Free Practice: tap letters and numbers to hear them spoken
Age range: 0+
Free Practice is the simplest activity on ABC4Kids: a grid of letters or numbers that says each one aloud when your child taps it. There are no questions, no scores and no wrong answers, which makes it a gentle first meeting with the alphabet.
Switch between ABC and 123 with one tap. The letter grid shows the uppercase alphabet of the language you have chosen, including letters such as Å, Ä and Ö where they belong, and the number grid runs from 0 to 20. Every tap is spoken by your device's own text-to-speech voice, so nothing needs downloading and there is no waiting. You can even switch language inside the game to hear the same letter in another tongue.
Many parents use it as a lap game: hold your child, let them tap, and repeat the sound together. A small lock button (hold it for a second) freezes the controls so a toddler cannot wander off into the menus. A few minutes at a time is plenty.
What kids learn
- Recognising uppercase letter shapes and linking each one to its spoken name
- Recognising the digits 0 to 20
- Hearing how letters and numbers are pronounced in your language
- Confidence with a screen that responds without ever saying 'wrong'
Tips for parents
- Sit beside or behind your child and say each letter together after the voice – the echo matters more than the tap.
- Keep it short: a few minutes once or twice a day beats one long sitting.
- If the full grid feels overwhelming, point to the letters in your child's name first; if it feels too easy, move on to Find the Letter.
Common questions
Is Free Practice really free, and are there ads?
Yes. Every game on ABC4Kids is free, with no ads, no in-app purchases and no account to create. It runs in your browser on a tablet, phone or computer, and nothing about your child is tracked or sent anywhere.
What age is Free Practice for?
It suits all ages, from babies on a lap to children who already know most letters. Because nothing is marked wrong, even the youngest can press and listen; older children use it to check a letter they are unsure about.
How are the letter sounds produced?
ABC4Kids uses your device's built-in text-to-speech (the browser's Web Speech API) to say each letter or number in the chosen language, so you hear the letter's name rather than a recording. The voice depends on which voices your phone, tablet or computer has installed, so it can sound different from one device to another. If you hear nothing, check that the device is not muted and that a voice for your language is installed.