The child's board
The board is the screen the child uses all day. Grown-up settings are locked away, so the child can explore it freely.
The parts of the screen
From top to bottom:
- The top bar: the board's name, the language buttons, the keyboard button and the lock.
- The message bar: the words the child has chosen, with Delete, Forms and Clear next to it.
- The board: the buttons with pictures and words.
- The phrase row: Favourites, stop, help me, two family phrases and More. See Quick phrases and More.
Saying a word and a sentence
When the child taps a button, its word is spoken and added to the message bar. Tapping more buttons builds a sentence: "I", "want", "more".
- Tap the message bar to speak the whole sentence.
- Delete removes the last word.
- Clear empties the message.
- Forms changes the last word's form, for example "dog" to "dogs" or "go" to "went", in languages where word forms are available.
You can change how this works in Settings → Message bar: for example, speak words only when the message is tapped, or clear the message after it is spoken.
Folders
Some buttons open a folder of related words, such as Food, Places or Feelings. A folder button has a folded corner.
Inside a folder, the top bar shows a back arrow and a home button. Home always returns to the main board.
Switching languages
If the child uses more than one language, the top bar shows a button for each one (EN, DA, ES, РУС, УКР, عربي). One tap switches the whole board. Every word stays in the same place in every language.
On smaller screens there is one language button instead; it opens a short list.
Why buttons never move
Every word has its own place on the board, and it stays there. The child learns where words are, the way you learn where the letters are on a keyboard, and soon finds them without looking.
That's why:
- the board keeps the same layout when a tablet is turned;
- on a phone, the board stays upright by default (you can change this in Settings → Display, hearing and sensory → Board orientation on this phone);
- new words appear in their own place over time, instead of pushing others aside. See Words and folders.
The lock
The lock at the top right opens the grown-up controls. Hold it for 3 seconds, then answer a short sum (or enter your PIN, if you set one). A quick tap does nothing, so the child can't open it by accident.
To keep the child inside the app, see Keep the child in the app in Settings.
Warnings on the board
If the battery is very low or the sound is off or quiet, a short line under the top bar says so, for example "Sound is off — the child cannot be heard".
Next: Words and folders.