What does my child need before they start phonics?
A free online workshop for parents of preschool and nursery-aged children.
Saturday 21st November 2026
4-5pm · Online · Free
You don't need to start teaching phonics yet.
If your child is heading towards nursery, preschool or Reception, you might be wondering:
🤔Should they know their letters by now?
🤔Should I be teaching them letter sounds?
🤔What if all the other children are ahead?
🤔Am I doing enough at home?
There is so much advice telling you what your child should be learning that it can be hard to know where to start.
The bit that often gets missed out of the advice for parents is:
Learning to read starts before children learn their letter sounds.
In this free workshop, I'll show you the four key areas that lay the foundations for reading and phonics so you can understand what actually matters at this stage.
We'll talk about:
The four things your child needs before phonics really begins to make sense.
You'll learn:
âś…Â what these skills actually look like in a preschool child
âś…Â why they matter when your child starts learning to read
âś…Â the signs your child is already developing them
âś…Â simple ways to build them into ordinary days at home
âś…Â what you can stop worrying about for now
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This workshop is for you if...
✔️You feel like you should be doing something, but you're not sure what.
✔️Everyone online seems to be teaching their child letters and you're wondering if you should be doing the same.
✔️Your child isn't interested in sitting down and 'learning'.
✔️You want to give your child a good start without pushing phonics too early.
✔️You'd like some simple ideas that fit into everyday life, rather than having to find time to sit down and teach your child.
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This workshop isn't for you if...
❌You're looking for a programme to teach your child to read before they start school.
❌You're looking for lots of formal phonics practise, worksheets or flashcards.
❌Your child is already well into their Reception phonics programme and you're looking for support with that stage.
Come along and leave knowing...
what to focus on now, what can wait, and how to support your child's early reading development without adding another job to your already full day.
What does my child need before they start phonics?
A free online workshop for parents of preschool and nursery-aged children.
Saturday 21st November 2026
4-5pm · Online · Free
Hi, I'm Del...
Early Literacy Specialist, SENCo, and mum to a three-year-old tornado
As a former early years teacher and SENCo of over a decade, I've seen some things 👀 And after teaching 700+ children to read, I know a thing or two...
Now, as a mum, I understand just how little time there is in the day, and how the resources out there for parents don't explain this important part of learning to read.
As the founder of The Little Reading Nest, I focus on helping mums of pre-schoolers understand and master the before phonics stage of reading.
