Your Guide to Phonics and Reading Success

Phonics and Reading Support at Busy Busy Learning

Welcome to the Phonics and Reading Homepage. Whether you’re a parent, carer, home educator, or teacher, supporting a child as they learn to read can feel like a big responsibility – but it can also be a joyful, confidence-building journey. This page is here to help guide you through the key stages of early reading, with a gentle, informed approach that puts children’s needs and interests at the heart of learning.

If you’d like to dive straight into resources and blog posts head here.

At Busy Busy Learning, we believe in creating a love of reading from the very beginning. Our phonics and reading section brings together blog posts, downloadable resources, book recommendations, and play-based ideas that help children learn to decode, understand, and enjoy language at their own pace.

What You’ll Find on This Page

Today, this page is a growing hub of phonics and reading support, built around real-life experiences of helping children learn to read both in school and through home education. You’ll find honest insights into the highs and challenges of teaching phonics, as well as plenty of practical ideas you can try right away.

Each post is written with flexibility and accessibility in mind. Moreover there’s no one-size-fits-all approach here – just helpful tips and thoughtful reflections that can be adapted for different learners, including those who are neurodivergent, haven’t found their reading groove yet, or just not quite ready to jump into phonics.

Phonics Stages and Resources

Currently, the content is organised around the main phases of phonics as taught in the UK, especially following a Letters and Sounds style approach. You’ll find activities and advice grouped by phase – from Phase 1 listening skills all the way to Phase 5 alternative spellings. These posts include suggestions for games, sensory ideas, hands-on learning, and child-led exploration.

In addition, you’ll discover free downloadable phonics resources, such as:

Letter and sound cards
Phoneme-grapheme mapping sheets
Printable games
Word-building activities
Decodable reading support

These resources are designed to be simple to use and engaging for children. This is especially true when paired with play-based learning or daily routines.

Reading for Pleasure

Beyond decoding, developing a love of books and stories is at the heart of everything we do. Busy Busy Learning also includes recommendations for high-quality picture books. As well as beginner readers, tips for using book-based play to support comprehension, and ideas for bringing stories to life through discussion, drama, or small world play.

You’ll also find gentle guidance on reading readiness – how to tell when a child is developmentally ready to start phonics, and what to do if they’re not. Our goal is to encourage confidence and connection, rather than rushing through levels or meeting artificial milestones.

Learning to read is a process, not a race. Whether your child is just beginning their phonics journey or building fluency and comprehension, Busy Busy Learning is here to support you. Check back regularly for new resources and blog posts – or explore our related categories below to dive even deeper into the wonderful world of words.

Phonics & Reading Homepage Resources & Posts

This homepage will help you navigate the different resources available. Click on the image or heading to be taken to the page you wish to explore more. We also love Phonics Play for quick games.