Story Echo

Learning through play

Every game is a chance to explore. Here are some of the skills your child can practise along the way.

Remembering a growing pattern

Repeating the buttons in order gives children practice holding a sequence in mind. Each successful round adds one step, inviting them to remember the familiar pattern and its newest addition. (Center on the Developing Child, 2014)

Watching and listening closely

Watching the glowing buttons and listening to their sounds gives children a pattern to follow and copy. Pictures, colours, positions and sounds offer different clues for remembering the sequence. (Center on the Developing Child, 2014)

Pausing before responding

Waiting for the whole pattern to finish before tapping offers a chance to practise holding back a response. Children follow the same simple rule each round: watch first, then repeat. (Center on the Developing Child, 2014)

Practising at a manageable pace

A grown-up can help choose a mode that feels challenging without being too difficult. Gentle mode has no response timer and replays the pattern after a mistake, giving children time to practise. (Center on the Developing Child, 2014)

How to play

Watch four buttons light up, then echo their pattern. Play with Colour Buttons or pictures from an accessible story.

1. Choose Colour Buttons or an accessible story and select a mode.
2. Watch the pattern, then tap the same buttons in order.
3. Finish a pattern to add one step. Use Show me again whenever you need it.

Players & modes

One player

Play independently or with adult help. Ages 3–4 may need support.

Choose your challenge

Gentle

Unlimited retries, no timer, and a celebration after five steps.

Classic

A steady pace and ten seconds for each required press.

Echo Rush

Playback accelerates after completed patterns 5, 9 and 13.

The rules

• Buttons keep the same positions, pictures and sounds throughout an attempt.
• Classic and Echo Rush end on the first wrong button or timeout.
• Customisation is available between attempts. Sound can be muted at any time.

Scores & progress

• Gentle has progress towards five, without a score or personal best.
• Classic and Echo Rush score the longest fully completed pattern, with separate personal bests across all books.
• Progress, customisation and bests are saved for the signed-in account on this device.