Getting Started at Home
Getting Started at Home
A simple, step-by-step path to help your child go from first sounds to reading real words — at their own happy pace.
You do not need to be a teacher. Just a few minutes a day of playful practice makes a real difference. Follow the four stages below in order, and let your child set the pace — there's no rush.
The Four Stages of Learning to Read
Work through them in order — each one builds on the last
Letter Sounds
Usually ages 3–5Before reading comes sounds. Your child meets the Letterland characters and learns the sound each letter makes — not the letter names yet, but sounds like “a…”, “b…”, “c…”. This is the single most important foundation for reading.
Sing the alphabet songs, do the character actions together, and play “I spy” with sounds (“I spy something starting with mmm…”). Keep it short, silly, and fun.
Recommended: Flashcards & Cards and Picture Books to meet the characters.
Letter Formation
Usually ages 4–6Now your child learns to write the letters. Letterland's character stories guide little hands in forming each letter shape correctly — building good handwriting habits from the very start.
Trace letters in the air, in sand, or with a finger before using a pencil. Say the character's name as you write — the story reminds them where to start and which way to go.
Recommended: Practice Books for guided handwriting practice.
Reading & Blending
Usually ages 5–7This is where it clicks! Your child learns to blend sounds together to read words — c-a-t becomes “cat”. Decodable readers use only the sounds they've learned, so they can succeed and feel proud.
Sound out short words slowly, then speed up to blend them. Read decodable books together every day. Celebrate every word they crack — confidence is everything here.
Recommended: Decodable Readers and word-building cards.
Spelling & Fluency
Usually ages 6–9With reading underway, your child learns spelling patterns and reads more smoothly and confidently. Letterland introduces trickier sounds (like sh, ch, and magic-e) through more memorable character stories.
Practise spelling out loud, hunt for spelling patterns in everyday words, and keep reading aloud together. Re-reading favourite books builds smooth, fluent reading.
Recommended: Practice Books and Curriculum Packs for a full structured path.
The Letterland Shortcut
Not sure how a letter sounds? Start to say the character's name, then stop. That very first sound is the letter's sound — a simple trick that helps you teach all 26 letters correctly, even if you've never taught phonics before.
"Sammy Snake, s…" → ssssA Simple 10-Minute Daily Routine
Little and often beats long and rare. Try something like this:
2 min — Warm up
Sing an alphabet song or do a few character actions.
3 min — Practise
Review a few sounds or letters with flashcards.
4 min — Read
Read a short decodable book or build a few words together.
1 min — Celebrate
Praise the effort! End on a happy, confident note.
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Which Products Do I Need? Phonics Made Simple