Phonics for Kids: A Parent's Guide to Letter Sounds (Start Here)

Phonics is the link between letters and the sounds they make. When children know that the letter s says "sss", they can start to read and spell words, not just recite the alphabet. If you're not sure where to begin, this guide is for you.

What is phonics?

Phonics teaches children that written letters stand for spoken sounds, and that words are built by blending those sounds together. Hearing c-a-t and blending it into "cat" is the first step towards reading.

Sounds before names

Teach the sound a letter makes before its name: "sss" for s, not "ess". Sounds are what children blend into words. Letter names can come along the way. Keep sounds short and clean. Sounds like "mmm" and "sss" can be stretched, while "t" and "p" should stay quick and soft, without an extra "uh" on the end.

Which sounds first?

Many programs start with a small group of common letters that make lots of simple words. A popular first set is s, a, t, p, i, n, followed by m, d, g, o, c, k. With just s, a, t, p, i and n you can already build words like sat, pin, tap and pan. Check what your child's school uses and follow that if you can.

A simple routine for each sound

1. Say the sound. Show the letter and say its sound clearly.
2. Find it. Look for things that start with the sound: s for sun, sock and snake.
3. Trace it. Trace the letter while saying the sound.
4. Play with it. Do a quick game such as I spy, a sound hunt or a sound bag.
5. Review. Go back over the sounds you've learned, a few each day.

Games to play at home

• I spy with sounds: "I spy something that starts with mmm."
• Sound bag: put three or four small objects in a bag and say the first sound of each as you pull them out.
• Sound hunt: find five things around the house that start with the sound of the day.
• Sound hop: write sounds on sheets of paper and hop to the one you call out.

How long should it take?

Short and often wins. Five to ten minutes a day is plenty for ages 3 to 5. Every child moves at their own pace, so go slowly and keep it playful.

Where does phonics lead?

Once a child knows a handful of sounds, they can start blending simple three-letter words such as sat, pin and dog. After that come rhyming, ending sounds and a few common sight words. Phonics Fun with Joey follows this order, with Joey the kangaroo as your child's guide.

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