Stage 3 of 5 · Ages 4–5

KG 1 at home.

The year sounds turn into words. Letter sounds, blending three-sound words, numbers to 20, adding and taking away with real things.

Also called: Reception, Prep, Junior KG.

What this stage covers

  • Letter sounds, and blending them to read words like cat, sun and pin
  • The first tricky words: I, the, to, go, no, is
  • Writing their name and forming round letters correctly
  • Numbers to 20, adding and taking away within 10 using objects
  • Plants, growing up, weather, feelings
Every day: 10–15 minutes of games, 15 minutes of one activity, and a bedtime story where your child finds a word they know.
Ready to move on when: Your child can read simple three-letter words by sounding out, writes their first name, and adds two small groups of objects.

This week's plan Skills checklist

The units, in order

Work on one unit from each strand at a time.

Start at the top of each list. When your child can do most of a unit's checklist, move on to the next one in that strand.

Reading & talking

  1. 1 Letter Sounds: s a t p i n m dabout 4 weeks Say the sound for eight letters and hear them at the start of words. 🎮 Sound Start · Letter Pop · Letter Match · Sound Hunt
  2. 2 Blending Sounds into Wordsabout 4 weeks Blend three sounds together to read short words like sat, pin, map and dad. 🎮 Word Builder · Sound Hunt · Sound Start
  3. 3 More Sounds: g o c k e u r h b f labout 5 weeks Learn the next set of letter sounds and read more words with them. 🎮 Sound Hunt · Sound Start
  4. 4 More Letters: j v w x y zabout 3 weeks Link j, v, w, y and z to familiar sounds, and hear the two sounds represented by x in box. 🎮 Letter Pop · Letter Match · Sound Start
  5. 5 Tricky Words 1about 3 weeks Read the first tricky words on sight: I, the, to, no, go, a, is, into. 🎮 Sight Words
  6. 6 Story Timeabout 3 weeks Retell a simple story in order using first, next and last, and answer questions about it. 🎮 Story Steps
  7. 7 Show and Tellabout 2 weeks Speak in full sentences about something they care about, and listen and ask a question when others speak. 🎮 Listen & Remember · Story Steps · Feelings Friends

Writing & pencil control

  1. 1 Forming Lettersabout 5 weeks Form small letters correctly, starting in the right place, and write their first name. 🎮 Trace It · Dot to Dot · Match Paths
  2. 2 Draw and Labelabout 3 weeks Draw something familiar and add a label or short caption using letters for sounds you can hear. 🎮 Trace It · Sound Start
  3. 3 A List for Our Playabout 3 weeks Make and use a short list, adding familiar letters for sounds in chosen words. 🎮 Word Builder · Trace It
  4. 4 A Card for Someoneabout 3 weeks Choose a reader for a card and form familiar letters within a short shared message. 🎮 Trace It · Letter Match
  5. 5 A Poem of Things I Noticeabout 3 weeks Choose words for a short list poem and contribute familiar letters to shared writing. 🎮 Trace It · Word Builder
  6. 6 A Useful Sign for Homeabout 3 weeks Choose a short sign for a shared home space and contribute familiar letters so a reader knows what to do. 🎮 Trace It

Numbers & shapes

  1. 1 Numbers to 20about 4 weeks Count and read numbers to 20, and say the number before and after. 🎮 Counting Stars · Number Train · Number Match · Ten-Frame Fill
  2. 2 More, Fewer or the Sameabout 2 weeks Count and compare two groups of up to ten objects using more, fewer and the same number. 🎮 Counting Stars · Ten-Frame Fill
  3. 3 Adding and Taking Awayabout 4 weeks Add two small groups and take some away, using objects and fingers, within 10. 🎮 Add & Take Away · Make the Number · Ten-Frame Fill
  4. 4 Seeing and Splitting Fiveabout 2 weeks Recognise small groups of up to five and show how two smaller groups make five altogether. 🎮 Ten-Frame Fill · Make the Number
  5. 5 Guess, Then Countabout 3 weeks Make a sensible guess about how many things are in a group of up to 20, then count to check. 🎮 Counting Stars · Ten-Frame Fill
  6. 6 Measure Itabout 3 weeks Compare length, height, weight and capacity, and put three things in order. 🎮 Size Safari
  7. 7 Solid Shapesabout 2 weeks Name a sphere, cube, cuboid, cylinder and cone, and say which ones roll, slide and stack. 🎮 Shape Detective · Shape Builder · Shapes & Colors
  8. 8 Left, Right and Directionsabout 2 weeks Use first, second and third, and give and follow directions with forwards, backwards, left and right. 🎮 Position Quest

Science & our world

  1. 1 Growing Upabout 2 weeks Put the stages of growing up in order and look after their own body. 🎮 Living World · Five Senses · Helper Heroes
  2. 2 My Family and My Homeabout 2 weeks Describe the people who care for you, how you use spaces at home and how people help one another feel cared for. 🎮 Feelings Friends
  3. 3 Healthy Food and Teethabout 2 weeks Sort foods into everyday and sometimes foods and look after their teeth. 🎮 Living World · Five Senses · Helper Heroes
  4. 4 Plants and Seedsabout 3 weeks Grow a plant from a seed and name its parts and what it needs. 🎮 Living World · Weather Watch · Eco Helpers
  5. 5 Animals and Their Babiesabout 2 weeks Match animals to their young, and describe how some animals grow and change. 🎮 Living World
  6. 6 Weather and Seasonsabout 2 weeks Describe the weather, choose clothes for it, and notice hot and cold changes. 🎮 Weather Watch · Hot & Cold Lab · Day & Night
  7. 7 Describe Everyday Materialsabout 2 weeks Use looking and touch to describe familiar materials and explain a simple grouping rule. 🎮 Five Senses · Sort It Out
  8. 8 Before Food Reaches the Shopabout 3 weeks Link a few familiar foods to plants or animals and describe how a farmer helps. 🎮 Helper Heroes
  9. 9 Ways People Travelabout 3 weeks Describe ways people travel on land, water and through the air, and name a helper who operates transport. 🎮 Helper Heroes

Thinking & feelings

  1. 1 Patterns and Puzzlesabout 2 weeks Continue patterns of three (ABC) and growing patterns, and solve simple picture puzzles. 🎮 Pattern Parade · Odd One Out · Focus Farm · What's Missing?
  2. 2 Sorting in Two Waysabout 2 weeks Sort a collection using one rule, explain the rule and sort it again using a different rule. 🎮 Sort It Out · Odd One Out
  3. 3 Feelings and Friendsabout 2 weeks Name more feelings, use one way to calm down, and play fairly with others. 🎮 Feelings Friends · Focus Farm · Helper Heroes
  4. 4 Look, Remember and Checkabout 3 weeks Notice a few details, remember what was there and check by looking again. 🎮 What's Missing? · Memory Match
  5. 5 When Plans Changeabout 3 weeks Name a feeling about a changed plan and choose a small next step with an adult. 🎮 Feelings Friends
  6. 6 Show Me Where You Need Helpabout 3 weeks Show or say what is difficult and ask a trusted adult for useful help. 🎮 Feelings Friends
  7. 7 One Small Step with Something Newabout 3 weeks Name a feeling about an unfamiliar activity and choose a small first step with an adult. 🎮 Feelings Friends

Moving & making

  1. 1 Steady Steps and Soft Throwsabout 3 weeks Practise steady steps and gentle sending and catching, using beside and behind to describe positions. 🎮 Position Quest
  2. 2 Snip, Fold and Buildabout 3 weeks Use both hands together to shape paper and combine pieces in a low model. 🎮 Shape Builder · Trace It
  3. 3 Make a Movement Storyabout 2 weeks Choose an ordered set of movements and sounds to act out a short story. 🎮 Story Steps · Pattern Parade
  4. 4 Print a Pattern for Outdoor Playabout 3 weeks Make a repeating printed or drawn border and use its rule in an outdoor movement game. 🎮 Pattern Parade
  5. 5 A Welcoming Pretend Clinicabout 2 weeks Take everyday clinic roles, recognise a visitor's feelings and choose gentle household sounds to help tell the scene. 🎮 Helper Heroes · Feelings Friends
  6. 6 Press, Roll and Joinabout 3 weeks Use both hands to shape soft material and combine simple shapes into a small model. 🎮 Shape Builder
  7. 7 Look Again and Drawabout 3 weeks Look closely at a household object, notice colours and shapes, and choose marks to draw what is visible. 🎮 Shapes & Colors
Guides for parents

For parents of children aged 4–5

All guides for parents →

All stages

Next stage: KG 2 →