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Spelling activities for children who struggle to remember words

Learned on Thursday, gone by Monday? These activities build spelling memory through short, repeated retrieval - and the app brings each tricky word back automatically until it sticks. For ages 5โ€“11 (KS1 & KS2), free to start.

The activities that build memory

๐Ÿ‘๏ธ Look & remember

The word fills the screen in large text, then disappears before your child answers - the digital version of look-cover-write-check. For younger children (ages 5โ€“7), a picture is shown alongside the word when one is available, so the spelling is linked to what the word means, not just its shape.

Why it helps: hiding the word forces genuine recall instead of copying, and pairing it with an image gives young memories a second hook to hang the spelling on.

โœ๏ธ Write it

Your child handwrites the word on screen with a finger or stylus, and the AI reads it and marks it in real time.

Why it helps: physically forming the letters builds muscle memory - a second route into memory that typing alone doesn't give.

๐Ÿ‘† Pick it

Hear the word spoken aloud, then choose the correct spelling from four options - no pressure to recall it from nothing.

Why it helps: recognition comes before recall. Pick it is the gentle first meeting with a new list, before harder retrieval practice.

๐Ÿ” Word Lock

A spelling game where your child spins each letter drum until the word clicks into place - one of 12 games built from their own word list.

Why it helps: reconstructing the word letter by letter is another retrieval rep, disguised as play.

๐Ÿ” Spaced repetition, built in

Every attempt updates each word's schedule: words your child gets wrong come back sooner, words they know come back later. Due revision words are added to practice sessions automatically.

Why it helps: revisiting a word just before it would be forgotten is the most reliable way to move it into long-term memory - no parent bookkeeping needed.

How the weekly plan uses them

Every child gets an editable weekly Learning plan. The Classic Week template opens with Look & remember and Pick it on Monday to meet the words, moves to full recall by mid-week, and ends with a Friday test - and you can swap any day's activity, word count or hint yourself.

How the Learning plan works โ†’

Other spelling difficulties

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