Preschool Games: Phonics Activities for Children

Preparation

Before beginning the phonics activities for children at home or in the classroom, cut out several letters out of construction paper, using a stencil if necessary. Tape the letters to a hard floor in random places. Explain to your child or students that you will be playing games with the letters. If you’d like, let your child or students help you tape the letters to the floor.

Follow the Leader

First, play follow the leader by stepping from one letter to another. As you step on a letter, you have to say its name. If the child is very familiar with the letters, let her be the leader; if not, you be the leader and let her repeat the names of the letters after you. If the child already knows the sounds of the letters, have him name the letter and make its sound as he lands on it.

Take It to the Next Level

Look through some old magazines with the child or children, and find pictures of objects that start with the letters on the floor. Help the child cut out the picture and tape them next to the appropriate letter on the floor. Alternatively, have him or her draw pictures of animals or other objects that begin with the letters and tape those pictures to the floor.

Crank Up the Music

Turn on some of your preschooler’s favorite music and dance from letter to letter. Then, stop the music suddenly and encourage your preschooler to name the letter that he’s standing on. See if he can say the sound that the letter makes. He can look at the accompanying picture as a hint.

Alternative Games

· Choose only letters that start the names of animals that the child knows. When the music stops, have her make the appropriate animal sound.

· Help the child find various items around the house or classroom that begin with the letters on the floor, and place the items in the appropriate place. Then move from letter to letter, listing the items collected.

· Give the child or children a specific set of directions to follow, using the letters as props. For example, you might say “Start on the letter ‘m,’ and take two steps backward to get to the letter that makes a ‘sssss’ sound.”

These phonics activities for children are easy and fun to play. Not only that, but phonics activities, along with reading games, can really help children equate learning to read with fun and excitement. Play these games along with the children, and enjoy watching them learn and grow!