For Parents

Help your child strengthen their literacy skills at any stage of development.

Your family plays a big role in helping your child learn to read and write. With the right phonics activities at home, you can support your child’s literacy development and academic success. The more you understand how and why phonics instruction works, the better you can facilitate effective and meaningful learning experiences with your family. 

To help your child practice phonics at home, read our insights for parents below! You can also browse our phonics program reviews for more.

Phonics Education for Families

Explore the 2025 updates to phonics research since the National Reading Panel. See what science reveals about reading instruction.

The 2025 National Reading Panel Update: What’s Changed in Phonics Research?

Has our understanding of phonics instruction changed since the landmark National Reading Panel Report...

Discover proven free and low-cost phonics resources for parents. From library programs to DIY activities, learn how to support your child's reading without breaking the bank.

Phonics on a Budget: Free and Low-Cost Resources

You want to give your child the best start in reading, but phonics programs...

Discover 10 perfect back-to-school books for preschoolers that ease first-day jitters and build excitement for classroom adventures.

Back to School: Preschool Book Ideas

Starting preschool is a huge milestone for your little one! One day, they’re home...

Discover what kindergarten phonics skills your child should master. A parent's guide to letter sounds, blending, and reading milestones.

Kindergarten Phonics Skills: What’s Expected?

Your five-year-old just started kindergarten, and suddenly everyone is talking about phonics. You might...

Discover practical ways to build phonics skills through everyday activities like cooking and crafts with your child.

Building Phonics Skills Through Cooking, Crafts, and Daily Activities

Have you ever noticed how children can recite entire commercial jingles after hearing them...

Discover how audiobooks and phonics work together for young readers and learn practical strategies to balance listening and systematic reading instruction.

Audiobooks and Phonics: Friend or Foe for Developing Readers?

Your five-year-old sits captivated, listening to a beautifully narrated story about dragons and brave...

Discover the truth about AI reading apps for phonics instruction and learn how to choose apps that truly support systematic, evidence-based reading development.

AI Reading Apps: Promise vs. Reality for Phonics Instruction

The latest AI-powered reading app promises to transform your child’s phonics learning with personalized...

End preschool and kindergarten phonics homework battles with 6 peaceful strategies. Transform tears into success using play-based approaches.

Homework Battles: Making Phonics Practice Peaceful and Productive

Five-year-old Jake loves learning at school, but the moment his phonics worksheet appears at...

Grandparents as reading partners? Try these 8 fun phonics activities to boost literacy and build lasting bonds.

Grandparents as Reading Partners: Simple Phonics Activities for Any Age

When four-year-old Emma visits Grandma Sarah, magic happens. They curl up in the old...

Transform your child's reading with 10 powerful 15-minute phonics activities. Maximum learning impact in minimal time for busy families.

15-Minute Phonics: Maximum Impact Reading Practice for Busy Families

Between soccer practice, dinner prep, and bedtime routines, finding time for phonics practice can...

Teaching Phonics to Specialized Populations: Adapting Instruction for Every Learner

Teaching Phonics to Specialized Populations: Adapting Instruction for Every Learner

Your third grader still struggles to decode simple words. Your English language learner confuses similar sounds. Your high schooler avoids reading aloud at all costs. These scenarios play out in…

Digital Phonics Games: Which Ones Actually Follow Science?

Digital Phonics Games: Which Ones Actually Follow Science?

You’re scrolling through educational apps at 10 PM, reading glowing reviews and watching demo videos of animated characters celebrating correct answers. This one promises to teach your child to read…

Screen Time vs. Sound Time: The Phonics Balance

Screen Time vs. Sound Time: The Phonics Balance

It’s 6:30 PM on a Tuesday. Dinner’s cooking, work emails are piling up, and your five-year-old is restless. You hand over the tablet loaded with that phonics app everyone recommends.…

Systematic Phonics for Homeschoolers: Building Readers Step by Step

Systematic Phonics for Homeschoolers: Building Readers Step by Step

Your kindergartener knows the alphabet song by heart. She can identify most letters when you point to them. She’s even started recognizing her name in print. So why does she…

Teaching Phonics to Students with Down Syndrome

Teaching Phonics to Students with Down Syndrome

Imagine it: a child with Down syndrome proudly reading their favorite book aloud, pointing to each word with growing confidence. This isn’t just a hopeful dream. It’s an achievable reality.…

Gamification in Phonics: What Motivates Students?

Gamification in Phonics: What Motivates Students?

Your kindergartener rushes to the tablet each morning, eager to earn more badges in their phonics app. Two months later, they barely glance at it. What happened? This scenario plays…

Morphophonemic Awareness: The Missing Link in Upper Elementary

Morphophonemic Awareness: The Missing Link in Upper Elementary

Your fourth grader breezes through simple stories but stumbles over science textbooks. She can decode “cat” and “jump” perfectly, but falls apart when facing “ecosystem” or “photosynthesis.” This may not…

Memory and Phonics: Why Some Kids Forget Letter Sounds

Memory and Phonics: Why Some Kids Forget Letter Sounds

Your child confidently identifies the letter M on Monday. By Wednesday, they stare at the same letter as if they’ve never seen it before. You wonder if you’re doing something…

Organizing Your Home Reading Space for the New Year

Organizing Your Home Reading Space for the New Year

January brings fresh energy and clean slates. You’ve organized closets, cleared out old toys, and maybe even tackled that junk drawer. But have you looked at your child’s reading materials…

Setting Realistic Phonics Milestones for Your Child

Setting Realistic Phonics Milestones for Your Child

New Year’s resolutions aren’t just for adults. January offers the perfect opportunity to set meaningful reading goals for your child. The key isn’t setting ambitious targets that lead to frustration.…