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THE GROWN-UP GUIDE

You bring the conversation.
We bring the pictures.

Little Words is TikoPlay’s picture-and-word matching game to explore together. Your child does not need to read independently. You can point, name, choose and laugh together.

Start with one familiar picture

Open the game and look at the picture before the words. You might say, “That’s a dog! Where did we see a dog today?” If English is new to your family, name the picture in your home language first, then add the English word. After a correct answer, a playful sound is followed by Jessica saying the picture name.

Point to the matching word and say it naturally. Help your child tap it, or make the choice yourself while your child watches. It is fine to play only with the pictures and conversation.

Three, four or five words?

Use 3, 4 or 5 in the game header to change how many word choices you see. You do not need to start a new round. This browser remembers your choice. We prefer a similar word length and the same initial, as in tree, tent and tire. Extra choices can begin with another letter when a familiar word works better.

Name what your child recognizes in the image: a chicken is chicken, even though its word is longer. We do not change the picture name to fit a letter limit. Buttons adjust to the screen and make room for longer words.

All words use lowercase letters. Recognizable animals keep their specific names: an emu is emu, a goose is goose and a pug is pug. We use a familiar broader name where a picture does not clearly distinguish a species, such as tree.

Let your child set the pace

There is no countdown or displayed score. Swipe up or tap Next for another card, and use the other arrow to go back. You do not need to finish all 257 pictures. Stop whenever your child loses interest or wants to do something else.

Sounds, movement and trying again

A correct answer starts a brief celebration: its playful sound plays first, then Jessica says the picture name. Tap Hear word to repeat the name, or Again to replay the celebration and sound. Some pictures perform an action or play a cartoon; the others gently sway with sparkles and sound. You can switch the voice and sounds off together in the game.

A wrong choice shows a large black-and-white picture of that word, gives a small shake and plays a short sound. The buttons pause for about two seconds and visibly change places. All choices then become available again. You can name the two pictures together, try again or go to the next card.

Simple play, without recording

Voice recording and answer history are currently turned off. The game does not ask for microphone access or save new answer histories or voice recordings. If you used an earlier version, older data may still be stored in this browser. Read how local settings, older data and visit statistics work.

Take the word into the room

After a cup card, find a real cup. After tree, look out of the window. You can also try our simple word play ideas away from the screen. The game is an activity, not a promise to teach reading by a particular age.

Support the little discoveries

The game is free to play. Grown-ups can visit Support TikoPlay to learn about optional support for its development. Support payments are not open yet.