Early Years Literacy — Reading, Phonics and Vocabulary

Early years literacy is built through three things: hearing stories, playing with sounds and seeing print every day. The resources below combine all three — story-led books, phonics-friendly activities and printables that turn everyday moments into reading practice.

Best for ages: 2–7 years

What children learn

• Letter shapes, sounds and early phonics
• Rhyme, rhythm and sound-spotting
• Vocabulary in story context
• Print awareness — left to right, sentences, story structure
• Love of reading and confidence with books

Related resources

• Rosie the Rabbit's Easter Kindness — A gentle Easter story about kindness, caring, and friendship.
• Tommy the Turtle's Time Machine — A playful introduction to the days of the week through writing skills, flashcards, and a weekly planner.
• Larry the Lamb's Alphabet Adventure — Learn the alphabet with Larry the Lamb through songs, worksheets, and activities.
• Grandad Frank's Farm Adventures — Join Grandad Frank for a fun-filled day on the farm learning about animals, crops, and countryside life.
• The Pop-Up Book Of Adventures — A magical pop-up style storybook packed with exciting adventures for older little ones.
• Sea Creatures Colouring In — A fun sea creatures colouring and tracing book featuring ocean animals like sharks, octopus, and jellyfish.
• Jackson the Juggernaut — A fun construction site adventure for little ones who love big machines!
• Corrie D's Plan B — The Sea — An underwater adventure exploring the wonders of the sea with Corrie D.
• Sunny Days & Beach Adventures — A sunny seaside story about Louis and Lois exploring the beach with buckets, spades, and big imaginations.
• Daisy and the Magic Wish-Tree — A magical woodland story about a little deer named Daisy who discovers a hidden wish-tree.
• The Secret Heart of the Rainforest — Join Lewis and Leyla on a thrilling adventure through the Costa Rican rainforest — white-water rafting, meeting sloths, and discovering an indigenous village!
• Bella's Big Flutter — A beautiful story about a little butterfly named Bella who dreams of flying to the big blue mountains.
• Flo's Shimmering Voyage — Join Flo the green-haired fairy on a magical voyage across shimmering seas — meeting singing gondoliers in Venice and tasting sweet Italian gelato.
• The Lost Kitten and the Kind Hedgehog — A charming story about a tiny kitten named Mittens who gets lost in the meadow and finds help from a kind hedgehog named Harry.
• The Curious Kids MEGA Learning Bundle — The ULTIMATE mega bundle — 6 character packs PLUS 5 colouring books, Easter activities, Jungle Animals Days of the Week & 2 FREE printable certificates! Over 260 pages of learning fun for just £19.99 (worth over £50!).
• Solar System Worksheet (Ages 4-7) — Learn about planets, the sun, and our solar system with fun writing and colouring activities for ages 4-7.
• Farm Learning Bundle — The ultimate farm bundle! Storybook, activity pack, alphabet adventures & colouring — everything farm-themed in one download.
• Reading Rockstar Certificate — Celebrate young readers with this stunning Reading Rockstar certificate — for children who read with passion and imagination!
• Animal Alphabet Lowercase Tracing Workbook — Step-by-step lowercase letter formation with cute animal illustrations. Perfect for home or classroom use.
• Number Tracing & Colouring Workbook — Trace numbers 1–10 with Bella the Butterfly's spots. Builds pencil control and confidence.

FAQs

How do children learn to read?

Most children learn to read through a combination of phonics (linking sounds to letters), rich exposure to stories and conversation, and lots of print in everyday life. It usually unfolds gradually between ages 4 and 7.

What is the best way to support early literacy at home?

Read aloud daily, talk about the story, point to words sometimes, sing rhymes, and keep books visible and easy to grab. Connection and enjoyment matter more than drill.