app updates
Welcome to the First 100 blog
A short note about what this blog will be: writing about language, parenting, and how kids learn their first words.
Why we built this
First 100 is a series of toddler language apps. One app per language, 100 words each, no ads.
This blog is where we'll write about language, parenting, and how kids learn words. Real content for real parents and educators.
What to expect
Over the next few months we'll be publishing pieces on:
- When do babies start talking — what the research actually says about language milestones from 0 to 5 years
- Linguistics basics for parents — what "syntax," "morphology," and "phonology" mean without the jargon
- Raising bilingual toddlers — practical guidance for mixed-language households
- App comparisons and reviews — honest takes on the kids' language-learning tools out there
The shape of our approach
Every piece will:
- Answer the question in the first 40 words
- Use real examples over abstract definitions
- Cite primary sources (CDC, AAP, linguistics research) when we make claims
- Point you to the right First 100 app if it helps
A note on who we are
We're a small team building language apps from scratch. Our cofounder is Somali-American, which is why Somali was our first language. We'll be launching 21 more apps across Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, Hindi, and others — each for a specific language community.
If you're a parent, a speech-language pathologist, a preschool educator, or a cultural/heritage-language organization, we'd love to hear from you.
More writing soon.