Reading & handwriting app for primary school kids
Read aloud. Write it down. Watch them grow.
Wombat Words gives your child phonics stories to read out loud, handwriting practice in your state's school font, and you a clear report of how they're going. Ten minutes a day, with Digby the wombat cheering them on.
- For primary school kids
- Australian school handwriting fonts
- No ads, no accounts
- iPhone & iPad
How it works
One short session, three steps
Every session builds on the last. The words your child stumbles on today become their handwriting practice, and every finished set of words wins a sticker.
Read a story aloud
A decodable story at your child's phonics level, about things they love. You listen, tap any word they miss, and Wombat Words times the reading.
Trace the tricky words
The words they missed become handwriting practice, traced with a finger or Apple Pencil in the letter style taught at their school. Finish a set to win a sticker.
See what's improving
Your report shows reading speed, accuracy, the phonics sounds they've got secure and the letters that need work, over time.
Reading
Phonics stories at your child's level
Decodable readers work because children can sound out every word. Wombat Words has 217 short stories across four phonics sets, each one written ahead of time and checked so it only uses the sounds that set has taught.
- Matched to their phonics level. Set 1 first sounds, Set 2 digraphs, Set 3 vowel teams and Set 4 magic e and word endings. Stories use only the sounds your child has learned, plus a few common tricky words.
- Practises a focus sound. Choose the sound to work on, like "ai" and "ay", and Digby picks stories full of rain, trains and play.
- About things they love. Dinosaurs, sport, the ocean, space and more. Interest keeps reluctant readers going.
- A grown-up listens. Tap any word your child misreads, then press "I'm finished". No microphone, no recording: you're the one listening.
- Fluency measured simply. Words correct per minute and accuracy, the same measures teachers use.
A Year 1 story practising ar / or
Mark found a dino in the park. It was tall and dark green. It had sharp horns and a short tail. The dino ate corn from a cart.
Phonics sounds covered
- short a e i o u
- ck ff ll ss
- sh ch th
- ng nk
- qu x z
- ai ay
- ee ea
- ar or
- oo
- oa ow
- igh ie
Handwriting
Handwriting practice in the font your school teaches
Australian states teach slightly different letter shapes. Wombat Words uses the right one for your school, so practice at home matches what your child learns in class.
- NSW / ACT FoundationNew South Wales & ACT
- QLD BeginnersQueensland
- VIC / WA / NT BeginnersVictoria, WA & NT
- SA BeginnersSouth Australia
- TAS BeginnersTasmania
- Trace, then write on their own. Switch from tracing to "On my own" when they're ready.
- Every letter checked. Each letter gets its own score, so you know it's the "g" that needs work, not the whole word.
- Stickers for finished sets. Complete a set of words to add a sticker to their sticker book.
- Printable sheets too. Print tracing sheets from the app, or grab our free alphabet sheets for each state and tricky-word sheets.
Example result: Digby suggests practising k again.
For parents
A reading report you'll actually understand
No guessing whether home reading is working. Wombat Words keeps every session on your device and turns it into a simple report in the grown-ups' area.
- Reading speed over time, in words correct per minute.
- Phonics sounds marked Secure, Practising or Needs work.
- Handwriting scores and the letters to focus on.
- Practice sheets to print. Handwriting sheets in their school font, built from the words they're working on, plus the current story and a certificate.
- Room for siblings. Each child gets their own profile and report.
- Quick to set up. A few friendly steps: name, school year, handwriting style and what they love. Or look around first with an example child.
| sh / ch / th | Secure |
| ai / ay | Practising |
| ar / or | Needs work |
Meet Digby
A wombat who loves digging up words
Digby cheers your child through every story, keeps a stubby pencil behind his ear, and never says "wrong". Missed a word? Digby says "let's practise the tricky words" and hands out stars and stickers.
Safe for kids
Built for children, with parents in charge
No ads, ever
No banners, no pop-ups and no links that lead kids out of the app.
Grown-up areas are locked
Reports, settings and printing sit behind a quick times-table question, so little fingers stay in the reading and writing.
Everything stays on your device
No accounts, no sign-up and no analytics. Reading and writing results are stored only on your iPhone or iPad, and nothing is sent to us.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Who is Wombat Words for?
Wombat Words is made for primary school kids, especially those learning phonics and handwriting. You set your child's phonics level and school year, and the stories and handwriting practice adjust to match.
Which handwriting styles does Wombat Words support?
Wombat Words supports NSW / ACT Foundation, QLD Beginners, VIC / WA / NT Beginners, SA Beginners and TAS Beginners. Choose the style taught at your child's school so home practice matches the classroom. You can change it any time in Setup.
How does the app know if my child read a word correctly?
A grown-up listens. While your child reads aloud, tap any word they skip or misread, then press I'm finished. Wombat Words doesn't use the microphone and never records your child. It times the reading and works out words correct per minute and accuracy.
What are decodable stories?
Decodable stories only use the letter-sound patterns a child has already been taught, so they can sound out every word instead of guessing. Wombat Words has 217 pre-written stories across Set 1 (first sounds), Set 2 (digraphs), Set 3 (vowel teams) and Set 4 (magic e and -ed / -ing), each checked against its set's sounds. Digby picks stories at your child's level, about things they like, that practise the focus sound you choose.
Will Wombat Words help with the Year 1 Phonics Check?
The Year 1 Phonics Check used in several Australian states asks children to sound out real and made-up words. Wombat Words practises that same skill every day: reading words built from the letter-sound patterns they've learned.
Can I print practice sheets?
Yes. In the grown-ups' area you can print A4 handwriting sheets in your child's school font, using the words they're practising, the words they missed or your own list, plus the current story and a certificate. Free alphabet sheets for each state and tricky-word sheets are also on our printables page.
Can more than one child use the app?
Yes. Add each child with their own name, school year and handwriting style. Every child gets their own stories, practice words and progress report.
How much does Wombat Words cost?
Wombat Words is free to download. The free version includes all Set 1 stories, tracing in every state style, stickers and the last two weeks of progress for one child. Wombat Words Plus unlocks Sets 2 to 4, the full progress report, more children and printables. It's available yearly, with a 14-day free trial for new subscribers, or monthly, at the price shown on the App Store and in the app for your country. Family Sharing is included, and you can cancel any time in your Apple Account settings.
Do I need an account? Where is my child's data kept?
No account or sign-up is needed. Everything your child does in Wombat Words is saved only on your iPhone or iPad. There are no analytics and nothing is sent to us or anyone else.
Does Wombat Words have ads?
No. There are no ads and no links that lead children out of the app. Reports, settings and printing are kept in a grown-ups-only area behind a times-table question.
Does it work on iPhone and iPad?
Yes. Wombat Words runs on iPhone and iPad. On iPad, children can trace letters with a finger or an Apple Pencil.
Ten minutes a day with Digby
Read a story, trace the tricky words, win a sticker, and watch the report fill up week by week.