Mumsnet Talk

My son has started doing phonics this year and loves it. Are there any fun websites, preferably free, he can look at over the school holidays?

Our school recomments PhonicsPlay

Reading Eggs is good. They will give you a month's free trial, but my 5 year old DD loves it.

Try this:

http://www.letters-and-sounds.com/phase-2-games.html

My DD used to love it.

Thank you.

another vote for Reading Eggs, they always have good offers on and DS2 loves it.

try bug club.My DS school uses it

Not sure if this is on CBeebies any longer - but alphablocks was very helpful when my DD2 was in YR.

Link here: www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/alphablocks/

songs are very catchy. Cute shows and games. Doesn't feel like learning to the child.

HTH

DD liked Teach your monster to read

Mr Thorne Does Phonics

Am just marking my place so I can find this thread. Have been looking for phonics sites too

Wow Mr Thorne is on mumsnet!!

I am star struck

We have your ap on iPad and my twin boys love it. They (and I) and have learned so much from you over the past 18 months

They are now in reception learning to read and we use your ap whenever we get stuck on a diagraph.

I also use it as way of distracting the twin I am not reading with. Its hard doing reading practice with twins as the one you are not reading with always tries to muscle in and interupt. So now - while I read with one, the other gets to play with your ap.

I feel that I owe you so much in helping them master reading.

Thank you!

You're very welcome!

I'm so glad your children find it useful!

Merry Christmas

xx

Hairy Phonics is a brill iPhone app which my YR ds loves.

My children enjoyed Starfall.

another reading eggs fan here!

Hi this is for Mr Thorne:

You should be aware that mrz (a primary teacher) has been on here saying repeatedly she wouldn't recommend your website.

As a parent - given you're a TES expert, I find it really confusing to have teachers come on here and trash something that the Times Education Supplement is promoting. So I'm raising this with you. Link to discussion here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/a1382834-Year-one-child

I have raised this with Mumsnet because we parents have no real way of evaluating what is right - we just have to cast about until we stumble across something that works (often unaided by our schools).

.

Thanks PasrSellByDate and just for the record I wouldn't recommend other websites either including ReadingEggs and Starfall I think most websites, including Mr Thorne's, should carry a health warning ... use with caution.

"As a parent - given you're a TES expert" TES have regularly demonstrated they know very little about phonics so don't be surprised Past.

Thanks for the heads up.

I think that if a particular website/scheme works for you and your child then use it.

Not everyone is pro-phonics, I'm not necessarily pro-phonics but I know how to teach it well and all my website does it teach it well in small bite size videos.

Even the big names like Ruth Miskin and Debbie Hepplewhite have their doubters. Just use what works for you and your child

Mr T

I'm very much pro phonics ...which is why I give a health warning Mr Thorne

mrz OP here - my DS is really 'getting' phonics. Is there a website you would recommend? And what is the 'caution' that must be taken?

I think Mr Thorne has made positive contributions to raising the profile of phonics and as such I'm a fan but IMHO the site contains a number of inaccuracies ...(but I haven't sat and studied the site ) PastSellByDate is apparently still annoyed that I posted a comment in response to a post of hers quite some time ago

nosetnoonoo I'm afraid I haven't come across any site that I would whole heartedly recommend for children to use ...hence my health warning ... check out the accuracy of what your child is accessing and that they match the way your child is being taught

Starfall works well for us. DC are on RWI at school (Miskin).