Free · 24 lessons · ages 4–8

Phonics for kids — free phonics course with sounds and pictures

Letter sounds, short vowels, CVC words, rhymes, word families, sight words, digraphs, blends, magic e and vowel teams — 24 short lessons where children listen, look at pictures and tap the answer. Every lesson has fresh practice every time, “Show me how” help, a 20-question test, a badge, printable phonics worksheets and free certificates.

🔤 Quick check: Beginning sounds a–f

How this course works

  1. 1. Learn the ideaRead the short lesson and the rule.
  2. 2. Watch it workAn animated example, step by step.
  3. 3. PractiseFresh questions — “Show me how” if stuck.
  4. 4. Take the test20 questions — 16 right to pass.
  5. 5. Earn a badgeOne badge for every lesson.
  6. 6. Get a certificateFinish a part, get its certificate.

The 24 lessons

Each lesson has the idea, a worked example, unlimited practice with “Show me how”, a 20-question test and worksheets. Pass a lesson’s test to earn its badge; pass every lesson in a part to earn that part’s certificate (sign in to keep badges, certificates and progress).

Part 1 · Letter sounds

Ages 4–6 — the first sound of words for every letter a to z, short vowel sounds in the middle, and ending sounds.

  1. Lesson 1 Beginning sounds a–f Which picture starts like “ball”? → bus
  2. Lesson 2 Beginning sounds g–l Which word starts with the letter “g”? → goat
  3. Lesson 3 Beginning sounds m–r 🐒 _onkey — which letter is missing? → m
  4. Lesson 4 Beginning sounds s–z Which picture starts like “sun”? → sock
  5. Lesson 5 Short vowel middle sounds 🐷 p _ g — which letter is missing? → i
  6. Lesson 6 Ending sounds Which picture ends like “cat”? → nut
  7. Lesson 7 Practice: letter sounds 🐶 d o _ — which letter is missing? → g

Part 2 · Blending and words

Ages 5–7 — reading CVC words with short a, e, i, o and u, rhyming words, word families, and two lists of sight words.

  1. Lesson 8 CVC words with short a 🐱 Which word is this? → cat
  2. Lesson 9 CVC words with short e and i 🐔 h _ n — which letter is missing? → e
  3. Lesson 10 CVC words with short o and u 🚌 Which word is this? → bus
  4. Lesson 11 Rhyming words Which picture rhymes with “cat”? → hat
  5. Lesson 12 Word families Which word is in the “-ug” family? → hug
  6. Lesson 13 Sight words set 1 ___ cat is on the mat. → The
  7. Lesson 14 Sight words set 2 ___ is my book? → Where
  8. Lesson 15 Practice: blending ⛵ “boat” — which picture rhymes with it? → coat

Part 3 · Digraphs and long vowels

Ages 6–8 — sh, ch, th, wh, ph, ck and ng, consonant blends, magic e, vowel teams, r-controlled vowels, syllables and reading short sentences.

  1. Lesson 16 sh, ch, th 🐑 _ _eep — which two letters are missing? → sh
  2. Lesson 17 wh, ph, ck, ng Which picture ends like “duck”? → sock
  3. Lesson 18 Consonant blends 🦀 _ _ab — which two letters are missing? → cr
  4. Lesson 19 Magic e Add a magic e to “kit”. Which word do you get? → kite
  5. Lesson 20 Vowel teams 🐐 g_ _t — which two letters are missing? → oa
  6. Lesson 21 R-controlled vowels 🚗 c_ _ — which two letters are missing? → ar
  7. Lesson 22 Syllables Clap the beats in “banana”. How many beats? → 3
  8. Lesson 23 Reading short sentences Read: “The cat is on the mat.” Which picture shows it? → cat
  9. Lesson 24 Final phonics test 🪁 k _ t e — which letter is missing? → i

What is phonics, and how does it help my child read?

Phonics teaches children that letters stand for sounds. Once a child knows that c, a and t say their own sounds, they can blend them — c-a-t — into “cat”, and read words they have never seen before. That is why most schools start reading with phonics: first the single letter sounds, then three-letter (CVC) words, rhymes and word families, a few “sight words” that are learnt by heart, and later the two-letter sounds (sh, ch, th), blends (cr, st), magic e (cap → cape), vowel teams (ai, ee, oa) and syllables. This free course follows that order for ages 4–8: Part 1 (ages 4–6) is letter sounds, Part 2 (ages 5–7) is blending and words, and Part 3 (ages 6–8) is digraphs and long vowels. Young children cannot read the questions yet, so the page speaks each question aloud and shows pictures. Sit with your child for 10 minutes a day: listen together, say each word slowly, and let your child tap the answer. Praise every try — reading grows from many small wins.

Free phonics worksheets (PDF)

40 questions per sheet with an answer key — print, save as PDF or solve online.

Phonics classes near you — online or at home

Prefer a real teacher? TalentJR teachers take live online classes anywhere in India and visit homes in selected cities. Tell us what you need and our team will call you with timings and fees.

Live online classesSmall groups or 1:1 with a teacher, from home, any city.
Teacher at homeA TalentJR teacher visits your home (selected cities).
At a centreClasses at a TalentJR partner centre near you, where available.
How would you like classes?
My learning Progress in every course, time spent, badges, certificates and where to continue. Spoken English for kids Next step: say words and sentences aloud and get speaking stars. Spelling Challenge game Hear the word, spell it with letter tiles.

Phonics for Kids questions

What is phonics for kids?

Phonics teaches children the sounds that letters make, and how to blend those sounds into words: c-a-t → cat. It is how most schools in India and around the world teach reading. This free course goes from letter sounds to digraphs, magic e and vowel teams, with pictures and a voice.

Bachche ko phonics kaise sikhaye? (Hindi)

रोज़ 10 मिनट बच्चे के साथ बैठें। पहले अक्षरों की आवाज़ (a for apple, b for ball) सिखाएँ, फिर तीन अक्षर वाले शब्द जैसे c-a-t जोड़कर पढ़वाएँ। तस्वीर देखकर शब्द बोलें, धीरे-धीरे हर आवाज़ सुनें और हर सही जवाब पर शाबाशी दें। इस कोर्स में हर सवाल बोलकर सुनाया जाता है।

What is the right age to start phonics?

Most children are ready between 4 and 5 years, once they know some letters and enjoy rhymes. This course is for ages 4–8: Part 1 (letter sounds) suits ages 4–6, Part 2 (blending, rhymes, sight words) ages 5–7, and Part 3 (digraphs, blends, magic e, vowel teams) ages 6–8.

My child cannot read yet. Can they still use this course?

Yes. The page reads every question aloud with the 🔊 button and shows a picture next to each answer, so children can listen and tap. Sit with your child, say each word slowly together, and let them choose.

What are CVC words?

CVC words have a consonant, a vowel and a consonant: cat, pig, dog, bus, hen. They are the first words children read by blending sounds. Lessons 8–10 practise CVC words with every short vowel.

What are sight words?

Sight words are very common small words — the, is, said, was, they — that children learn to recognise at a glance, because many cannot be sounded out easily. Lessons 13 and 14 cover two sets with sentence practice.

How do I get a phonics certificate?

Sign in and pass the 20-question test of a lesson (16 or more right) to earn its badge. Pass every lesson in a part — Part 1 is lessons 1–7, Part 2 is 8–15, Part 3 is 16–24 — and you get that part’s certificate, with a code anyone can check.

Are there printable phonics worksheets?

Yes. Every lesson has free printable phonics worksheets with 40 questions and an answer key — CVC words worksheets, rhyming words worksheets, sight words printables, digraphs worksheets and more. Print them, save them as PDF or solve them online.

Is this phonics course free?

Yes. All 24 lessons, practice, tests, worksheets, badges and certificates are free. Classes with a TalentJR teacher (online or at home) are paid — request a call back for fees.

Are there phonics classes near me?

TalentJR teachers take live online phonics classes anywhere in India and visit homes in selected cities. Use the call-back form on this page and our team will call you.