It is made for ages three to five, and suits six year olds who want more practice.

Does my child need to read?

No. Questions are spoken and answers are pictures, so no reading is needed.

No. The areas for children show no ads.

Yes. It is free in your browser, with no download and no account needed.

Letter sounds at the start of words, listening, and rhyming: the groundwork for learning to read.

First Sounds

Kids

About First Sounds

Phonics before reading. The question is spoken ("which one starts with buh?") and the answers are pictures, so a four-year-old can play it alone. A second level swaps sounds for rhymes.

First Sounds is a phonics game for children aged three to five. The question is spoken aloud, such as which picture starts with a "buh" sound, and the answers are pictures, so a child can play alone before they can read. A second level swaps first sounds for rhymes.

Tips

Sit with your child for the first few rounds and say the sound together, stretching it out.
Tap the big letter to hear the sound again. Repeating it is part of the learning, not a failure.
Say the name of each picture out loud before choosing. Hearing the word helps a child hear its first sound.
Move to the rhyming level once first sounds feel easy. Rhyme is the next step towards reading.
Short sessions work best at this age. A few minutes a day beats a long sitting.

Questions

What age is it for?: It is made for ages three to five, and suits six year olds who want more practice.
Does my child need to read?: No. Questions are spoken and answers are pictures, so no reading is needed.
Are there ads?: No. The areas for children show no ads.
Is it free?: Yes. It is free in your browser, with no download and no account needed.
What does it teach?: Letter sounds at the start of words, listening, and rhyming: the groundwork for learning to read.