Born in the quiet of 2020
When COVID-19 closed classrooms, the quiet wasn’t peaceful. It was heavy. Kids who were used to laughing with friends were suddenly learning through screens, spotty Wi-Fi, and a whole lot of uncertainty.
As a reading specialist, I watched families try to juggle work, fear, and school at the same time. Some students had access to endless programs and devices. Others had a packet, a pencil, and parents doing their very best on very little sleep.
ABZ Learning started there: as a way to give those kids something small but magical — games that made reading feel like play again.
Free games, real teaching behind them
The first ABZ games were built for my own students: phonics battles for kids who struggled to sound out words, fluency races for readers who needed rhythm, and silly comprehension challenges that finally made “main idea” less intimidating.
Every game is designed with the same questions in mind:
- Will this help a child feel more confident when they open a book?
- Can a tired teacher or parent use this without a long setup?
- Does this respect kids’ time, attention, and dignity?
ABZ remains a small, educator-created project on purpose. We listen closely to the kids and adults who use our games, and we build from what they actually need — not from a marketing plan.
Who we’re here for
ABZ Learning is especially for:
- Students who feel behind and need a safe place to practice.
- Teachers who want engaging tools but don’t have big budgets.
- Families who are trying to support learning at home in the middle of real-life stress.
Our vision is simple: no child should miss out on stronger reading skills because of money, ZIP code, or circumstance.
Where we’re headed
ABZ is growing one game, one student, and one classroom at a time. We are working toward:
- Expanding our K–8 library to cover more skills and grade levels.
- Giving teachers tools to build and save their own custom games.
- Partnering with schools, community centers, and organizations that serve students most at risk of falling through the cracks.
However big ABZ becomes, we hold onto the same promise: keep reading practice accessible, playful, and deeply human.
Thank you for being part of this
Every time you share ABZ with a student, use it in a lesson, or sit beside a child and say, “Let’s try this together,” you become part of this story.
From a tiny idea during COVID to a growing library of free games, ABZ has always been about community. We’re grateful you’re here.