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

Help your child master digraphs and trigraphs with fun, interactive activities to boost reading skills.

Digraphs and Trigraphs: A Parent’s Guide

Is your child starting to read words with letter combinations like ‘sh’ or ‘ch’?...

young girl on a video call with an English teacher for remote learning

How to Find a Phonics Tutor: Tips for Parents

Phonics is a major aspect of your child’s early education. It equips them with...

mom and her daughter having fun practicing handwriting with colored pencils

Phonics and Handwriting: Make It Fun!

Phonics and handwriting are closely intertwined. Because phonics is how children learn to read...

mom with three young children reading a children's book together

Fun Phonics Practice Ideas for the Holidays

The holidays are an exciting time for rest and quality time with family. For...

children sitting at a classroom table playing with English alphabet cards

Literacy Development & Phonics for English Language Learners

English Language Learners (ELLs) face unique challenges when developing literacy skills in a new...

mom and her 3 year old playing educational game

Phonics for 3-Year-Olds

Parents play one of the most significant roles in a child’s early literacy development....

Phonics.org: The Ultimate List of Phonics App Reviews 

The Phonics.org team is dedicated to helping parents and teachers navigate the many different...

young girl writing with a crayon

When Do Children Start Writing Sentences?

Learning how to write is a gradual process for children. If you’re a parent...

Basic Transcription Skills in Spelling and Writing

Transcription skills are a big part of a child’s journey into literacy, playing a...

child reading with headphones on a tablet

Top 5 Reading Apps for Kids

With so many educational apps available, it can be tricky to figure out which...

Best Books for Teaching Phonics Skills

Best Books for Teaching Phonics Skills

Learning to read is one of childhood’s greatest adventures, and the right books can transform phonics instruction from mechanical practice into magical discovery. While worksheets and flashcards have their place,…

Speech Sound Development Chart: What Parents Need to Know

Speech Sound Development Chart: What Parents Need to Know

Learning to speak is one of the most remarkable feats of early childhood. As parents, those first babbles and words are magical moments we treasure forever. But did you know…

The Wonderful World of Nonsense: Using Jabberwocky to Boost Early Reading Skills

The Wonderful World of Nonsense: Using Jabberwocky to Boost Early Reading Skills

The strange creatures and bizarre vocabulary of The Jabberwocky offer more than just giggles—they provide a unique opportunity to strengthen your child’s phonics abilities. There’s something magical about the way…

Silent E Words Help Your Child Master Long Vowel Sounds

Silent E Words Help Your Child Master Long Vowel Sounds

Learning to read involves many small steps that build upon each other. Among these important building blocks is understanding the silent e rule – one of the first “tricky” phonics…

Scope and Sequence for Early Reading: Your Guide to Phonics Instruction

Scope and Sequence for Early Reading: Your Guide to Phonics Instruction

Did you know that there’s a scientific roadmap for teaching children to read? Many parents feel lost when their child struggles with reading, not realizing that following a systematic, explicit…

Short Vowel Sounds: A Parent’s Guide

Short Vowel Sounds: A Parent’s Guide

A child’s literacy journey begins with learning the fundamental building blocks of reading, and short vowel sounds are among the most critical first steps. As a parent, understanding these sounds…

What to Do When Reading Skills Regress

What to Do When Reading Skills Regress

Has your child suddenly started struggling with words they used to read with ease? Are they showing less interest in books they once loved? You might be witnessing what educators…

Root Word Meaning: Building Vocabulary Through Phonics

Root Word Meaning: Building Vocabulary Through Phonics

Have you ever watched your child struggle with an unfamiliar word, sounding it out letter by letter, only to miss its meaning entirely? While decoding words is a crucial first…

Building Reading Fluency at Home

Building Reading Fluency at Home

Remember that heart-warming moment when your child first recognized their name in print? The excitement in their eyes was undeniable! Now, as they’re sounding out c-a-t and d-o-g, you might…

Reading Comprehension Strategies: Building on Phonics Foundations

Reading Comprehension Strategies: Building on Phonics Foundations

Ever watched your child perfectly sound out every word in a story, only to have them stare blankly when you ask what the story was about? You’re not alone. This…