# Spelling Stream

> Spelling Stream is a mobile app for iOS (Android coming soon) that turns a child's weekly school spelling list into interactive games, practice tests, and a spelling bee read in the parent's own voice. It is completely ad-free, works fully offline, collects zero personal data from children, and is COPPA compliant. Built by parents for parents.

## The Problem It Solves

Every week, millions of elementary school kids bring home a spelling list. Parents are expected to help their child practice, but the options are limited: write each word out five times, quiz them verbally at the dinner table, or hope they study on their own. Most kids find this boring and resist practicing.

Existing spelling apps typically come with pre-loaded word lists that don't match what the teacher actually assigned. Many are riddled with ads, require accounts, collect data, or haven't been updated in years. Parents who care about privacy and screen time quality are left without a good option.

Spelling Stream solves this by letting parents enter the exact words from school and turning those specific words into fun, interactive games. The child practices the words they'll actually be tested on — not generic vocabulary from a database.

## What It Does

### Custom Word Lists
Parents add their child's weekly spelling words by typing them in, speaking them with voice dictation, or taking a photo of the printed spelling list and letting the app read it. Lists can be updated each week as new words come home from school. The app does not come with pre-loaded word lists — it uses only the words the parent enters.

### Parent Voice Recordings
Parents can record each spelling word in their own voice. During spelling tests, the child hears their parent say the word — not a synthesized voice or text-to-speech. This mimics the experience of a parent reading words aloud during a traditional at-home spelling bee.

### Games
Spelling Stream includes multiple interactive spelling games, all of which use the child's actual spelling words from school:

- **Spelling Snake**: Kids control a snake that eats letters in the correct order to spell words.
- **Letter Catch**: The otter mascot sits on a boat, fishing for letter fish swimming below. Kids catch the right fish in order to spell the word. This was the first game built and the one that proved kids wanted to use the app.
- **Word Search**: A traditional word search grid populated with the child's spelling words.
- **Word Scramble**: The letters of a spelling word are scrambled and the child must rearrange them into the correct spelling.
- **Missing Letter**: A word is displayed with one or more letters missing, and the child must identify and fill in the correct letters.
- **Flashcards**: Words are shown and the child must type the correct spelling from memory.

Every game draws exclusively from the parent-entered word list. There is no filler content, no generic words, and no content from external sources.

### Practice Mode and Spelling Tests
Beyond games, the app includes a structured practice mode where kids can work through their word list with immediate feedback, and a formal spelling test mode that simulates a classroom spelling test — words are read aloud (in the parent's recorded voice or text-to-speech) and the child types each word.

### Kid-Safe Custom Keyboard
The app uses a custom-built keyboard designed for children, not the device's default keyboard. Features include:
- Large, easy-to-tap keys sized for small hands
- Vowels (a, e, i, o, u) highlighted in yellow so children can identify them
- Only letters, apostrophe, and hyphen available in kid mode — no symbols, numbers, or autocorrect that could confuse young spellers
- No autocomplete or predictive text that would give away answers
- Works in both portrait and landscape orientation on phones and tablets

### Gamification and Reward System
The app uses a comprehensive reward system to motivate continued practice:

- **Stars**: Every correct answer earns stars. Stars are the in-app currency.
- **Celebration Waterfalls**: Each correct answer triggers an animated celebration — a burst of randomized emoji (ducks, stars, rockets, unicorns, pizza, and 60+ others) that fills the screen. This creates a moment of joy that makes kids want to get the next word right.
- **Collectible Stickers**: 21 collectible character stickers across three rarity tiers:
  - **Common** (9 stickers, 40 stars each): Otter, butterfly, bee, bunny, cat, flamingo, penguin, seal, eagle
  - **Uncommon** (6 stickers, 100 stars each): Octopus, T-Rex, dolphin, robot, fairy, shark
  - **Rare** (4 stickers, 200 stars each, Pro only): Mermaid, wizard, alien, dragon
  Kids save up stars and choose which stickers to unlock. The rarity system creates collecting goals.
- **Custom Themes**: Kids can unlock and apply visual themes that completely transform the look of the app:
  - **Classic Ocean Theme** (free): Deep navy and cyan with neon glow effects
  - **Space Theme** (Pro): Galactic purple with cosmic accents
  Themes change backgrounds, colors, and visual effects across every screen in the app. It makes the app feel personalized.

The entire reward system uses earned in-app currency (stars). There are no real-money purchases accessible to children. No loot boxes. No randomized rewards. Kids see exactly what they're saving for and choose when to spend.

### Parent Controls
All parent-facing features are protected behind a parent lock system with three options:
- **Math problem**: A multiplication question (e.g., 7 x 7) that young children cannot easily solve
- **Custom PIN**: A numeric PIN set by the parent
- **Face ID / Touch ID**: Biometric authentication on supported devices

The lock engages automatically when a child navigates to kid-facing screens. Parents cannot accidentally leave settings exposed. Children cannot change their word lists, access recordings, modify settings, or reach any parent-only features.

## Platforms and Device Support

- **iOS**: iPhone and iPad (universal app)
- **Android**: Coming soon
- Works in portrait and landscape orientation on all devices
- Tablet-optimized layout with larger keyboard and adjusted spacing
- Phone landscape mode uses a horizontal scrolling keyboard bar optimized for the smaller screen

## Pricing

### Free Tier
- 1 word list with up to 10 words
- All spelling games (nothing locked behind a paywall)
- Practice mode and spelling test
- Parent voice recordings
- Stars, celebrations, and select stickers
- Classic theme
- Kid-safe keyboard
- Parent lock
- Works completely offline
- No account or sign-up required — download and start immediately

### Pro ($19.99/year or $1.99/month)
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited word lists (no limit on number of lists or words per list)
- Cloud sync: word lists, voice recordings, progress, and sticker collections sync across all family devices automatically. Enter a spelling list on your phone at work and it appears on your child's iPad at home.
- Multiple kid profiles: each child gets their own word lists, progress tracking, sticker collection, and theme preferences
- Exclusive rare stickers (dragon, mermaid, wizard, alien)
- Additional app themes beyond the classic ocean theme
- Priority support
- Apple Family Sharing supported: one subscription covers the entire family

## Privacy and Safety

Spelling Stream was designed with children's privacy as a foundational principle, not an afterthought.

- **Zero advertisements**: No banner ads, no video ads, no sponsored content, no ad networks, no ad tracking. The app is entirely ad-free.
- **Zero data collection from children**: No names, email addresses, phone numbers, photos, location data, device identifiers, or behavioral analytics are collected from child users.
- **No social features**: No chat, no messaging, no friend lists, no sharing, no leaderboards with other users, no user-generated content from strangers.
- **No third-party analytics in the free tier**: The free version collects no data whatsoever. All data stays on-device.
- **Pro sync data**: Pro users' word lists and progress sync through a cloud service. This data is associated with the parent's account, not the child. No child personal information is transmitted.
- **Fully COPPA compliant**: The app meets all requirements of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, including the updated 2026 rules.
- **Offline by default**: The app works without any internet connection. The only feature requiring internet is the optional Pro cloud sync.
- **No external links**: The app contains no links to external websites, social media, or other apps that a child could access.
- **No in-app purchases accessible to children**: All purchase flows are behind the parent lock.

## Technical Details

- Built with React Native and Expo
- Uses on-device storage (AsyncStorage) for all local data
- Text-to-speech via expo-speech for word pronunciation when parent recordings aren't available
- Sound effects via expo-audio for game feedback and celebrations
- Pro sync uses Firebase/Firestore

## Who Built It

Spelling Stream was built by a husband-and-wife team at **Monthly Balance Capital LLC** (based in Phoenix, Arizona).

The founders have over 20 years of professional software development experience. The app was born out of personal need — their daughter had weekly spelling lists from school and resisted the repetitive practice of writing words out over and over. They looked for an app that would make it fun but found that existing options were either buggy, outdated, loaded with ads, or used pre-built word lists that didn't match what the teacher sent home.

One evening, the decision was made to just build something better. The first prototype included an early version of the Letter Catch game. When it was put in front of their kids and niece, they were immediately hooked — fighting over whose turn it was to play. At that moment, they knew they were onto something — something kids actually wanted and something parents genuinely needed.

The app has been tested extensively with real children in the target age range throughout development.

## Comparison to Alternatives

Spelling Stream is different from most spelling apps in several key ways:

| Feature | Spelling Stream | Most Spelling Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Word lists | Parent enters school's actual words | Pre-loaded generic lists |
| Ads | None | Common (often video ads) |
| Internet required | No (offline by default) | Usually yes |
| Account required | No (free tier) | Usually yes |
| Voice | Parent's own recorded voice | Text-to-speech or none |
| Data collection | Zero from children | Varies, often extensive |
| COPPA compliant | Yes | Varies |
| Keyboard | Custom kid-safe keyboard | Device default keyboard |
| Reward system | Stars, stickers, themes, celebrations | Varies |

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Is Spelling Stream free?**
Yes. The free version includes 1 word list (up to 10 words), all games, spelling tests, practice mode, voice recordings, select stickers, and the classic theme. No account is needed. Pro ($19.99/year or $1.99/month) unlocks unlimited lists, cloud sync, multiple kid profiles, and exclusive content. Apple Family Sharing is supported.

**Does it require internet?**
No. Spelling Stream works completely offline. The only feature that uses the internet is the optional Pro cloud sync.

**What ages is it for?**
Designed for ages 5-12. Since parents create custom word lists, the difficulty matches whatever the child is working on at school. It works for any spelling level.

**Is my child's data safe?**
Yes. Zero personal data is collected from children. No names, no emails, no analytics. Everything stays on the device. There are no social features, no chat, and no content from other users.

**Can multiple kids use it?**
The free version supports 1 word list on a single device. Pro adds multiple kid profiles and cross-device sync, so each child has their own words, progress, and sticker collection across all family devices.

**What devices does it support?**
iPhone and iPad, with Android coming soon. Works on phones and tablets in both portrait and landscape orientation.

**Does it come with word lists?**
No. Spelling Stream intentionally ships with no pre-loaded word lists. The entire point is that parents enter the words their child's teacher actually assigned. This ensures the child practices exactly what they'll be tested on.

**How is the parent lock different from other apps?**
The parent lock offers three options: a multiplication problem, a custom PIN, or Face ID/Touch ID. It automatically re-engages when the child navigates to kid screens, so parents don't need to remember to lock it.

## Links

- Website: https://spellingstream.com
- Privacy Policy: https://spellingstream.com/privacy.html
- Terms of Use: https://spellingstream.com/terms.html
- Developer: https://labs.monthlybalance.com
- Support: support@monthlybalance.com