Counting through everyday play
Practical ways to explore small quantities with your child, from touching each object once to matching a group with a number card.
Read the guide ↗Read, try, make it your own
A little support for the grown-ups.
Choose a small idea, see how it works and make it your own. Practical guides for shared learning, with original activities and free resources.
Fresh ideas to try
A useful place to start.
Helping children recognize letters
Start with a few meaningful letters, play matching games and make the difference between recognizing, naming and writing letters clear.
Read the guide ↗
Learning colors through play
Use real objects, clear color cards and simple experiments to explore color words without turning play into a quiz.
Read the guide ↗Shapes, colors and patterns
Choose playful matching, mixing and pattern activities, with clear examples and flexible ways to make the task easier or harder.
Learning colors through play
Use real objects, clear color cards and simple experiments to explore color words without turning play into a quiz.
Read the guide ↗Counting and early math
Help children connect amounts, number words and written numerals through practical games and original printable resources.
Counting through everyday play
Practical ways to explore small quantities with your child, from touching each object once to matching a group with a number card.
Read the guide ↗Letters and reading
Find practical support for letter recognition, spoken sound games and early reading, while following your child’s setting where it uses a phonics programme.
Helping children recognize letters
Start with a few meaningful letters, play matching games and make the difference between recognizing, naming and writing letters clear.
Read the guide ↗
Supporting phonics at home
A calm starting point for parents: understand letter names and sounds, follow the school’s approach and keep shared reading enjoyable.
Read the guide ↗
Where to find official Read Write Inc. help
Find the official parent guides, pronunciation support and school-matched resources, with a practical plan for choosing what to use at home.
Read the guide ↗Play, feelings and routines
Make everyday moments easier to talk about with short activities, useful picture sequences and flexible preparation for school.
Starting school: a gentle readiness guide
A flexible, practical guide to starting school: familiar routines, asking for help, everyday independence and working with your child’s setting.
Read the guide ↗Words and the world
Use familiar objects, local observations and everyday conversations to explore words, weather and time.
Learning the days of the week
Make day names useful with a small weekly display, familiar events and simple today-and-tomorrow conversations.
Read the guide ↗Start with something useful today
You do not need to work through these guides in a set order. Choose the question you have now, check the starting skills or materials, and adapt the example to your child. The resource pages show what is in each printable before you download it.
For letters, sounds and handwriting, follow the approach your child’s setting uses. These are independent activities for a grown-up to choose and lead.
Explore the free activities ↗