Teach Your Monster to Read review

Teach Your Monster to Read turns phonics into a game: a child designs a monster and teaches it to read by playing through three games, from matching letters and sounds to reading little books. The first stage alone covers the first 31 letter-sound combinations, blending and segmenting with CVC words and the first six tricky words, and a Practice Mode targets weak spots. It was designed with academics from Roehampton University and is made by a subsidiary of the Usborne Foundation, a charity. The game is free to play on laptops and computers, and the iOS app is a single $8.99 purchase with no in-app purchases or in-game ads, which makes it one of the best values here. It ranks below Khan Academy Kids because it is narrower: it stops at early reading for ages 3 to 6 and offers lighter progress reporting than the subscription programs. We compared documented features and published prices.

Who it is for

Ages 3 to 6 who learn best through play, and families who want a free option on a computer.

Price

Free on laptops and computers; $8.99 one-time on the US App Store.

Teach Your Monster to Read Learn Reading with Fun Phonics $8.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• Three reading games covering first letters and sounds through to little books
• Stage 1 covers the first 31 letter-sound combinations and CVC blending
• Practice Mode for targeted review
• Designed with academics from Roehampton University
• No in-app purchases or in-game ads in the iOS app

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Completely free to play on laptops and computers
• Strength: One payment on iOS with no subscription
• Strength: Made by a charity, the Usborne Foundation
• Weakness: Aimed at ages 3 to 6, so it ends at early reading
• Weakness: Phonics follows a UK-style sequence, though it is built to work with any school scheme
• Weakness: Less parent reporting than paid programs

Key facts

• Price: Free on computers, $8.99 on iOS
• Ages: 3 to 6
• In-app purchases: None on iOS
• Maker: Teach Monster Games, part of the Usborne Foundation

Where it ranks

Teach Your Monster to Read is No. 4 in our Best Reading Apps for Kids verdict.