2.99 once, in your local currency. No ads, no subscriptions, no in app purchases.

  • Fox buddy
  • Cat buddy
  • Owl buddy
  • Dog buddy
  • Fish buddy
  • Kiwi bird buddy
The app showing the word frog, with a big red Tap to talk button and a buddy asking what does this one say
How it works

Tap, say it, celebrate

Every instruction is spoken out loud too, so children who cannot read the buttons yet can still play on their own.

  1. A word appears

    A word, number or amount shows up big and clear, and the buddy asks what it says.

  2. Tap and talk

    Your child taps the big red mic and reads it out loud. The mic only listens after that tap, for a few seconds at most.

  3. Cheers or clues

    A right answer earns stars and a celebration. Not quite? The buddy says what it heard and offers a clue: sound tiles, a rhyme, then the letters.

Inside the app

Big words, kind help, lots of cheering

  • Practice screen with the word frog and the red mic button

    Read out loud to your buddy

  • Hint screen with sound tiles to tap and hear each sound

    Stuck? Tap a sound to hear it

  • A right answer celebration: the number 47 as a balloon with confetti and Brilliant!

    Every right answer gets a cheer

  • A speedy answer celebration with a lightning badge and the time taken

    Quick answers earn a lightning badge

  • Build your buddy screen with animal, colour, region and age choices

    Build a buddy that sounds like home

  • Sticker book with earned stickers and mystery shapes still to win

    Stars unlock a sticker book

  • Parent report showing minutes, items read and first try rate

    Clear progress for grown ups

What they practise

Words, numbers and money

Levels move up as your child improves, or a grown up can set them by hand.

Words

From short words like cat and dog up to tricky ones. Hints break each word into sounds your child can tap and hear.

Numbers

From 10 all the way up to 9,999. Younger children see 36 as 30 and 6; older children work with tens and ones.

Money

Name a coin, add up coins and notes, then read price tags. Uses New Zealand and Australian money for now; it is not yet offered for children set to the USA.

For parents

Built for kids, run by grown ups

  • No ads, no tracking. There are no adverts, no analytics tools and nothing that follows your child around the internet.
  • Pay once. 2.99 in your local currency. No subscription and no in app purchases to nag about.
  • A parent gate. Settings, reports and sign out sit behind a quick sum that keeps little fingers out.
  • Daily time limits. Set how many minutes a day each child can practise.
  • Reports you can use. See the last 7 or 30 days: minutes, items read, first try rate, what is going well and what needs help, with a tip to try at home.
  • Recordings are not kept. The short clip is used to check the answer and then deleted. We keep the text of what was heard so reports make sense.
  • Brothers and sisters welcome. One purchase covers the family; each child gets their own buddy and progress.

Read the privacy policy

Parent report in the grown ups area
Your accent, your spelling

Sounds like home in three countries

Pick New Zealand, Australia or the USA for each child. The buddy speaks in that accent, listens for it, and spells the way your school does.

New Zealand NZ

Hello
Kia ora
Spelling
colour
Letter Z
zed
Money
NZ coins and notes

Australia AU

Hello
G'day
Spelling
colour
Letter Z
zed
Money
Australian coins and notes

United States US

Hello
Hi
Spelling
color
Letter Z
zee
Money
Not yet
Questions

Good questions from grown ups

What ages is it for?

Children aged about 3 to 12. When you set up a child you choose their age, and the starting level and hints follow it. Little ones get bubbly encouragement; older kids get a calmer style.

How much does it cost?

2.99 once, in your local currency on the App Store. There are no ads, no subscriptions and no in app purchases.

Does it work with young voices and different accents?

Yes. Each child is set to New Zealand, Australia or the USA, and the app listens with that accent in mind. It is kind to young voices too: for little ones, "wabbit" for rabbit still counts.

Is my child's voice recorded and kept?

The mic only switches on after your child taps it, and stops after a few seconds. The clip is sent to our server, turned into text by our speech provider, and deleted. We keep the text of what was heard so the buddy can say "I heard fog" and so your reports work. See the privacy policy for the details.

Does it need the internet?

Yes. Answers are checked on our server, so an internet connection is needed while your child plays.

Can more than one child use it?

Yes. Add each child in the grown ups area. Each one has their own buddy, level, stars, stickers and report.

Is it on Android or iPad?

You Clever Kid is made for iPhone. Check the App Store listing for other devices.

More help on the support page.

Ready to read out loud?

Pick a buddy, choose your accent and start with a word your child already knows.

Download on theApp Store