Frequently Asked Questions

What is sensory play?
Sensory play is an activity that involves one or more of the senses. The activity might focus on one of the five main senses: sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing. Or it might focus on one of the lesser known senses such as vestibular (which helps us with movement and balance) or proprioception (which helps with the awareness of our body parts and how we move them). 

Sensory play has so many benefits. It is amazing because it:

• Gives children the opportunity to discover, create and learn 

• Helps to build nerve connections in the brain and enables children to embed new information

• Exposes children to new vocabulary

• Helps children develop problem solving skills

• Improves fine and gross motor skills

What is phonics?
Phonics is a way of helping children to read and write by teaching them the 44 sounds in the English language and the letters used to write each sound. It is a great way to help children begin to read and write quickly and with confidence. 

What ages are the packs aimed at? 
Our phonics packs are for children aged three and over. These activities are not suitable for children under three due to small parts which could be a choking hazard. Children should be supervised at all times during the activities. 

At Play Makes Sense we believe that all children are unique and learn at different rates. Any age recommendation given here is just a rough guide. If you are unsure of the phase your child is working at, we recommend that you speak to your child’s teacher or key worker. If you need any further support, we are always very happy to help. 

• The Phase 1 pack introduces children to listening to and hearing different sounds. This phase is typically taught during the pre-school year (3-4 years old).

• The Phase 2 pack introduces children to 20 letters and their corresponding sounds. This phase is typically taught at the beginning of the Reception year (4-5 years old). 

• The Phase 3 pack introduces children to 25 letter combinations and their corresponding sounds. Many of the sounds taught in this phase are digraphs and trigraphs. This phase is typically taught at the end of Reception and in Year 1 (5-6 years old). 

• The Phase 4 pack introduces children to consonant blend words, polysyllabic words and reading and writing sentences. This Phase is typically taught in Year 1 (5-6 years old).

I have no teaching experience or knowledge of phonics. Will I be able to use these packs?
Absolutely! We understand that phonics can seem very intimidating when first encountered, so we have made sure that our packs are accessible for everyone. The packs contain all the information that you need to start learning and playing with your child. Each activity is broken down into easy to follow steps and described in clear, easy to understand language. However, if you do want to find out more about the terminology used in phonics check out our phonics terminology page. 

Do I need lots of equipment to set up the activities? 
Not at all! We appreciate the pressures of being busy parents, carers and educators so we have made the activities quick and simple to set up. The items needed for each activity are everyday items that you probably already have at home. 

Where can I find out how to pronounce the sounds correctly? 
Check out our videos page to find out how to pronounce the sounds correctly. We have videos for each phase of the phonics program. 

Do I need to complete all of the activities in one go? 
Not at all! Each phase is typically taught over a number of weeks or months. We recommend being guided by the interest and ability of your child. 

Which countries do your ship to? 
We ship worldwide using Royal Mail Tracked. International shipping is calculated by weight and Royal Mail world zone. For international shipping, any customs fees must be covered by the customer. If your order is greater than 2kg please contact us at hello@playmakessense.co.uk to arrange delivery.