Theme: Match My Sounds – For children ages 3 to 6
Listening for and saying sounds in words will help your child to learn that spoken words are made up of sounds, which gets him ready to match spoken sounds to written letters-an important first step toward becoming a reader.
What You Need: Books with nursery rhymes, tongue twisters, word games, or silly songs.
What to Do:
The first activities in the list below work well with younger children. As your child grows older, the later activities let him do more. But keep doing the first ones as long as he enjoys them.
- Say your child’s name, then have him say words that begin with the same sound; for example: David-day, doll, dish; Jess-juice, jam, jar.
- As you read a story or poem, ask your child to listen for and say the words that begin with the same sound. Then have him think of and say another word that begins with the sound.
Source – Helping Your Child Become a Reader, US Dept. of Education