Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. It's built on the science of reading (explicit, structured phonics), but designed for how toddlers learn and taught by you, the parent. Children master letter sounds first, then blending, then reading real words and books. Most families see real progress within a few weeks of short, consistent practice.

It isn't anti-phonics. It is phonics, done in the right order for a young child: sounds first, then blending, then books, with no pressure to memorise sight words. The difference is it's made for toddlers and for a parent with zero teaching experience, not a classroom of 25.

Spencer is a former kindergarten teacher, and finds early readers tend to stay curious rather than bored. Nothing is 'too early' when it's taught the right way: a few minutes of playful practice, never drilling. Learning to read early simply opens up everything else sooner.

It's about stage, not age. If your child can attempt a few sounds and focus for a minute or two, they're ready, often somewhere around 18 months to 3 years, but there's no magic starting line.

Not at all. The courses work well for children up to around 6 to 8, and older kids simply move through the early stages faster. It's never too late to help your child read.

No, you can start completely from scratch. In fact we teach letter sounds before letter names, because sounds are what children actually use to read. Names come later, mainly for spelling.

No. The course videos are for you, the parent, to learn from. Your child learns through short, hands-on play with sounds, cards and a small whiteboard, almost entirely off-screen. It's designed as time together, not a child staring at a tablet.

Just a few minutes. At the start you take whatever your child gives you, whether that's 30 seconds or 5 minutes, and build a tiny routine. Consistency matters far more than length, and you never force it.

Three step-by-step video courses (Learning Sounds, Blending Words and Reading Books), each around 2+ hours, with digital handouts: lesson plans, blending guides, 30+ pages of word lists and fluency passages. Take them one at a time or together as the Full Course Bundle.

Individual courses are $99 each. The Full Course Bundle (all three, plus the physical sound cards) is $249, and watching the free training unlocks a discount. A payment plan is available, and prices are in USD. [confirm current pricing & discount before publishing]

Everything is online with digital downloads and instant access after purchase, from anywhere in the world. You can preview the approach free on our YouTube channel and in the free training before you buy.

Lifetime access to your courses, plus any future updates. No subscription, no expiry.

The physical sound cards are included with the Full Course Bundle. With a single course you get the printable version to use right away, and you can add the physical cards separately anytime.

You can order them at toddlersread.com/sound-flashcards. Yes, Spanish sets are available, and buying more than one set gets you free shipping.

A small whiteboard is handy once you reach blending practice, but you can begin with just the cards and printables. No special equipment or prep is required.

We can't guarantee results for any individual child, and these courses aren't a therapy, but they use the same structured, explicit approach that benefits all readers, and many families in exactly these situations use them. Tell us a little about what your child can and can't do yet, and we'll point you to the most helpful resources.

Yes. Start with the sounds your child can pronounce. Reading and speech develop on separate tracks, so limited speech doesn't have to hold back early reading. Recognition often comes before clear speech.

Yes. Children are remarkably good at keeping languages apart. The courses teach English reading (with Spanish cards available too), and plenty of multilingual families use them successfully alongside their home language.

The courses are made specifically for parents with no teaching experience. You already teach your child countless things every day. Spencer created this partly because he struggled with reading growing up and wanted it to be different for his own son.

The digital courses work anywhere in the world with instant access. Physical sound cards ship within the USA in about 3 to 5 business days, and international shipping is available to most countries, so enter your address at checkout to see options and timing.

For a few regions we can't ship the physical cards due to cost, but you still get the printable cards and we'll refund the card portion. Everywhere else, if you're ever charged duties on a card shipment, email us and we'll reimburse it.

You'll get an email with your login right after buying, so sign in for instant access. If you can't find it, check spam, then message us with the email you used and we'll get you straight in.

No. Spencer doesn't tutor or work with children directly. The whole approach is built to teach you to teach your child, with ongoing support and answered questions for anyone who owns a course.

Domestic orders are covered by our satisfaction guarantee. We ship internationally but aren't able to offer refunds on international orders. EU and UK customers also have statutory withdrawal rights, so read your cancellation rights here. You can manage or cancel anytime from your account before the next billing date.