Hear it, trace it
The fox says a sound and shows a picture that starts with it. The child traces the Cyrillic letter with a finger. A letter only counts once the child has traced it alone.
Ages 4–7 · free
Learn to read Russian, one syllable at a time
Wordwood is a reading game for children who speak Russian at home or are starting to learn it. Ryzhik the fox cub names a sound, the child traces the letter, builds syllables and then whole words, and finally reads short stories alone. Everything in the game is spoken and written in Russian.
КОРОВА
КОРОВА
KO + RO + VA: the Russian word for “cow”.
Eight chapters, from the first letter to a first book
Each chapter is a new place in the forest with eight lessons. New letters arrive a few at a time, so every word in a lesson is made of letters the child has already met.
- Morning in the MeadowА, О, У, М, Сand the word МАМА (mum)
- Animals and BirdsП, Л, Р, К, Тand syllables for animal names
- Orchard and GardenЫ, Иfruit, berries and vegetables
- Warm LandsН, Ш, Х, Эanimals of the savanna
- Sea and RiverЗ, В, Д, Бsea creatures, ducks and fish
- Cosy HomeГ, Й, Ж, Чthings in the kitchen
- Winter TaleЕ, Ё, Я, Юsnow and weather
- Farm and ForestФ, Ц, Щ, Ь, Ъthe last letters of the alphabet
What happens in one lesson
A lesson takes about 10–15 minutes. Ryzhik explains every task out loud in Russian, so the child never has to read instructions.
Join a syllable
A consonant and a vowel snap together: МА, ЛУ, КО. The two tiles merge into one, light up, and the syllable is spoken as a whole.
Read the word
Syllables go into place and the whole word is spoken. Then its meaning appears as a picture; for КОРОВА the child also sees a short video of a real cow.
Check the meaning
The child matches the word or phrase they read with the right picture. A wrong answer brings a hint and another try, never a penalty.
Try it right here
This is the full game, the same as the app. Turn the sound on: the tasks only make sense with Ryzhik's voice.
On a phone, the game works better in its own tab. Progress is saved in this browser on this device.
What's in the game
| Letters | all 33 of the Russian alphabet, voiced and traceable |
|---|---|
| Chapters | 8, with 8 lessons each |
| Books | 16 short stories with questions |
| Profiles | up to 4 children on one device |
| Language | Russian only for now |
Free-play games
Besides the chapters there are eleven small games: an alphabet tour with Ryzhik, letter tracing, find the sound you heard, join a syllable, word rhythm, build a word, listen and find, find the picture, read along with a finger, understand a phrase and build a sentence.
In “word rhythm” the child taps a drum once for every syllable. Finished lessons earn small objects that the child places around Ryzhik's house.
For parents
Who it suits
Families where the child hears Russian at home but goes to an English-speaking school or kindergarten, and children who already speak some Russian. The game does not translate anything into English, so a child with no Russian at all will need an adult nearby.
What you won't find
- ads, in-app purchases or subscriptions;
- accounts or data collection;
- microphone or camera access;
- timers, penalties or daily streaks.
Progress you can see
The grown-ups' section opens after a small puzzle a child is unlikely to solve by chance. It shows which letters and words the child reads alone, where help was needed and what is worth repeating. You can also save a backup of the progress there.
What it can't do yet
The game cannot hear your child read aloud, because it never turns on the microphone. Ask them to read the word to you before tapping a picture. There is no App Store version and no English reading program yet.
Install on a phone or tablet
Android
The Google Play listing is still in review, so for now the game installs from a file. Open the downloaded APK and allow your browser to install apps. If Play Protect shows a warning, choose “More details” and then “Install anyway”. Once installed, the game needs no internet connection.
Download APK
Google Play: coming soon
iPhone and iPad
There is no iOS app yet. Add the game to your Home Screen and it will open full screen, without the address bar, just like an app.
- Open the game in Safari with the “Open the game” button below.
- Tap the Share button.
- Choose “Add to Home Screen”.
Questions parents ask
Does my child need to speak Russian?
It helps a lot. All voice lines, tasks and stories are in Russian, and the game assumes the child understands simple Russian words like “mum”, “cat” or “house”. If Russian is new to your child, play together and explain the words.
Is there an English version of the game?
Not yet. An English program is planned as a separate course with its own sounds and letter combinations, because English is not read syllable by syllable the way Russian is.
Why does Wordwood teach reading by syllables?
Russian words split neatly into open syllables: МА-ШИ-НА, КО-РО-ВА. Building each syllable first and then hearing the whole word teaches a child to blend sounds instead of naming letters one by one.
Can my child start without knowing any letters?
Yes. On first launch an adult picks the starting point: letters, syllables or whole words. Starting with letters begins with А, О and У, and syllables appear once there are enough letters to make them.
How long should a child play each day?
One lesson, roughly 10–15 minutes. Afterwards Ryzhik says the day's work is done. Your child can carry on if they want to, but the game never pushes for more.
Will progress move to a new phone?
Not by itself: there are no accounts and everything stays on the device. Save a backup in the grown-ups' section and load it on the new phone.
Is it really free?
Yes. All chapters, books and games are open from the start, and there are no ads.