Reading/ phonics apps? Reception age

[GnarlyOldGoatDude]

Any suggestions would be great please! DS2 is a late summer born and very happy at school, but can barely do any phonics or letter writing. I know he'll get there eventually in his own sweet time, but he also loves playing on tablets, so would be great if anyone had any recommendations. I've got the hairy letters one. Thanks in advance

[bingandflop]

It's not an app but reading eggs is great (is a website). My daughter is in yr R and loves it. The school recommended it

[PrincessHairyMclary]

Reading eggs also do lots of apps for both literacy and numeracy. Did loved it, some people don't recommend it because as an international programme it's not taught in the specific way phonics is taught in the UK. How ever I think the more tools you give a child to learn the better, we don't all learn the same way.

As he gets older Squeebles is brilliant for spellings.

[Hulababy]

You could try PocketPhonics or Twinkl Phonics Suite.

[Runningincircles]

Reading eggs is fantastic and is often on offer on the Little Bird site. Maybe sign up for the free trial and then buy a subscription through Little Bird if you like it.
Teach Your Monster To Read is really good too and is free.

[GnarlyOldGoatDude]

Brilliant thank you. School have mentioned they're doing a trial of the reading eggs too to try and help him.

I'd read about teach your monster too, it's only free on a PC though and the iPad app seems to get b mixed reviews.

Thank you all

[Ferguson]

If he is also prepared to look at a Phonics Dictionary, this may be useful:

An inexpensive and easy to use book, that can encourage children with reading, spelling and writing, and really help them to understand Phonics, is reviewed in the MN Book Reviews section. Just search ‘Phonics’ and my name.

[Nectarines]

You can download Collins Big Cat books from App Store. Interactive phonic reading books.

[GnarlyOldGoatDude]

Thank you, those sound great.

Have signed up for the free trial of reading eggs, and he's loving it so far- very engaged. Fingers crossed it helps him get the hang of it!

[Normanpriceisnotarolemodel]

My pirate mad 4 year old really enjoyed the pirate phonics apps.

[GnarlyOldGoatDude]

Thank you, Pirates would be appreciated by my DS too

[mrz]

As a teacher I would advise being very aware that most if the apps and online programmes are from the US where phonics teaching us very different to that of the U.K. Anything that includes learning whole words or rhyming families should be used with caution.

For beginner readers the Sounds Write app is excellent but only available for iPads unfortunately .

[GnarlyOldGoatDude]

Thank you, appreciate the opinion from teaching perspective. I'll look up that app, The school mentioned reading eggs so hopefully that'll be ok.

[PagesOfABook]

For me the Jolly Phonics app was the best I came across. It was clear and simple - and teaches the first 42 letter sounds

jollylearning.co.uk/jolly-phonics-letter-sounds-app-2/

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

DD is late Aug and wouldn't do phonics sounds at all until Year1. We used Reading Eggs too which helped loads.

She's now in the top half of her class for reading (Year2). She just clicked with it eventually.

[mrz]

Reading Eggs is a US product revised for UK market (voice changed not content)