Beginning Sounds Games and Initial Sounds Worksheets

Before children can read, they need to hear the sounds inside words. The first sound, or beginning sound, is the easiest one to hear, so it is the best place to start.

Seven beginning sounds games

1. I spy: "I spy something that starts with sss."
2. Sound sorting: put small objects into groups by their first sound.
3. Mystery bag: pull out an object and say its first sound.
4. Sound hop: put sound cards on the floor and hop to the sound of the object you name.
5. Picture match: match picture cards to the letter they start with.
6. Clap and say: clap once for the first sound, then say the whole word.
7. Scavenger hunt: find three things that start with the same sound on a walk.

Tips for choosing words

• Pick words with a clear first sound, such as sun, dog and pig.
• Avoid tricky starts like knee, phone or wheel until later.
• Say the word slowly and stretch the first sound: sss-un.
• Watch out for words where the sound and the letter name differ, like yabby and y.

How to use an initial sounds worksheet

1. Say the name of each picture out loud.
2. Listen for the first sound and say it on its own.
3. Find the letter that makes that sound.
4. Draw a line from the picture to the letter.
5. Check together by saying the sound and the word again.

In Phonics Fun with Joey, ten pages are all about beginning sounds: match the picture to its first letter, such as dingo to d and fish to f.