Word Runner
Word Runner is a free endless runner spelling game. Children sprint through a sunny landscape, jumping and ducking to grab the letters of a word in the right order.
Word Runner
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- Ages
- 5–11
- School years
- K2–Primary 6
- Skills
- Spelling CVC words by sounding out each letter, Spelling common words of four to six letters, Tricky spellings such as because, friend and necessary
- Time
- 2–5 minutes a round
- Cost
- Free, no sign-up
- Updated
How to play Word Runner
- Choose a level. Easy shows a three-letter word to copy, Medium gives a meaning and some of the letters, and Hard gives only the meaning, so you must know the spelling.
- Press Space or the up arrow to jump, and hold the down arrow to duck. On a phone or tablet, tap the top half of the game to jump and hold the bottom half to duck, or use the big buttons.
- Grab the letter that comes next in the word. Letters float low (just run into them) or high (jump to reach them). A wrong letter costs a heart, so jump over it or run underneath it.
- Jump over crates and rocks, duck under the flying birds, and collect coins for extra points. Spell 5 words to reach the next level, where the runner gets faster.
What your child learns
- Spelling CVC words by sounding out each letter
- Spelling common words of four to six letters
- Tricky spellings such as because, friend and necessary
- Matching words to their meanings (vocabulary)
- Letter order and sequencing
- Quick reactions and hand-eye coordination
About Word Runner
Spelling a word one letter at a time, in order, is exactly what children do when they write. Word Runner turns that into a fast, cheerful game: each letter block is a small decision about which letter comes next, and the wrong blocks are chosen to look or sound like common mistakes, such as swapping vowels or doubling the wrong letter. Every word is spelt the same way in British and American English.
Easy uses three-letter consonant-vowel-consonant words like cat, bus and jam, and suits K2 to Primary 1. Medium, for Primary 2–3, gives a short meaning plus some of the letters of everyday words like rocket, garden and bridge. Hard, for Primary 4–6, gives only the meaning of tricky words like because, separate and necessary. The word is read aloud when your device supports speech, and a calm setting slows the runner down and gives five hearts.
Which level should my child play?
| School year | Suggested level |
|---|---|
| K2 | Easy |
| Primary 1 | Easy |
| Primary 2 | Medium |
| Primary 3 | Medium |
| Primary 4 | Hard |
| Primary 5 | Hard |
| Primary 6 | Hard |
Move up a level after getting three stars two or three times in a row.
🏆 Leaderboard
Full leaderboard →Play a round to get on the board! Create a free account to save your scores.
Frequently asked questions
How do I play Word Runner on a phone or tablet?
Tap the top half of the game to jump and hold the bottom half to duck. You can also use the big Jump and Duck buttons under the game. The pause button stops the run at any time.
What happens if I miss a letter?
Nothing bad! If the right letter goes past, it comes round again a moment later. Only grabbing a wrong letter, or bumping into a crate or bird, costs a heart.
Can my child hear the word?
Yes. Each new word is read aloud, and the Hear it button says it again. If your device has no speech, Medium and Hard still show the meaning, and the Peek button shows the word for two seconds.
Is there a slower mode?
Yes. Choose the Calm speed on the start screen. The runner moves more slowly, there are fewer obstacles and no birds to duck under, and you get five hearts instead of three.
More games you’ll love
All english games →Look, cover and spell words from memory.
Unscramble letters using picture clues.
Listen and find Dolch sight words.
Find the word that rhymes.
Add numbers within 10, 20, 100 or 1,000.
Practise any times table from 2× to 12×.
Help your child shine in English
Practice at home is a great start. Success Tutoring offers personalised tutoring to build skills and confidence.