Our Programmes – Bringing Phonics to Life Through Drama
At Play Phonics, we believe learning to read should be an adventure. That’s why Sammy Sounds visits your school or nursery once a week, taking children on an exciting journey to Phonics Land. Sammy Sounds has a problem—she’s lost all of her sound friends and needs the children’s help to find them! Over a course of weekly sessions, a talented actor-teacher will lead children through this fun-filled adventure to Phonics Land, introducing a new phonic sound each time.
Each session combines drama, interactive fun, and hands-on learning to help children blend, segment, and decode words.
With Sammy Sounds, children have so much fun they have no idea they are learning, which means they soak up the teaching effortlessly and develop a lifelong love of reading.
Nursery:
Once a week, one of our talented actor-teachers will visit your nursery, stepping into the role of Sammy Sounds to lead an exciting adventure in Phonics Land. Each 30-minute session is packed with drama and fun, designed for up to 15 children per session.
Course Duration: Minimum 10-week blocks (can be extended for the full year)
Session Duration: 30 minutes
Pupils per Session: 15 children (maximum)
Phase 1 – For Toddlers
These sessions are perfect for toddlers, focusing on developing listening and speaking skills. Children will learn to tune into sounds, explore alliteration and rhythm, and engage in sound discrimination—all through drama and adventure! This phase provides a solid foundation for moving into Phase 2 when children are ready.
In addition to meeting the EYFS phonics criteria, our Phase 1 sessions also nurture communication skills, physical development, and drama experience.
Phase 2 – For Preschoolers
In Phase 2, children continue developing their phonics skills while being gently introduced to initial letter sounds. Preschoolers will start to recognise letter shapes and the sounds they correspond with, along with fun blending and segmenting exercises. Drama, singing, and puppetry make learning these skills enjoyable and memorable.
These sessions are designed to help children build confidence in phonics, creating a love of letters, words, and stories—setting them up for success in big school!
Schools:
Play Phonics is the perfect supplementary resource, designed to complement any other phonics programme while bringing a fresh, engaging twist to early literacy.
Phase 2 (For Reception)
Our Phase 2 programme for Reception introduces children to letter/sound correspondences through fun and interactive activities. This course also covers letter formation, blending, and segmenting, with plenty of drama, songs, and role-play. These sessions set children up for confidence in phonics, preparing them for the more complex sounds of Phase 3.
Course Duration: 10 weekly sessions
Session Duration: 55 minutes
Max. Pupils per Session: 30
Phase 3
(For Reception or Year 1)
In Phase 3, children will learn all Phase 3 letter/sound correspondences using a multi-sensory, drama-based approach. These sessions include letter formation as well as blending/segmenting skills, while supporting communication, language development, and physical movement. Children will gain a strong foundation for moving on to Phase 4 and beyond.
Course Duration: 12 weekly sessions
Session Duration: 1 hour
Max. Pupils per Session: 30
Year 1 Screening Booster
(For Year 1)
This course helps children build confidence ahead of the Phonics Screening Check. It covers Phase 3 and Phase 5 digraphs (including split digraphs) and uses an active, fun, multi-sensory approach to teach letter/sound correspondences. The focus is on building phonics knowledge and motivating children to become confident, fluent readers.
Course Duration: 14 sessions
Session Duration: 1 hour
Max. Pupils per Session: 20
Why Choose Play Phonics?
Play Phonics is more than just a phonics programme—it’s a dynamic, adventure-filled experience that makes learning to read something children can’t wait to do. Whether it’s their first introduction to phonics or a fun way to reinforce what they’ve already learned, our sessions bring the sounds to life through drama, imagination, and play.
Each session is carefully designed to spark excitement, boost confidence, and help children master phonics skills effortlessly. By combining hands-on learning with storytelling and role-play, we ensure that every child is not only building their phonics knowledge but also developing a love for reading. With Play Phonics, children are prepared for the next steps in their learning journey—and they’ll have a blast while doing it!
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