Acorn and Arrow

Small apps that help children grow.

Acorn and Arrow makes calm, simple learning apps for young children and the grown-ups who love them. Short daily lessons, no ads, and parents in charge.

Our goal

We help young children build the skills that open up everything else, starting with reading, in a few calm minutes a day that parents can trust.

Real skills

Every app teaches something a child will use for life, built step by step on proven methods like phonics.

Little and often

Short daily lessons that fit into family life and leave children wanting to come back tomorrow.

Safe for families

No ads, no tracking and no child accounts, so parents can hand over the device with confidence.

Why we're called Acorn and Arrow

Every child starts small and is headed somewhere. Our name holds both of those ideas.

The acorn

A whole oak tree starts as one small acorn. Learning works the same way. A child learns one letter sound, then another, and a few minutes a day adds up to reading a real sentence. We build for those small, steady beginnings.

The arrow

An arrow has a clear direction. Every lesson in our apps points somewhere, building on what came before, so children always know the next step and parents can see where they're going.

Together, the acorn and the arrow stand for what we hope every child feels: you're small today, and you're growing in the right direction.

Our apps

Bookaroo

A learn-to-read app for children ages 4 to 8. Pip the bookworm takes kids from letter sounds to reading little sentences in about 15 minutes a day.

Coming soon to iPhone, iPad and Android Learn about Bookaroo

What every Acorn and Arrow app promises

No ads

Children never see ads, and we never sell or share their information.

Parents in charge

A grown-up sets everything up. Settings and links sit behind a parent gate.

Short and calm

Lessons take minutes, not hours. We celebrate effort, with no scores or comparisons.

Private by design

Progress stays on your family's device. Children never make accounts.

Get in touch

Questions, ideas or help with one of our apps? Email us and a real person will write back.