BogstavSupport
Something not working, or an idea? Write to support@bogstav.theill.com. Peter, who made Bogstav, reads every mail.
Questions
Is it a subscription?
No. Bogstav costs $1.99, once. There’s no subscription, no in-app purchases and no ads.
Which letters does it teach?
Either the Danish alphabet (A–Å, 29 letters with æ, ø and å) or the English one (A–Z), as capitals and small letters, plus the numbers 0 to 9. You pick the letter set for each child. Letters and words are read aloud in Danish or English; the app’s buttons and help are in 12 languages.
How are æ, ø and å written?
As plain print, like the other letters: Å is an A and then the ring, Ø is an O and then the slash from top right to bottom left, and Æ starts with the A’s slanted line, then the E’s stem and its three bars.
Which ages is it for?
Roughly 4 to 7: children getting ready for school and children in their first school years who are learning to write their letters.
Does it work for left-handed children?
Yes. Turn on Left-handed in the child’s profile. They may then pull crossbars from right to left, and the buttons move to the side their hand doesn’t cover.
Does it need the internet?
No. Everything works offline, including reading handwriting and reading aloud. There’s no account to sign in to.
Can several children use the same iPhone?
Yes. Add as many children as you like. Each one gets their own letters, stars and letter set.
Does it work on iPad?
Bogstav is made for iPhone. On an iPad it runs in iPhone mode, in a phone-sized window, and works with a finger or an Apple Pencil.
How does the grown-up check work?
Before Settings or adding a child, Bogstav shows a number written in words, such as “forty-seven”, and you type it in digits. Children who know their digits usually can’t read the words yet.
Tips
- Nothing paints? Start on the numbered dot and follow the arrow. Starting somewhere else or going the wrong way doesn’t paint, on purpose. Tap Show me to watch Klat write the letter again.
- No sound? Turn up the volume: Bogstav reads aloud even with the silent switch on. Reading aloud can be turned off and on in Settings.
- For a nicer voice, download an enhanced English or Danish voice on the iPhone: Settings › Accessibility › Spoken Content › Voices.
- Word read wrong? Write it big, across the lines, and tap the check mark. If it’s still wrong, the word is shown faintly and spelled aloud; try again or skip it.
- The letter set and left-handed are set for each child: open Settings (behind the grown-up check) and tap the child.
- Deleting a child removes their letters and stars from the iPhone. There’s no copy anywhere else.