The five game modes — and when to use each
The same list plays five different ways, from easiest to hardest. All five are open from the start.
Matching
Match each word to its picture. Tapping a word says it aloud. There is no spelling yet: this is a gentle first meeting with new words. It appears on lists whose words have clear pictures.
Multiple Choice
Hear the word, pick the right spelling. The choices are look-alikes, so a child has to look closely. Gentle, fast, and good for a first pass at unfamiliar words or for a child who is losing confidence: the answer is on screen, so the job is recognising it.
Fill the Gap
Some letters are in place. Fill in the missing ones. Targets the tricky middle of a word, where most spelling mistakes actually live (the silent letters and double consonants).
Build It
Build the word from letter tiles. Every letter of the word is there to tap, so the challenge is putting the whole word in order.
Type It
Hear the word and type it. The closest thing to a real spelling test, and the game to use the day before one. Hardest of the five, because the whole word comes from memory. Autocomplete, suggestions and voice typing are blocked, so it is real spelling. A picture can appear as a hint.
Nothing unlocks by level: all five games are available from the start. In the Games tab a child can pick any game for any list.
Common questions
Are all five games free?
Yes. Every game is included on the free plan, and all five are open from the start. Starting a round of up to 10 words uses one heart, and wrong answers cost nothing. See What are hearts?
Which game should a 6-year-old start with?
Matching or Multiple Choice. Matching asks for no spelling yet: a child matches each word to its picture and hears it said aloud. In Multiple Choice the right spelling is on screen, so the job is recognising it rather than recalling a whole word from nothing.
Do new games unlock as my child levels up?
No. All five games are available from the start and nothing unlocks by level. A new level gives 50 coins, and that is all a level does.
Why do some lists have no Matching game?
Matching appears only on lists whose words have clear pictures. Some words simply have no picture that shows them (abstract words like “through”), and Spelly would rather skip the game than show a misleading picture. Pictures also appear as hints in Type It, and no game asks a child to spell from a picture alone.