Everything grown-ups ask

ReadPals is for children learning to read, from their very first letter sounds to reading little stories on their own. It suits preschoolers getting ready to read, early-elementary readers, and older kids who want to strengthen the basics. Each child gets lessons planned around what they already know.

ReadPals is designed for children from about pre-K through the early elementary grades, but readiness matters more than a birthday. A child who knows no letter sounds yet starts at the very beginning, and a short placement lets a child who already knows some sounds start further along.

Not at all. Instructions are spoken aloud and supported by pictures, so a child who cannot read yet can play on their own from the first lesson. ReadPals starts with single letter sounds and builds from there.

Your child reads the sounds rather than matching shapes. The answer is never on screen to copy: your child hears a sound and finds the picture that starts with it, reads a word and picks what it names, or blends sounds into a word. A right answer comes from real listening and decoding, and those answers decide the next lesson.

After each lesson, ReadPals looks at what your child has just shown and plans the next one. It introduces a new sound when your child is ready, gives extra practice where a skill is still growing, and brings earlier skills back at the right time so they stick.

Yes. The grown-up area shows which sounds and words your child has learned, which they are still practicing, how often they have played recently, and what the next lesson will cover. Everything comes from your child’s own answers, explained in plain language.

ReadPals is built for children. A grown-up creates the account and each reader profile, and children never need a login of their own. A grown-up check stands in front of settings, progress, and every link that leaves the app. Some activities invite your child to say a sound or word out loud; your device asks your permission before the microphone is used.

ReadPals runs in any modern web browser on a tablet, phone, or computer, so you can start at app.readpals.com without installing anything. ReadPals is also on the App Store. Progress is saved to your account, so your child can pick up where they left off.

ReadPals is free for families today, and there will always be a free tier for families. The free phonics games on this site need no account at all.

Yes. The free phonics games on this site need no account, so they work well as an independent station in a classroom or tutoring session, and each one can be embedded on your own site. If you would like to use the full ReadPals app with your students, email hello@readpals.com and we will help.