Hi all! ❤️
August is finished, and many of you are already getting ready to plan lessons that will meet the needs of your dear pupils.
In all of this, differentiation is a cornerstone of good teaching. And while we are usually very good at reducing, adapting or scaffolding the workload for children who struggle, we sometimes forget about those who learn quickly, finish early and are hungry for more.
The one who always finishes first, but whose reading level is still not quite strong enough to pick up a little book independently or follow lengthy, complex instructions without your help.
So what happens?
You give them another task. Then another. And before long, you find yourself spending precious time explaining something new to the child who has already finished, while the rest of the class is still working and needs your attention.
This is exactly where these phonics activity books come in.
They are designed to complement, not replace, your phonics lessons. The activity books come into play after each new group of sounds has been explicitly taught in class, providing children with meaningful opportunities to consolidate, review and practise what they have already learned.
They are particularly valuable for those children who are ready to work more independently, yet are not quite ready to access traditional reading materials on their own.
The activities are engaging, hands-on and carefully structured around the phonics children already know. The instructions are accessible, so children can understand what to do without needing you to sit beside them and explain every step.
That means purposeful practice for them—and more teaching time for you.
Because differentiation isn't only about giving less to the children who need support.
Sometimes, it's about making sure the children who are ready to move ahead have somewhere meaningful to go.
And because, let's be honest, being a fast finisher shouldn't mean sitting there waiting for the teacher. ❤️
So… I'm incredibly excited to finally share a project I've poured my heart into:
Read, Find, Colour & Count! ❤️
✨ A phonics activity series designed to make independent practice meaningful, accessible and fun.
Each booklet is designed to be used after a new group of sounds has been explicitly taught, giving children the opportunity to consolidate what they already know while developing confidence in decoding.
Another feature I carefully considered is the format of each booklet.
Every page has been designed so that children can successfully complete the activities, regardless of their confidence level. I strongly believe that experiencing success is essential for building motivation and self-esteem.
When children finish a page thinking “I can do this!”, they become more willing to keep learning and to tackle new challenges with confidence.
Each booklet offers four engaging learning experiences:
📖 Read – Read simple phonics words and develop decoding skills.
🔍 Find – Search for the target word among many others, strengthening visual discrimination, concentration and word recognition.
🎨 Colour – Turn every page into a relaxing colouring activity while reinforcing learning and developing fine motor skills.
🔢 Count – Count the matching pictures, combining early literacy with numeracy practice.
AND... GAMES! of course😁
🌀 Mazes
🧠 Memory
🐍 Snakes & Ladders
4️⃣ 4 in a Row
👏 Snap
🐟 Go Fish...
The books are photocopiable, making them perfect for classroom use, literacy centres, homework, independent practice, intervention groups, early finishers or homeschooling.
👧👦 They are especially suitable for children in the final year of kindergarten and Year 1 / Grade 1 who are beginning their reading journey.
🎁 And I have a little gift for you!
The first booklet in the series is available FREE as a PDF when you subscribe to the Miss Lucy's Teaching Fun newsletter.
It's my little way of saying thank you for joining this wonderful community of teachers and parents. ❤️
If you'd rather have the printed version—or explore the rest of the collection—you can find the books on Amazon:
👉 Read, Find, Colour and Count SATPIN
👉 Read, Find, Colour and Count CKEHRMD
or 👉 in my store on Payhip
As an English teacher, I've always believed that teaching children to read through phonics is one of the most practical and useful skills we can equip them with.
When children learn to decode words confidently, they don't just learn to read—they build the foundations to truly master the English language.
This is exactly why I created this series.
My dream is to help bring systematic phonics instruction into ESL classrooms, where this essential part of literacy is still often overlooked in favour of less systematic approaches to early reading.
In my experience, explicit phonics instruction—including the correct pronunciation of each sound—supports every aspect of language learning. It helps children become more confident speakers, more accurate readers and stronger listeners by enabling them to connect sounds, letters and meaning.
I truly hope these books help many little learners discover that learning to read can be meaningful, confidence-building… and lots of fun! 💛
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
🌟 ¡Learning English doesn’t simply mean filling in the blanks! 🇬🇧✨
Many English as a Second Language (ESL) activities rely solely on “fill-in-the-blank” exercises ✏️… but the real goal should be to help children speak, understand, and use English naturally. 🗣️💬
🎨 Learning by doing makes it much easier, more fun, and more motivating!
And you’ll be surprised at how quickly children can start achieving real results. 🌈🚀
📚 If you’re looking for creative and engaging activities to make English learning more dynamic, check out my online store! 🛍️💕
✨ Learn, play, speak, and grow! ❤️
