Word Reading
Reception · English
Listen for sounds, read words and enjoy stories.
Choose a game
Take your time, try a game and collect stars.
Hear it and read it
Listen to a short word like sat or fish, then find the written word in this free Reception phonics game.
Play Hear it and read itRead and match
Sound out cat, dog and sun, then match each word to its picture in this free Reception reading game.
Play Read and match
Learning about word reading
These Reception English games practise Hear it and read it, Read and match. Choose a game above for a short activity, or explore the examples below before you play. The full guide for each game explains its controls, gives more examples and includes a free printable for practice away from the screen.
Talk it through
Sit together and read the cards aloud. Say the sounds, not the letter names: “c-a-t, cat”. Keep sessions short and stop while it is still fun.
Ask: “What sound can you hear at the start?” Give your child time to explain. Return to an example after playing and ask whether they would approach it differently.
Hear it and read it
Children hear a short word, such as sat or fish, and find the written word. It links what they hear with the letters they are learning in phonics.
Try an example: Listen: sat
s-a-t blends to sat.
Show the answer
sat
What to look out for
Guessing from the first letter only Sound out every letter, left to right.
Read and match
Children sound out a short word, such as cat or bus, and match it to its picture. It shows that the words they blend have meaning.
Try an example: cat
c-a-t blends to cat.
Show the answer
🐱
What to look out for
Guessing from the picture Read the word first, then look for the picture.
Practise away from the screen
- Say a word in sounds (c-a-t) and ask your child to blend it.
- Label toys with short words for your child to read and match.
Ready for more phonics?
When these feel easy, try the Year 1 phonics games. They use the same spoken words.
Curriculum connections
These games support selected practice connected to the Word reading early learning goal in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework for England. The goals describe what children are expected to know and do by the end of Reception. A game offers a few playful examples; it does not assess a goal.
Questions families ask
Where should we start with word reading?
Start with Hear it and read it. Look at the worked example together, then try a round. If the task feels unfamiliar, use the full game guide or its free printable before trying again.
Does this cover everything taught at this level?
No. These games give short, playful practice. Reception learning is mostly hands-on play, talk and stories, so use the games alongside those, not instead of them.