š Sound First! A Parentās Guide to Introducing Phonics the Fun Way
Phonics doesnāt have to start with textbooks and flashcards. In fact, the best way to introduce your child to reading is by first helping them fall in love withĀ sounds ā the ones they hear every day at home, in nature, and in their own words!
Hereās a playful and gentle step-by-step approach that makes phonics feel like a magical story rather than a lesson:
š Step 1: Listen to the Sounds Around You
Before you dive into alphabets, help your child tune into the sounds they already know.
Encourage them to notice:
The mmm in āmummaā
The p-p-p in āpapaā
The d-d-d of ādogā barking
The m-m-mew of a cat
Make it fun and silly ā copy animal sounds, hum familiar words, and play sound-guessing games. FLASH CARDSĀ play a fun role in this activity, just flash the card and let kids make the sound.
Second is role-play on different themes like animals in the zoo, teacher-teacher or just copying the daily chores of parents. While playing such games, you can guide kids to make the sounds of the cars, sounds of a mixer grinder, sound of birds, alarms or any sounds from the neighbourhood construction.
This buildsĀ phonemic awareness, which is the foundation of phonics.
š¼ļø Step 2: Introduce Alphabet Images (But Not Names Yet!)
Next, bring in alphabet flashcards or wall posters ā but hereās the twist:
Do not start by telling them āThis is A, this is B...ā
Instead, say:
āThis is the āaahā sound. It looks like this.ā
āThis is the ābuhā sound. It goes like this.ā
This way, your child learns the sound the letter makes, not just its name.
One can occasionally play videos or sing these alphabet rhymes to kids :
š§ Step 3: A Fairy Tale About Letter Names
Once your little one is confident with letter sounds and their matching images, itās time for a magical story...
Tell them a sweet tale like this:
āAll the sounds were feeling sad because they didnāt have names. Then one day, a fairy came and gave each of them a name ā like name A to the sound aah, name toĀ B to sound buh and so on! And they were so happy!ā
This gentle storytelling approach helps children remember the difference between sounds and letter names without confusion.
Watch this adorable example for inspiration:
š YouTube Video - Letter Sounds First
Some letter matching worksheets in this workbook can help practice sounds and letter recogniton:
WORKSHEETS
WORKBOOKSĀ
Some trainers take the approach of capital letters as name and small letters as the sounds of those letters : A says a [ah], B says b [buh]....
š” Step 4: Build Easy Words
Once your child knows a few letter sounds, start forming simple 1 or 2-letter words like:
it, is, to, be, we, in, on, at.
Two letter words will help them read three letter words later on like c + at = cat orĀ Ā p + in= pin.
Use flashcards, letter magnets, or posters ā make it visual and fun!
Some sheets in our sight words bundle, can help practice this :
šŖ Step 5: Enter the World of CVC and Magic-E Words
Now you can introduce CVC words (consonant-vowel-consonant) like:
cat, dog, pin, hut
And then, explore Magic-E words like:
cake, bike, rope
š Another story on MAGIC E you will find in our Magic-E Comic Story BOOK in the Phonics Heroes Workbook is a great tool to explain this in a fun and child-friendly way.
š§© Step 6: Go Beyond ā Digraphs, Vowel Teams & Blends
As your child progresses, slowly introduce them to:
Digraphs (sh, th, ch, wh, ph)
Vowel teams (ai, ee, oa, ue)
Consonant blends (bl, st, gr, tr) TRY OUT Beginning Blends Worksheet
[CLICK on the underlined links above to find the relevant worksheets]
Even sticking posters of these around the home, helps kids recall these words anytime.
Youāll find easy, colorful, and engaging workbooks on all these topics here:
š Explore All Phonics Workbooks
š” Final Tip: Keep It Playful
Every child learns at their own pace. Keep things light, playful, and full of encouragement. Dance to sounds, sing rhyming songs, make silly stories ā and watch your little reader bloom!