Phonics & Number DenPlay freeA grown-ups' guide to 10 minutes a day
Phonics & Number Den is built for little and often: a game or two of phonics and a game of maths, most days, with you nearby.
Getting started
- Open the app in your browser. There is nothing to sign up for.
- Pick your child's school year and the level for this half term: Level 1 is the autumn term's first half, Level 6 the summer's second half.
- Add it to your home screen if you like, so it opens like an app and plays offline.
A 10-minute routine
- Sit nearby for the first few goes, then let your child lead.
- Play one or two phonics games, then one maths game.
- Stop while it is still fun. Tomorrow's go matters more.
- Read the sounds and words you met together in books and on signs during the day.
The grown-ups area
The grown-ups area sits behind a quick grown-up question, so children stay in the games. In it you will find:
- Checks: a Sound Check that suggests a level, a practice phonics Screening Check, and Read to Me, where your child reads words aloud and you mark them.
- Progress: a record of the games played and the sounds that need more practice.
- Settings: backups, offline levels, home screen install and device lock tips.
See phonics, maths or every game.
Questions grown-ups ask
Is Phonics & Number Den free?
Yes. It is free to play in your web browser, with no adverts. Phone and tablet store versions are coming soon.
Does my child need an account?
No. There is no sign-up and no login. Open the app and start playing.
Where is my child's progress kept?
On your device, in the browser's own storage. It is not sent to a server. From the grown-ups area you can export a backup, restore it on another device, or reset it.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Each level is saved for offline play, with its voice clips and pictures, the first time it is opened with a connection. You can also add the app to your home screen.
Which level should my child start on?
Start in your child's school year at the level for the current half term. Every level is open, so you can step back if it feels hard or ahead if it feels easy. The Sound Check in the grown-ups area can suggest a level.
How long should my child play each day?
About 10 minutes is plenty. Short, regular practice helps more than a long session once a week, and each game is a short round with a clear end.
Is it the same phonics my child learns at school?
It follows the order sounds are taught in many UK schools, and uses the same ideas: pure sounds, blending, tricky words and decodable stories. It is an independent app and is not endorsed by any phonics programme or by the Department for Education.
Whose voice is it?
Every word, sound and instruction is a natural-sounding recording made in advance with AI text-to-speech. It is the same voice throughout, and the app never uses the device's robotic voice.
Does anything about my child leave the device?
No. There are no accounts, no analytics, no adverts, no cookies and no trackers, and the app never uses the microphone. Progress stays on your device.
Read the full privacy notice.