Updated on
January 3, 2026
|
June 21, 2021
Discover how PhonicsPlay supports systematic synthetic phonics teaching. This guide covers features, pricing, alignment with the DfE phonics framework, and how to use it effectively in your classroom.
English schools place a strong emphasis on developing phonics skills. These units of sound are the 'building blocks of learning' and must be mastered at a young age. reading and writing abilities are built on solid phonics knowledge. PhonicsPlay uses interactive experiences to make learning fun.
PhonicsPlay Limited is a teaching resource website with classroom materials in the form of downloadable and interactive phonics games across the phases of 'Letters and Sounds'. The website is run by Rosanna Springham, an experienced literacy teacher. Her husband Justin Springham handles customer service.
The teaching resources were free to access with a basic account, while premium features require a school subscription.
Teachers should use PhonicsPlay's scaffolding approach that starts with simple letter sounds and progresses to complex patterns through interactive games. The platform follows a systematic step-by-step method where children learn to crack the code of written language through engaging digital activities. Sessions of 15 minutes using PhonicsPlay games have been shown to be more effective than traditional phonics drills.
In the past, many people believed there was no need to teach phonics. Now it is widely accepted that these skills must be taught clearly and step by step. A written language is a type of code, and teaching phonics involves cracking that code.
PhonicsPlay helps children learn the simple parts first through a scaffolding approach and then progress to more complex ones.
PhonicsPlay Teaching Resources
Many people think teaching phonics is difficult. But step into a PhonicsPlay lesson and you will find it is made up of actions, songs, and games lasting 15-20 minutes a day. When children learn phonics in a playful way, they are happy to practice on their own.
Teachers need to understand the Letters and Sounds phases (2-5) and how phonics units serve as building blocks for reading and writing. PhonicsPlay automatically adjusts game complexity based on these phases, but teachers must know when students are ready to progress. The platform provides guidance on sound patterns and blending techniques that align with English school curriculum requirements.
In recent years, there has been a big shift in how children learn to read in schools. Phonics is a recommended way to help students learn. Alongside other methods like Shared Reading and Guided Reading, phonics develops a real love for reading and helps build .
PhonicsPlay offers interactive games like Buried Treasure that teach sound blending, word recognition, and decoding skills across all phonics phases. Games automatically adjust difficulty levels while maintaining familiar formats to keep children engaged. The platform includes both downloadable resources and online interactive experiences that make learning phonics fun for reluctant readers.
Teaching phonics through games makes learning as fun as possible. Teachers and parents can visit phonicsplay.co.uk to access many interactive games for each phase.
These games are similar to earlier phases, but the complexity increases step by step. This gives children time to practice new skills. The familiar games mean children can focus on learning objectives rather than how to play.
Words are made up of small units of sound called phonemes. Phonics helps children listen carefully and identify the phonemes in a word. This helps them learn to spell and read properly.
Phonics lessons teach three things:
Learning phonics is easier in some languages because each sound matches one spelling. In English, this is not the case. There are about 44 phonemes but 120 ways to write them. With only 26 letters, many graphemes include more than one letter.
Another challenge is that some graphemes can represent more than one sound. For example, 'ch' sounds different in chef, school, and chip.
Some digraphs (two-letter graphemes) include: ay, oo, th, ch. Some graphemes have three or even four letters.
PhonicsPlay premium features save teachers over 2 hours weekly by providing ready-made interactive resources that engage even reluctant readers. The subscription unlocks advanced games with automatic difficulty adjustment and comprehensive tracking tools. Schools gain access to the complete three-step phonics formula that helps struggling readers master complex sound patterns through gamified learning.
PhonicsPlay is also available as an app. Children can learn and play on their own. For teachers or parents unsure about teaching phonics, the apps offer a great way to .
PhonicsPlay Comics are easy-to-read comics with familiar characters. They are brief, engaging, and can be printed or read on screen. The comics give children a chance to practice skills they learn in school.
Teachers frequently ask about balancing PhonicsPlay screen time with hands-on activities and how to navigate progression between phases. The recommended approach is 15-minute digital sessions combined with physical activities like Writer's Block exercises. PhonicsPlay is run by experienced literacy teacher Rosanna Springham and offers both free basic accounts and premium school subscriptions.
Teachers can integrate PhonicsPlay's digital games with hands-on activities like Writer's Block and traditional phonics exercises for balanced learning. The platform works best when combined with physical letter manipulation, group reading activities, and writing practice. This multi-sensory approach reinforces the phonics skills learned through PhonicsPlay's interactive games while addressing different learning styles.
If you are concerned about screen time, have a look at our Writer's Block classroom tool. These building blocks make learning interactive. Many teachers reported that too much screen time during the pandemic affected because younger pupils had fewer chances to talk.
Our block building tool helps children talk about their learning. As they build, they talk and explain their connections. The brightly coloured blocks help children spot spelling patterns and make generalisations. You can find out more about the classroom strategy on our website.
The idea is based on the notion that children need to break down and build up what they learn. We cannot learn for them. Their understanding must be carefully constructed and guided by us, the educators.
PhonicsPlay is an online teaching resource website that provides downloadable and interactive phonics games across all phases of 'Letters and Sounds'. It was created by Rosanna Springham, an experienced literacy teacher, with her husband Justin handling customer service.
PhonicsPlay sessions should last 15-20 minutes daily, as research shows these short digital sessions are more effective than traditional phonics drills. The interactive games keep children engaged and happy to practise independently, making learning playful rather than tedious.
Free accounts provide access to basic games and resources, whilst premium subscriptions offer exclusive access to the latest games, advanced features with automatic difficulty adjustment, and comprehensive tracking tools. Premium subscriptions cost £60 per year for whole schools or £6 for individuals, and can save teachers over 2 hours weekly in preparation time.
PhonicsPlay uses familiar game formats whilst automatically adjusting complexity as children move from Phase 2 to Phase 5. This scaffolding approach allows children to focus on learning objectives rather than figuring out new game mechanics, providing step-by-step progression through increasingly complex sound patterns.
PhonicsPlay offers games like Buried Treasure for blending sounds, Dragons' Den for practising blending, and Picnic on Pluto for segmenting activities. Phase 1 includes Sound Starters for vocabulary development and Cake Bake for rhyming, whilst later phases use similar formats with increased complexity.
Teachers should combine 15-minute PhonicsPlay digital sessions with physical activities like Writer's Block exercises for segmenting sounds. This balanced approach ensures children benefit from interactive technology whilst still developing tactile learning skills through manipulative activities.
Teachers need to understand the Letters and Sounds phases (2-5) and recognise when students are ready to progress between phases. They should also grasp the three core phonics skills: GPCs (Grapheme-Phoneme Correspondences), blending sounds to read words, and segmenting words for spelling.
English schools place a strong emphasis on developing phonics skills. These units of sound are the 'building blocks of learning' and must be mastered at a young age. reading and writing abilities are built on solid phonics knowledge. PhonicsPlay uses interactive experiences to make learning fun.
PhonicsPlay Limited is a teaching resource website with classroom materials in the form of downloadable and interactive phonics games across the phases of 'Letters and Sounds'. The website is run by Rosanna Springham, an experienced literacy teacher. Her husband Justin Springham handles customer service.
The teaching resources were free to access with a basic account, while premium features require a school subscription.
Teachers should use PhonicsPlay's scaffolding approach that starts with simple letter sounds and progresses to complex patterns through interactive games. The platform follows a systematic step-by-step method where children learn to crack the code of written language through engaging digital activities. Sessions of 15 minutes using PhonicsPlay games have been shown to be more effective than traditional phonics drills.
In the past, many people believed there was no need to teach phonics. Now it is widely accepted that these skills must be taught clearly and step by step. A written language is a type of code, and teaching phonics involves cracking that code.
PhonicsPlay helps children learn the simple parts first through a scaffolding approach and then progress to more complex ones.
PhonicsPlay Teaching Resources
Many people think teaching phonics is difficult. But step into a PhonicsPlay lesson and you will find it is made up of actions, songs, and games lasting 15-20 minutes a day. When children learn phonics in a playful way, they are happy to practice on their own.
Teachers need to understand the Letters and Sounds phases (2-5) and how phonics units serve as building blocks for reading and writing. PhonicsPlay automatically adjusts game complexity based on these phases, but teachers must know when students are ready to progress. The platform provides guidance on sound patterns and blending techniques that align with English school curriculum requirements.
In recent years, there has been a big shift in how children learn to read in schools. Phonics is a recommended way to help students learn. Alongside other methods like Shared Reading and Guided Reading, phonics develops a real love for reading and helps build .
PhonicsPlay offers interactive games like Buried Treasure that teach sound blending, word recognition, and decoding skills across all phonics phases. Games automatically adjust difficulty levels while maintaining familiar formats to keep children engaged. The platform includes both downloadable resources and online interactive experiences that make learning phonics fun for reluctant readers.
Teaching phonics through games makes learning as fun as possible. Teachers and parents can visit phonicsplay.co.uk to access many interactive games for each phase.
These games are similar to earlier phases, but the complexity increases step by step. This gives children time to practice new skills. The familiar games mean children can focus on learning objectives rather than how to play.
Words are made up of small units of sound called phonemes. Phonics helps children listen carefully and identify the phonemes in a word. This helps them learn to spell and read properly.
Phonics lessons teach three things:
Learning phonics is easier in some languages because each sound matches one spelling. In English, this is not the case. There are about 44 phonemes but 120 ways to write them. With only 26 letters, many graphemes include more than one letter.
Another challenge is that some graphemes can represent more than one sound. For example, 'ch' sounds different in chef, school, and chip.
Some digraphs (two-letter graphemes) include: ay, oo, th, ch. Some graphemes have three or even four letters.
PhonicsPlay premium features save teachers over 2 hours weekly by providing ready-made interactive resources that engage even reluctant readers. The subscription unlocks advanced games with automatic difficulty adjustment and comprehensive tracking tools. Schools gain access to the complete three-step phonics formula that helps struggling readers master complex sound patterns through gamified learning.
PhonicsPlay is also available as an app. Children can learn and play on their own. For teachers or parents unsure about teaching phonics, the apps offer a great way to .
PhonicsPlay Comics are easy-to-read comics with familiar characters. They are brief, engaging, and can be printed or read on screen. The comics give children a chance to practice skills they learn in school.
Teachers frequently ask about balancing PhonicsPlay screen time with hands-on activities and how to navigate progression between phases. The recommended approach is 15-minute digital sessions combined with physical activities like Writer's Block exercises. PhonicsPlay is run by experienced literacy teacher Rosanna Springham and offers both free basic accounts and premium school subscriptions.
Teachers can integrate PhonicsPlay's digital games with hands-on activities like Writer's Block and traditional phonics exercises for balanced learning. The platform works best when combined with physical letter manipulation, group reading activities, and writing practice. This multi-sensory approach reinforces the phonics skills learned through PhonicsPlay's interactive games while addressing different learning styles.
If you are concerned about screen time, have a look at our Writer's Block classroom tool. These building blocks make learning interactive. Many teachers reported that too much screen time during the pandemic affected because younger pupils had fewer chances to talk.
Our block building tool helps children talk about their learning. As they build, they talk and explain their connections. The brightly coloured blocks help children spot spelling patterns and make generalisations. You can find out more about the classroom strategy on our website.
The idea is based on the notion that children need to break down and build up what they learn. We cannot learn for them. Their understanding must be carefully constructed and guided by us, the educators.
PhonicsPlay is an online teaching resource website that provides downloadable and interactive phonics games across all phases of 'Letters and Sounds'. It was created by Rosanna Springham, an experienced literacy teacher, with her husband Justin handling customer service.
PhonicsPlay sessions should last 15-20 minutes daily, as research shows these short digital sessions are more effective than traditional phonics drills. The interactive games keep children engaged and happy to practise independently, making learning playful rather than tedious.
Free accounts provide access to basic games and resources, whilst premium subscriptions offer exclusive access to the latest games, advanced features with automatic difficulty adjustment, and comprehensive tracking tools. Premium subscriptions cost £60 per year for whole schools or £6 for individuals, and can save teachers over 2 hours weekly in preparation time.
PhonicsPlay uses familiar game formats whilst automatically adjusting complexity as children move from Phase 2 to Phase 5. This scaffolding approach allows children to focus on learning objectives rather than figuring out new game mechanics, providing step-by-step progression through increasingly complex sound patterns.
PhonicsPlay offers games like Buried Treasure for blending sounds, Dragons' Den for practising blending, and Picnic on Pluto for segmenting activities. Phase 1 includes Sound Starters for vocabulary development and Cake Bake for rhyming, whilst later phases use similar formats with increased complexity.
Teachers should combine 15-minute PhonicsPlay digital sessions with physical activities like Writer's Block exercises for segmenting sounds. This balanced approach ensures children benefit from interactive technology whilst still developing tactile learning skills through manipulative activities.
Teachers need to understand the Letters and Sounds phases (2-5) and recognise when students are ready to progress between phases. They should also grasp the three core phonics skills: GPCs (Grapheme-Phoneme Correspondences), blending sounds to read words, and segmenting words for spelling.
