Guides

You’ve decided to teach your child phonics at home. Fantastic. Now what? This free Phonics Starter Kit gives you everything you need for the first 30 lessons — no expensive curriculum required. By the end, your child will know all 26 letter sounds, blend consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words, and read their first simple books. Who this is for: Children aged 4–6 who know their ABCs but aren’t reading yet, or struggling early readers in kindergarten and first grade. ...

One of the most confusing things about teaching phonics is knowing what to teach, when. The sequence matters enormously — teaching long vowels before short vowels, or digraphs before blends, creates confusion. This roadmap follows the Science of Reading consensus. Work through skills in order, don’t skip ahead, and review constantly. Phase 0: Pre-Literacy Foundations (Ages 3–4) Enjoys being read to, asks for books Can retell a simple story in sequence Rhyme recognition: “cat” and “hat” rhyme Can supply a rhyming word Can clap syllables (but-ter-fly = 3 claps) Can identify first sound of familiar words Key activities: Rhyming games, syllable clapping, read-alouds. ...