He was pressing keys.
So I made him
a game.

It started at home.

My three-year-old son Pasky was pressing keys on the keyboard and naming the letters. He’s learning Slovak, English and Vietnamese, so I thought I could connect those key presses with learning words. That became Pasky’s letter safari.

He loves cars, so I added a garage, an excavator, a tractor and a car wash. I had boys who love vehicles as much as he does in mind, but any child can play.

For Slovak-Vietnamese families

If your family speaks Slovak and Vietnamese and your child is also learning English, you can try the game together. Switch languages while looking at the same toy and listen to its name. It can add a little play to what children learn through everyday conversations at home.

How the letters work

Pressing a letter brings up an animal or object whose Slovak name starts with it: Z for zebra, L for lev (lion), or A for auto (car). You can then hear the same name in English and Vietnamese. Q, W and Y use marked English associations. The keyboard follows Slovak names even when you choose English audio.

What’s in the game

• 26 letters with animated 3D toys and sounds.
• Names and spoken instructions in Slovak, English and Vietnamese.
• A garage with a car, excavator and tractor you can drive.
• A car wash with brushes and bubbles, ready for another wash.
• Keyboard controls, large touch buttons and a mute option.

Try it together.

Start with one letter. Let your child explore the toy, repeat its sound and switch languages. In the garage, A brings up the car, B the excavator and T the tractor. Use the arrow keys to drive and the space bar for an action.

What would you change?

Does your family use the same mix of languages? I’d love to hear how it goes. Suggestions for toys and corrections to names or pronunciation are welcome.