Phonics Worksheets for Preschool and Kindy: What to Look For

Search for phonics worksheets and you will find thousands. Some are great, and some ask too much of a three-year-old. Here is how to tell the difference.

Six things good phonics worksheets have

1. Sounds, not just letter names. The worksheet should help children say and hear the sound each letter makes.
2. A sensible order. Look for simple, common sounds first, such as s, a, t, p, i, n.
3. One idea per page. A page about one sound is easier than a page about six.
4. Clear, familiar pictures. Children should be able to name the picture and hear its first sound easily.
5. Room for talking and movement. Saying the sound out loud while tracing is part of the learning.
6. A little repetition. Seeing and saying the same sound a few times helps it stick.

Red flags

• Pages crammed with too many letters or pictures.
• Pictures that are hard to name, so children say a different word and hear the wrong sound.
• Lots of writing before a child can hold a pencil comfortably.
• Long worksheets for a child who is three.

How to use a sound sheet

1. Say the sound together.
2. Trace the letter with a finger, then with a pencil.
3. Read the example words and listen for the sound.
4. Colour a star each time your child says the sound.
5. Stop after one or two sheets.

Worksheets or games?

Worksheets are one tool among several. Mix them with games, songs and books, and keep sessions short. In Phonics Fun with Joey, every letter sound has two activities: say the sound and circle the pictures that start with it, then colour the pictures that start with it, such as snake, sun and sugar glider for s.