# Jolly Phonics Letter Sounds

> Interactive app for children to learn English letter sounds and early literacy skills. (iPhone/iPad app by Jolly Learning.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jolly-phonics-letter-sounds/id897894552 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Jolly Learning](https://appshunter.io/developer/897894555)
- Category: Education, Entertainment
- Price: $4.99
- Rating: 3.00/5 from 4 App Store ratings · 80 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 9.0 · 406 MB
- Languages: American English, Dutch, Filipino, French (France), Japanese, Korean, Malay, Brazilian Portuguese, European Spanish, Thai
- Released: 2014-07-20
- Data updated: 2026-09-04
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jolly-phonics-letter-sounds/id897894552/reviews.md

## What is Jolly Phonics Letter Sounds?

Back by popular demand - the Jolly Phonics Letter Sounds app has been restored.

Start your child’s journey in reading and writing. Join Bee and her friends as they explore the enchanting letter-sounds garden and discover the main 42 letter sounds of English through a series of captivating games.
 
This beautifully animated app enables your child to learn the letter sounds (including digraphs), letter formation, blending the sounds for reading and identifying letter sounds in words for spelling and writing. Together these skills give your child the best possible start as they learn to read and write. 
Key features:
·   Suitable for children aged 3+
·   Choice of British or American English Audio
·   Choice of print or precursive letters
·   Allows multiple and personalized profiles
·   Activities for learning the main sounds in English. The children learn to:
o   hear the letter sounds
o   recognize the letter sounds
o   see letter formation
o   write the letters themselves
o   blend sounds in words for reading
o   identify sounds in words for spelling

## Key features

- Learn 42 English letter sounds
- Letter formation and writing practice
- Blending sounds for reading
- Identifying sounds for spelling
- Multiple user profiles
- Choice of English audio and letter styles

## What do users think of Jolly Phonics Letter Sounds?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 👍 Effective phonics learning
- 🤩 Engaging characters
- 🚀 Responsive letter formation
- 👍 Good for reinforcing learning
- 👍 Systematic sound introduction
- 👍 Child-centered and age-appropriate
- 👍 Fun and engaging activities
- 👍 Great for early learners
- 👍 Helpful for remote teaching
- 👍 Good for classroom use

**Cons**

- 🐛 Frequent crashing
- 🐛 App not opening
- 🐛 Unusable after updates
- 🐛 Key features removed
- 🐛 Confusing phoneme/letter distinction
- 🐛 Sound cutting out
- 🐛 Annoying voice
- 🐛 Poor handwriting recognition
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate
- 🐛 Not enough content for price
- 🐛 Old version was better
- 🐛 Lessons don't complete
- 🐛 Slow loading/movement
- 🐛 Issues with progress
- 🐛 Lack of parental controls
- 🐛 No sound issues
- 🐛 Extra charges
- 🐛 Not user-friendly
- 🐛 Inconsistent with Jolly Phonics characters
- 🐛 Limited language options

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App keeps crashing
- App not working properly
- App won't download
- App disappears after purchase
- Lessons don't complete
- Sound cutting out
- Progress issues (stuck on letters)
- Handwriting recognition issues
- No sound on certain devices
- Login screen freezes
- Error pages for help section
- Precursive setting not working
- App kicks user out
- Pencil gets stuck during letter formation
- Ladybirds game doesn't work

**Most requested features**

- Reinstate original blending activity
- Bring back old version
- Include songs in the app
- Add letter sound actions
- Add letter sound songs
- Option for cursive letter formation
- Improve interface for non-English learners
- Add more languages
- More parental controls
- Ability to delete flower pots
- More variety in activities
- Include mouth movement sounds
- Add flashcard or matching activities
- Improve touch/response variety
- Make English explanations simpler
- Add buttons to repeat instructions

## Recent user reviews (10 of 80)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jolly-phonics-letter-sounds/id897894552/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Amazing App!

*2023-09-18*

I remeber doing this when I was 4 or 5. Years ago, but, it did teach my alot. Definately would recommend.

### 1/5 — Not what I paid for

*2022-02-08*

I purchased this app several months ago. My daughter loved it. Apparently it was a new version of the app, but I didn’t know that until today, when we discovered that the developer reverted to the old version. My autistic daughter is devastated. The old version is not engaging. I wish I could get my money back. I would not have purchased the old version. What I now have access to is not what I paid for. The company has lost my trust and we will no longer be using their program.

### 5/5 — I also want the old app UPDATE Old App is Back!!!

*2022-02-03*

They brought back the old version of the app! I’m changing my review from 1 star to 5 star!
Anyone following the Jolly Phonics Series will be happy to learn alongside Snake, Inky, and Bee! 

Original Review: I loved the older version 1.1. My two oldest kids used it a ton. It was helpful and fun. The new version seems really slow to get anywhere useful. My kid is bored and confused before they learn anything. Is there anyway to download the old version??

### 2/5 — Definitely not as good as the older version. DISAPPOINTED

*2021-06-06*

We loved the older version of this app. But this one is not as good no letter blending or anything like that. My kids loved the flowers of the older version. The sound is forever cutting out on this version.

### 2/5 — Key features removed in the update

*2021-02-22*

As a teacher and parent, there are elements of the original Jolly Phonics app that I am disappointed to find no longer feature in the updated Adventure app. In particular, the blending activity in which children could drag their finger from left to right to make the snake sound out a word was very powerful. I credit this activity for wiring my first-born child to blend sounds from left to right; the new app lacks this activity and has more activities with letters bouncing all over the screen, which I think confuses my second child and misses an opportunity to reinforce the directionality of blending. Please reinstate the original activity!

### 1/5 — Older version was better

*2021-02-01, version 2.2*

The games from the older version were better and more fun for the kids. I used to use them in my classes but not anymore.

### 1/5 — アップデート前に戻してください

*2021-01-14*

ある日アップデートしたら形式やキャラクターが変わってしまいました。アップデート前の物を気に入って購入したのに、変わってしまい憤慨です。アップデート前のデータも引き継ぎできておらず、また最初からでがっかりです。

### 1/5 — App not working properly

*2020-11-23*

We are just on the first activity where pictures are shown with can you hear the sound but there is no way to get past that activity as nothing works on that page

### 1/5 — Why it changed?

*2020-11-13*

Please change it back the original one!!!!!!

### 2/5 — Will not go any further than T

*2020-10-27, version 2.1*

We were enjoying this app until it refuses to progress past the 4th game in the sound T. We have restarted, reinstalled and happens every time. Very disappointed.

## Frequently asked questions about Jolly Phonics Letter Sounds

### What does the Jolly Phonics Letter Sounds app do?

This app helps children aged 3 and up learn the 42 main letter sounds in English. It uses engaging games to teach letter recognition, how to form letters, blend sounds together to read words, and identify sounds within words for spelling and writing.

### What are the key features of this app?

Key features include learning the main English letter sounds, practicing letter formation and writing, blending sounds for reading, and identifying sounds for spelling. It also supports multiple user profiles and offers choices for British or American English audio and print or precursive letter styles.

### Is this app free to use?

Yes, the Jolly Phonics Letter Sounds app is free to use. The description indicates it does not have in-app purchases or advertisements, meaning all features are accessible without cost.

### What age group is this app suitable for?

The app is suitable for children aged 3 and above. It is designed to provide a strong foundation in reading and writing skills for young learners.

### How does this app help children learn to read and write?

The app teaches children the fundamental skills required for reading and writing. This includes learning letter sounds, understanding how to form and write letters, blending sounds to decode words, and recognizing sounds within words for spelling.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.0.0 — 2022-01-31

Reverting the App back as Jolly Phonics Letter Sound

### 2.2 — 2020-11-20

Listen to JOLLY SONGS as you embark on your phonics adventure…

Play the Jolly Song for each letter sound by tapping on the sun! 

Improvements including fixing animation bugs, solving some performance and reliability issues have been made

Improvements have been made to fix persistent bugs for iPad users

More updates to the app are coming soon, and we can't wait to get them into your hands!

### 2.1 — 2020-09-17

Jolly Phonics Adventure has been updated with US English!  

We have also made improvements to the words used, fixed some minor bugs.

### 2.0 — 2020-09-05

Huge update - Jolly Phonics Adventure!

Explore the world of letter sounds in our biggest update ever.

### 1.1 — 2016-10-14

+ Fixes a camera issue in iOS 10.
+ Fixes an issue where a user could lose the ability to add new profiles using a device's camera if they had used all the in-built characters.

## Apps similar to Jolly Phonics Letter Sounds

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Alphablocks: Letter Fun](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alphablocks-letter-fun/id1037826540) | 4.4 (90) | $2.99 | Education |
| [Spelling Games For Kids](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-games-for-kids/id593012695) | 3.1 (14) | Free | Education |
| [Read with Phonics Games](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-with-phonics-games/id1076917885) | 4.2 (9) | Free | Education |
| [Jolly Phonics Pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jolly-phonics-pro/id1242383996) | 4.5 (232) | $49.99 | Education |
| [Jolly Phonics - Learn to Read](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jolly-phonics-learn-to-read/id1149029299) | 4.4 (4,543) | Free | Education |
| [First Words Professional](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-professional/id507560748) | 4.2 (39) | $9.99 | Education |

## More apps by Jolly Learning

- [Jolly Phonics Songs](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jolly-phonics-songs/id1096113645)
- [Jolly Phonics - Learn to Read](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jolly-phonics-learn-to-read/id1149029299)
- [Jolly Phonics Pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jolly-phonics-pro/id1242383996)
- [Jolly Classroom: Teach Phonics](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jolly-classroom-teach-phonics/id1549452023)

All apps by Jolly Learning: https://appshunter.io/developer/897894555

## Related topics

[letter sounds teach](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/letter-sounds-teach) · [jolly phonics letter sounds](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/jolly-phonics-letter-sounds) · [letter sounds preschool](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/letter-sounds-preschool) · [letter sounds kids](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/letter-sounds-kids)

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-04.*