Vocabulary App for Kids with Aliens!
This app caught my eye when I saw it on MediaPost’s Out to Launch newsletter by Amy Corr. Aliens and vocabulary. A strange but effective pairing to get kids to actually use it.
ABDUCTIONARY is an addictive and fast-paced word puzzle game for the iPad.
An evil alien race is getting ready to invade Earth but first they need to learn our human language. In ABDUCTIONARY you are one of these aliens, sent to Earth by the evil alien overlord to “steal words from the tiny brains of those ugly, puny, bipod Earth creatures” (his words, not ours).
Your job is to extract words from human brains fast enough so the “Language Extractor 6000”, a very advanced but finicky piece of machinery, won’t overheat. You do this by forming words from a stream of random letters being “sucked out” of an abductee’s noggin. Points are awarded by length and complexity of the word. Combine these with power ups, acquired by keeping the machine cool, and become the supreme master of language on the GameCenter leaderboards.
iPad app of the week: DOJO created Abductionary, a fun word puzzle game for the iPad.
In Abductionary, each player is an alien sent to earth by an inept alien overlord that demands his underlings “steal words from the tiny brains of those ugly, puny, bipod earth creatures.”
Players have to extract words to prevent the “Language Extractor 6000” from overheating, by forming words from a stream of letters being sucked out of human brains.
The app is 99 cents in the App Store.
How are you getting your kids to learn new vocabulary? Any tips and tricks you’d care to share? Thank you!



Vocabulary as Game with Board Games and Books
How To: Teach Kids to Read Independently
How To: Learn 100,000 Words by 8th Grade



This is a must have app. I will definitely be back with tips and tricks once I have it installed.
Viren recently posted…E-Shot, An Email Marketing Agency
Twitter: The_ESman
I would love your feedback as well as tips and tricks Viren! Email me and I’ll add to my post! Thanks!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Best Bedtime Books to Read Aloud
We like anything with aliens in our house. Especially aliens+ learning. I’ll add this onto the old iPad.
Artchoo recently posted…Popular 1970s Toys
Twitter: artchootwit
Hi Artchoo!,
I know, right?! Aliens are just fun! Ok, perhaps boys like them more than girls but for this app, I think girls will like it too!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Best Bedtime Books to Read Aloud
Looks like an interesting app. Will go check it out.
iGameMom recently posted…App on Deal: Four Disney Story Apps
Twitter: igamemom
Hi iGameMom,
You might like it! I found it somewhere else written up and it’s a fun app with a great educational bent!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Best Bedtime Books to Read Aloud
What a cute game! Too bad we don’t have an ipad…
maryanne recently posted…Discover the Joy of Cooking with HelloFresh
Twitter: mamasmiles
Hi Maryanne,
We lost our iPad too and I haven’t replaced it. We bought ours from an online auction a few years ago for less than $100 but now it’s tough to stay online for 5 hours in order to bid on it constantly to win it again. Plus, I want my kids to learn to be more responsible since they lost it. Oh well. I think it will work for iPhone or iPod Touch too.
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Best Bedtime Books to Read Aloud
My little ones love it, too! Hah, my ways to make them learn new vocabulary? Talking to them in English or my native language and not stoping for a second to translate something
It works, they have an amazing intuition!
Alexandra recently posted…Be a part of something awesome vol V
Twitter: appsforfamily
Hi Alexandra,
You are so awesome for teaching them your native language!!! What a great way to learn both a foreign language and vocabulary!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Best Bedtime Books to Read Aloud
That app sounds great! I think my daughter would really enjoy this. Thanks for sharing!
Renee C. recently posted…Free E-Book ~ Today Only ~ Welcome Home by Billi Tiner
Twitter: MDBookReviews
Hi Renee C,
You are so welcome! Please let me know what your daughter thinks if she ends up trying it out.
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Kitchen on Fire and Fire Safety
Oh! I just got an iPad for my bday! Going to go download this. Although I am afraid for the kids to use it until I get a case!
Ann recently posted…Lives Inspired by Nature
Twitter: DoodlesandJots
Hi Ann,
Happy bday! Did you get the iPad mini or the regular one? Our iPad went missing months ago and I’m toying with getting a mini but just not sure. Let me know how you like the iPad. I thought I could blog on it but it turns out I can’t which makes it less useful for me.
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Kitchen on Fire and Fire Safety
It’s a regular one. Not sure how it will be useful to me yet. I know my kids love it!
Ann recently posted…Survive the Drive
Twitter: DoodlesandJots
Hi Ann,
I’m toying with the idea of a mini iPad but I have no idea what the difference is between the regular one. Let me know how you like it. Your kids will love it! (That was my problem. My kids liked it a little too much but it was supposed to be for me!).
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Kitchen on Fire and Fire Safety
This sounds useful. Check out P2 Games, they have so many great apps for kids!
Thanks P2 Games! I will! I need more math apps.
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Poetry by 2nd Grade Boys