Acorn
First words, for tiny hands.
Calm, screen-time-conscious first-words sessions for 1–3 year olds. Warm word cards pair a friendly illustration with clear spoken audio you can slow right down, all behind a parent gate and a gentle three-minute timer. No ads, no upsells a child can see, and analytics and crash reporting stay off unless a parent turns them on.
Acorn offers an auto-renewing subscription. Payment is charged to your App Store or Google Play account; it renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends, and you can manage or cancel anytime in your account settings. Terms and Privacy Policy.
Acorn
education
First words, for tiny hands
Account
Not required
Analytics
Opt-in & anonymous
Your data
Stays on device
Ads & trackers
Zero
What you get
Built for exactly this — and nothing you don't need.
Vetted first words
Common nouns: animals, food, household, getting dressed: each with a warm illustration, clear spoken audio, and the written word.
Adjustable speech speed
Slow the audio to 0.85×, 0.75×, or 0.5×, a real help for early speech development.
Parent gate
A simple math gate keeps purchases and settings safely away from little fingers.
Gentle three-minute timer
Calm pacing with a soft auto-stop: no endless autoplay, no engagement traps.
Child profiles & progress
Track which words your toddler has said and export a milestone PDF (Plus).
One gentle reminder
An optional once-a-day local nudge for the parent: no push servers, no streak guilt.
No ads, no creepy data
Runs entirely on-device. We never listen to your child, and analytics and crash reporting are off unless a parent opts in.
A look inside
See it in your hands.
How it works
Up and running in under two minutes.
- 01
Parent unlocks
A quick math gate opens the app — so the next three minutes are the child's, and the settings stay yours.
- 02
Tap, see, hear, say
Your toddler taps a card to see the illustration, hear the word, and say it back. Slow the audio down if it helps.
- 03
A gentle stop
After about three minutes Acorn auto-stops and suggests you're done. No nagging, no rewards loop to keep them hooked.
A note from the studio
“Every other toddler app seemed designed to maximise screen time and squeeze a parent's wallet. We built Acorn to do one small thing well — and then to gently suggest you both put the phone down.”
Questions
The honest answers.
Do you collect any data about my child?
No. Acorn runs entirely on the device and collects nothing about your child — no profile leaves the phone, no microphone listening, no advertising IDs. Optional anonymous analytics and crash reporting are parent-only, off by default, and never involve your child.
Are there ads or in-app upsells my toddler could tap?
None. There are no ads, and the only purchase screen sits behind a parent math-gate your child can't pass.
How long is a session?
About three minutes. Acorn is built to be a short, calm ritual and then auto-stop — not to maximise screen time.
Is there a free version?
Yes — four starter packs are free. A subscription unlocks the full library of word packs, child progress export, and more.
Launching soon
Be first to know when Acorn ships.
It'll launch at $14.99 / year. Free tier: four starter packs — first foods, around the house, animals i know, getting dressed.
One email when it lands on the store. No drip sequence, no spam.
No spam. No tracking. Email only — unsubscribe with one click.
Acorn stores everything — your child's profile, words tapped, session history, settings, and the parent passcode — locally on the device. There is no account requirement and no Lumen Labs backend.
From the journal
Notes on the practice.
- 01
The Three-Minute Rule: Why Consistency Beats Duration
Building a toddler daily learning routine: why three consistent minutes beat a long weekly session, and how tiny rituals make first words actually stick.
2026-06-11
5 min read
- 02
Word Apps vs Flashcards vs Books for a Toddler's Vocabulary
Toddler flashcards vs books vs word apps: an honest comparison of what each method actually does for early vocabulary, and how to choose between them.
2026-06-08
5 min read
- 03
Screen Time Before Two: How to Use a Screen Without the Guilt
Screen time for a toddler under 2, explained without judgment: what the AAP guidance really says, why co-viewing matters, and how to use a screen well.
2026-06-04
5 min read
- 04
When Do Toddlers Start Talking? A Calm Guide to First Words
When do toddlers start talking? A reassuring beginner's guide to first-word milestones, the normal range, and the signs that actually matter before age three.
2026-05-31
5 min read
- 05
Why Most Toddler Learning Apps Don't Actually Stick
Why toddler learning apps fail: engagement traps, overstimulation, and the design choices that exhaust a child's attention instead of building it.
2026-05-26
5 min read
- 06
How Toddlers Learn Words: Fast Mapping and the Vocabulary Spurt
How toddlers learn vocabulary, explained: fast mapping, the word spurt, and the hidden mental rules a one-year-old uses to attach meaning to sound.
2026-05-20
5 min read
- 07
Do 'Educational' Baby Apps Actually Make Toddlers Smarter?
Do toddler learning apps work? An honest look at the science behind 'educational' baby apps, the video deficit, and what a screen can and cannot teach a one-year-old.
2026-05-14
5 min read
- 08
How to Teach Your Toddler Their First Words at Home
A calm, practical guide to teaching toddler first words at home — using everyday objects, slow speech, and shared attention, without flashcards or pressure.
2026-05-08
5 min read