How To Use Phonics
How to Use Phonics
Let’s start with a quick review of what “phonics” is. Phonics is the method of teaching children to read by connecting the sounds of spoken words with the letters and groups of letters that represent sounds. In simple terms, it’s about helping children understand that words are made up of sounds (called phonemes) and that letters or letter combinations (called graphemes) stand for those sounds. For example, the letter “s” makes the sound /s/ as in sun, while the letters “sh” make the sound /sh/ as in ship. By learning these connections, children gain the important tools to decode unfamiliar words, build strong reading skills, and develop confidence in literacy.
As a parent, using phonics can be a powerful way to support your child’s early development at home. Start by making phonics playful and engaging—sing the alphabet song, emphasize letter sounds during everyday activities, and read books that highlight rhymes and repetition. You can point to letters while saying their sounds, encourage children to blend simple words like cat or dog, and even play games such as “I spy” with beginning sounds (“I spy something that starts with /b/”).
Here is a highly-rated phonics game on Amazon called Pop for Letters that is a perfect, inexpensive resource to get your child started.
Another Amazon, award-winning resource is the complete Hooked on Phonics Learn To Read Kit. This series has helped over 5 million children become confident readers. To get started with just levels 1&2 (Pre-K), click here.
Here are additional FUZZIGRAM child development resources to check out:
View and download our helpful Kindergarten Readiness Checklist.
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