ABC Trails
Letter tracing for ages 3 to 6, on iPhone and iPad
ABC Trails teaches young children to write letters, numbers and shapes. A little pencil shows how each letter is drawn, and the child follows the road with a finger or an Apple Pencil. When the letter is done, a picture sticker lands in their album.
There are no ads, no accounts and no tracking. The app works without an internet connection and collects no data.
What it does
Shows the stroke order first.
An animated pencil draws the letter one stroke at a time, so children learn where to start and which way to go.
An animated pencil draws the letter one stroke at a time, so children learn where to start and which way to go.
Checks each stroke.
The app looks at the path, the direction and the order, and answers with a short spoken hint. Nothing is marked in red, and children can simply try again.
The app looks at the path, the direction and the order, and answers with a short spoken hint. Nothing is marked in red, and children can simply try again.
Three levels for every letter.
Trace a wide road, then a dotted line, then write it with no guide.
Trace a wide road, then a dotted line, then write it with no guide.
Made for pre-readers.
Every instruction is spoken, and the buttons are big.
Every instruction is spoken, and the buttons are big.
A section for grown-ups.
Tap the gear on the home screen and type the number shown in words. Inside you can see progress and the tricky letters, choose Print or Modern Print, pick the writing hand, turn sound off, set your child's name for the My Name island, and manage the purchase.
Tap the gear on the home screen and type the number shown in words. Inside you can see progress and the tricky letters, choose Print or Modern Print, pick the writing hand, turn sound off, set your child's name for the My Name island, and manage the purchase.
Free and Full
Shapes & Lines, the letters A to E and the numbers 0 to 3 are free. ABC Trails Full is a one-time purchase of $4.99. It unlocks all 26 capital and 26 small letters, the numbers 0 to 20 and My Name, and it includes the packs we add later, such as Cursive and the Ukrainian alphabet. There is no subscription, and Family Sharing is on.
Questions
My child's letters don't count. What can I do?
Children of this age draw big and quickly, and the app is built to forgive wobbly lines. If one letter keeps failing, try this: play the pencil animation once more, start where the pencil started, draw slowly without lifting the finger mid-stroke, and hold the device flat or propped up so the hand doesn't drift. Then go back to level 1, the wide road, and work up again. The Grown-ups section shows which letters are tricky, so you can see where practice helps. If a letter still looks wrong to you, write to us and say which one.
Children of this age draw big and quickly, and the app is built to forgive wobbly lines. If one letter keeps failing, try this: play the pencil animation once more, start where the pencil started, draw slowly without lifting the finger mid-stroke, and hold the device flat or propped up so the hand doesn't drift. Then go back to level 1, the wide road, and work up again. The Grown-ups section shows which letters are tricky, so you can see where practice helps. If a letter still looks wrong to you, write to us and say which one.
How do I get to the grown-ups section?
Tap the gear on the home screen. You will be asked to type a number written in words, for example "forty-seven", using digits. A new number appears after a wrong answer.
Tap the gear on the home screen. You will be asked to type a number written in words, for example "forty-seven", using digits. A new number appears after a wrong answer.
How do I restore my purchase?
Open the grown-ups section, go to the store, and tap Restore Purchases. Use the same Apple Account you bought with. If you share the purchase through Family Sharing, the family organizer must have bought it and Family Sharing must be on for ABC Trails.
Open the grown-ups section, go to the store, and tap Restore Purchases. Use the same Apple Account you bought with. If you share the purchase through Family Sharing, the family organizer must have bought it and Family Sharing must be on for ABC Trails.
How do I watch the tutorial again?
Open the grown-ups section and tap "How ABC Trails works".
Open the grown-ups section and tap "How ABC Trails works".
Print or Modern Print?
Print is the upright "ball and stick" style taught in many US schools. Modern Print is slanted and adds small tails to some letters. You can switch in the grown-ups section, and progress carries over.
Print is the upright "ball and stick" style taught in many US schools. Modern Print is slanted and adds small tails to some letters. You can switch in the grown-ups section, and progress carries over.
Can my child use an Apple Pencil?
Yes, on iPad models that support it. A finger works just as well, and younger children usually prefer it.
Yes, on iPad models that support it. A finger works just as well, and younger children usually prefer it.
Is my child's name sent anywhere?
No. The name, progress and stickers stay on your device. See the Privacy Policy.
No. The name, progress and stickers stay on your device. See the Privacy Policy.
How do I reset progress?
In the grown-ups section choose Advanced → Reset progress. Deleting the app removes everything as well.
In the grown-ups section choose Advanced → Reset progress. Deleting the app removes everything as well.
Something isn't working, or a letter looks off.
Write to shchukavlad4@gmail.com with your device, the iOS version and what happened. A screenshot helps.
Write to shchukavlad4@gmail.com with your device, the iOS version and what happened. A screenshot helps.