Parent guide · Seeds, ages 3.5–6
How can I teach phonics to my 3.5 to 6 year old at home?
Teach phonics at home by starting with letter sounds, not letter names, then showing your child how to blend sounds into short words such as s-a-t, sat. Begin with a few common sounds (s, a, t, p, i, n), practise for about 10 minutes a day, and turn it into games. Phonics taught step by step is one of the most researched ways to help young children learn to read.
Key takeaways
- Teach the sound a letter makes (“sss”), not its name (“ess”), first.
- Start with s, a, t, p, i, n: they make many short words.
- Blending is the key skill: say the sounds, then push them together into a word.
- Ten minutes a day, as a game, works better than long lessons.
- Read simple books aloud too: phonics helps with reading words, stories build understanding.
Does phonics really help children learn to read?
Yes. The Education Endowment Foundation, which reviews school research in England, rates phonics as having a strong evidence base: on average, children taught phonics made about five months of extra progress compared with similar children who weren’t.1 It helps most when it is taught step by step, linking the sounds children hear to the letters that write them.
Which sounds should we learn first?
Start with s, a, t, p, i, n. With just these six sounds your child can read words like sat, pat, tap, pin, tin, nap, sip and ant. Then add m, d, g, o, c, k, then e, u, r, h, b, f, l. Say each sound short and clean: “mmm”, not “muh”.
How do I teach blending?
- Say the sounds slowly: “s – a – t”.
- Say them a little faster: “s-a-t”.
- Push them together: “sat!”
- Let your child try with a new word using the same sounds, such as “p – a – t”.
Practise blending out loud first, without letters, as a game: “I’m thinking of a c – a – t. What is it?” Once your child can hear the word, show the letters.
What does a 10-minute phonics routine look like?
- 2 minutes: review sounds already learned with letter cards or fridge magnets.
- 3 minutes: one new sound, with an action and a few words that start with it.
- 3 minutes: blend 4 to 6 short words using the sounds your child knows.
- 2 minutes: a game: sound hunt around the house, or “I spy something beginning with sss”.
Our free first 100 words printable gives you picture words to practise with.
Where do sight words fit in?
Some common words, such as the, said and was, don’t follow the early sound rules. Learn a few of these “tricky words” at a time once your child is blending, alongside phonics rather than instead of it. Our guide to phonics and sight words explains the balance.
How do Little Lingos classes teach phonics?
In Seeds, children learn first letter sounds (s, a, t, p, i, n) in the first term and blend simple three-letter words in the second, through songs, actions and games in live 40-minute classes. Our phonics classes page explains how the year builds.
Keep reading: nursery rhymes that teach English, teaching the alphabet and reading English picture books with your child.
Questions parents ask
Questions parents ask
At what age can I start teaching phonics?
Many children are ready to start hearing and playing with sounds from about age 3 to 4, and to begin blending simple words from about 4 to 5. Follow your child’s interest and keep it playful.
Should I teach letter names or letter sounds first?
Sounds first. Reading uses the sounds letters make, so “sss” helps your child read “sat” in a way that “ess” doesn’t. Letter names can come a little later, often through the alphabet song.
Should I teach capital or small letters?
Mostly small (lower-case) letters, because most of the text children read uses them. Introduce capitals for names and the start of sentences as they come up.
My child knows the sounds but can’t blend them. What should I do?
Go back to oral blending games without letters, use shorter words with two sounds such as “a-t”, and say the sounds closer together. Blending often clicks suddenly after a few weeks of short daily practice.
Is phonics enough for reading?
Phonics helps children read words accurately, but understanding stories needs vocabulary and talk too. Keep reading picture books aloud and talking about them alongside phonics.
Sources
- Education Endowment Foundation. “Phonics.” Teaching and Learning Toolkit. educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk.
Sources checked 3 November 2026. This guide is general information for parents, not medical, psychological or speech-therapy advice.
See how your child does with letter sounds
Book a 30-minute demo class. Your child meets a trainer, plays a few word games, and you get a written level report the same day.
Book a demo class