Jolly Phonics
A systematic synthetic phonics program created by teachers Sue Lloyd and Sara Wernham that teaches the 42 main letter sounds with actions, songs and stories, then blending, segmenting and tricky words; used in schools in more than 150 countries.
What is Jolly Phonics?
Jolly Phonics is a phonics program from Jolly Learning, a UK publisher. Teachers Sue Lloyd and Sara Wernham created it, and it has been used in schools for more than 30 years. Jolly says its programs are trusted in more than 150 countries, and England's Department for Education has validated it as a systematic synthetic phonics program.
The core idea is to make each sound memorable. Every one of the 42 main letter sounds comes with an action, a short story and a song, so kids connect the sound to movement and memory, not just a letter on a card.
How it works
Children learn the letter sounds in a set order, in groups, rather than alphabetically. That lets them start blending real words early. A typical short lesson:
- Hear a story that introduces the new sound.
- Learn the action and sing the song.
- Practice forming the letter.
- Blend sounds to read simple words.
- Segment words into sounds to spell them.
Tricky words, which can't easily be sounded out, are taught separately. Decodable readers give practice at each level. At home, the Jolly Phonics app leads children through lessons, and Jolly Songs cover all 42 sounds.
What it covers
| Skill | What children learn |
|---|---|
| Letter sounds | The 42 main sounds, taught in groups |
| Letter formation | Print and precursive handwriting styles |
| Blending | Pushing sounds together to read words |
| Segmenting | Hearing sounds in words to spell them |
| Tricky words | Common words taught separately |
Jolly Literacy builds on this for spelling, punctuation, grammar and comprehension in later years.
Who it's best for
Jolly Phonics fits preschoolers and kindergartners, especially active kids who learn through movement and music. It also suits parents who want a low-cost app with optional print materials.
It was built for UK classrooms, so US families will see some British spellings and terms. Older struggling readers may find the songs young. For them, look at our reading programs for struggling readers.
Pricing at a glance
The app is free to download. As of October 2026, the US App Store lists Unlock Everything at $9.99 or full access at $4.99 a month. Readers, pupil books and teacher's guides are sold separately on Jolly's US store and by other retailers.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Possibly. Arizona's ESA law allows curricula and supplementary materials, which can include phonics books and kits. Rules differ, so check our scholarships overview and pages for Arizona and Florida. Save Jolly Phonics to your wishlist and apply once on Edulist.
How it compares
- Phonics Hero is a game-based synthetic phonics app.
- Heggerty focuses on phonemic awareness drills that pair well with Jolly's sounds.
- UFLI is a US-focused, teacher-led foundational skills program.
- Hooked on Phonics combines an app with decodable books for US families.
See more on our phonics programs, phonics for preschool and best phonics programs pages.
Who Jolly Phonics is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- Preschoolers and kindergartners learning first letter sounds
- Kids who learn through movement and songs
- Parents who want a well-known, low-cost app plus optional print
Look elsewhere if
- Older struggling readers who would find the songs babyish
- Families who want a fully scripted US homeschool curriculum
- Kids who need independent, self-running lessons
Jolly Phonics pros and cons
Pros
- Memorable action, song and story for each sound
- Systematic synthetic phonics, validated by England's Department for Education
- Used for over 30 years in schools worldwide
- Inexpensive app unlock
Cons
- UK origins mean some British spellings and terms
- Print materials can be confusing to buy for home
- Needs an adult to lead lessons
- Focuses on early phonics; later skills need Jolly Literacy or another program
What’s included
- 42 main letter sounds, each with an action, story and song
- Five key skills: letter sounds, letter formation, blending, segmenting, tricky words
- Decodable readers at several levels
- Jolly Phonics app with lessons for children
- Jolly Songs for all 42 sounds in teaching order
- Jolly Classroom digital platform for schools and home educators
How much does Jolly Phonics cost?
The Jolly Phonics - Learn to Read app is free to download with in-app purchases. As of October 2026, the US App Store lists Unlock Everything at $9.99, full access at $4.99 a month, and smaller unlocks such as Sound Groups 2 to 7 for $7.99. Print materials, including readers, pupil books, teacher's books and kits, are sold through Jolly Learning's US store and other retailers at varying prices.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jolly Phonics app, unlock everything | $9.99 | One-time | — |
| Jolly Phonics app, full access monthly | $4.99/mo | Monthly | $4.99/mo |
Free trial: The app is free to download, with some content available before purchase.
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
Future opening updates
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View wishlistWhat parents say
A summary of public parent feedback we read on forums, app stores and review sites. It is not a set of Edulist family reviews.
The Jolly Phonics app holds 4.4 stars from about 4,700 ratings on the US App Store as of October 2026. Reviewers generally like the songs and structure; one recurring complaint in older reviews is that the print-letter mode included some precursive letter forms.
Common praise
- Engaging songs and actions
- Clear structure for the first sounds
Common complaints
- Mix of precursive and print letter forms in the app
Sources: apps.apple.com · id1149029299
Jolly Phonics family reviews
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Jolly Phonics FAQs
What is Jolly Phonics?
Jolly Phonics is a systematic synthetic phonics program created by UK teachers Sue Lloyd and Sara Wernham. Children learn the 42 main letter sounds with actions, songs and stories, then learn to blend, segment and read tricky words.
What are the 5 skills of Jolly Phonics?
The five key skills are learning the letter sounds, letter formation, blending for reading, segmenting for spelling, and tricky words.
How much is the Jolly Phonics app?
The app is free to download. As of October 2026, the US App Store lists Unlock Everything at $9.99 and full access at $4.99 a month, plus smaller unlocks.
What age is Jolly Phonics for?
It is designed for children starting to read, usually around ages 4–5 in school. Jolly English, a related program, targets ages 3–5 learning English.
Can I use Jolly Phonics at home?
Yes. Jolly offers the app, songs, readers and pupil books for home use, and its Jolly Classroom platform supports home educators. A parent needs to lead the lessons.
Can an ESA pay for Jolly Phonics?
Phonics curriculum is commonly allowed in ESA programs, but each program decides. Save Jolly Phonics to your Edulist wishlist and apply once to programs in your state.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources: