iPhone Educational App Icon

Steep Turn Software LLC

We develop apps for iOS and Android devices.

I need a new icon for an existing iPhone app: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dolc…24253?mt=8. The App Store listing includes screenshots for the app's main screens. The user interface is going to be re-designed, so there is no need for the icon to share specific thematic elements (colors, images, etc.) with the current user interface. A few promo codes are available (request via pm).

The app allows children to practice reading sight words. It can be viewed as a replacement for traditional flash cards. Its main features are:
* Includes all Dolch sight words divided into 7 groups
* Includes spoken pronunciation for each words
* Allows users to create their own words and record pronunciations for them

I do not have specific ideas yet for what the icon should look like or what elements it should contain.

DESIGN GOALS AND NOTES
* The iTunes icon (512 x 512) is the most important. I need something appealing enough to stand out among the results when users search for "sight words" on the App Store.
* Users seem to like the app because it has a simple, relatively clean interface without a lot of distractions like cartoon characters, busy backgrounds, etc. The icon should convey this.
* An important feature is that users can enter their own words and record pronunciations for them. Ideally, I'd like the icon to convey this functionality.
* App users will be children age 4 - 8. App buyers will be parents and teachers (mostly parents). User feedback indicates most buyers are female.
* Obviously, a goal of the app is to help children succeed and become good readers, so elements related to that might be appropriate.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
See "Application Icons" in Apple's iOS Human Interface Guidelines (https://developer.apple.com/library…6-CH14-SW2)

REQUIRED SIZES (dimensions are in pixels)
512 x 512 (App Store), 114 x 114 (iPhone 4/4S), 57 x 57 (iPhone 3GS), 72 x 72 (iPad)