Questions about Their First ABCs

Their First ABCs is a free alphabet app for ages 2–5. These answers explain what happens when a child taps a letter and what the app does with family information.

Getting started

Is the app really free?

Yes. Every letter and activity is included. There are no ads, purchases, subscriptions, trials, or locked letters. You can play in your browser, or get it on iPhone and iPad and Android.

Can we play without Wi-Fi?

Yes. Letter, sound, word, picture, and guidance audio are included in the mobile download. For the browser version, complete one online visit so it can save those files locally. Then core alphabet play works offline. Opening the website, support, privacy, or another app's store listing requires a connection.

What language does it use?

The app currently teaches the English alphabet and English words. It speaks each letter's name and the sound taught for that letter, alongside familiar objects. A child does not need to read instructions to play.

How the letters work

What does my child do after choosing a letter?

All 26 letters are visible on the home screen; a child may choose any one. First they meet its capital and lowercase forms, hear its name and sound, and see one familiar word. Then come three short activities: find both letter forms, choose a named picture from two, and explore one or two more words. The introduction is separate from those three activities. See the four-screen tour.

What does “Play All” do?

On the alphabet home screen, Play All speaks the letter name, sound, and anchor word from A to Z. The current letter lights up as it plays. A child can stop it or tap a letter to explore that letter directly.

Must we start at A or finish a lesson?

No. Every letter remains available. The back button returns directly to the alphabet, so a child can repeat a favorite, choose another letter, or stop at any time. There are no scores, timers, levels, or required completions.

Is there something simple to do away from the screen?

Yes. Our free four-letter matching sheet pairs A, B, M, and S with the app's apple, ball, moon, and sun words. You can print and cut the cards, or point to them together on a screen. It is a short conversation activity, not a test.

Privacy and grown-up controls

Does it save progress or track my child?

No. The app stores no scores, completion history, learning history, or child preferences. It has no account, analytics, advertising, tracking, or cloud saving. Read the ABCs Privacy Policy for the full details.

Can a child open web or store links during play?

In the iPhone, iPad, and Android apps, external links are behind the “Hold 2s to Learn More” control on the alphabet home screen. A grown-up holds it for about two seconds to see the family information and website links. The browser home instead has an optional Leave a tip button for grown-ups, which opens a support dialog before a separate Stripe checkout. Letter activities contain no external links.

Where can I get help?

Visit ABCs support or email support@theirfirstwords.org. Include the device type and what happened, without sending a child's personal information.