A toy-brick peek-a-boo game where preschool kids tap the moles holding a big B, a little b and pictures that start with B. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
A carnival water-squirter letter A sound game where kindergarten kids squirt the targets with the short a and long a sounds, from apple and acorn to cat and cake. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
A starry dot-to-dot game where preschool kids tap the stars with a big C, a little c and pictures that start with C. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
A balloon-popping party game where preschool kids pop a big D, a little d and pictures that start with D. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
This CVC Word Sounds Worksheet has Kindergarten readers say six pictures and fill in the bubble beside the CVC word with the matching sounds. Answer key included for quick, no-prep phonics practice.
This free Alphabet Stories Letter A Reading Comprehension Worksheet pairs a short letter A story with fill-in-the-bubble questions for kindergarten readers. Includes an answer key — a fun, no-prep way to practice phonics and comprehension.
A gem-cracking game where preschool kids tap the gems with a big G, a little g and pictures that start with G. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
A fishing game where preschool kids reel in a big F, a little f and pictures that start with F. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
A retro 8-bit space jet game where preschool kids blast a big J, a little j and pictures that start with J, then beat Bomzy. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
A helicopter rescue game where preschool kids tap a big H, a little h and pictures that start with H. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
A flashlight hunt game where preschool kids find a big L, a little l and pictures that start with L. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
A jungle monkey game where preschool kids tap the monkeys to find a big M, a little m and pictures that start with M. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
An outback adventure game where preschool kids find a big K, a little k and pictures that start with K. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
A picture-clue Spelling CVC Words Worksheet that helps kindergarten students hear and write the beginning, middle, and ending sounds in simple three-letter words. Answer key included for quick, no-prep phonics practice.
A kawaii kitten game where preschool kids tap the yarn ball with the big Y so the kitten can play with it, help a kitten pounce on the little y, and find the pictures that start with Y. Every right answer feeds a kitten a yum-yum treat. Play online on…
A zipline zoo game where preschool kids catch a big Z, a little z and pictures that start with Z, then tuck the wound-up Bomzies in for a nap in a bonus round. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
A castle fair archery game where preschool kids tap a target or pull back a bow to shoot a big Q, a little q and pictures that start with Q. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
A star-catching game where preschool kids catch a big N, a little n and pictures that start with N. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
A taco truck game where preschool kids find the shell with a big T, a little t and pictures that start with T. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
An ice cream shop adventure game where preschool kids find a big S, a little s and pictures that start with S. Play online on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
Ball, bat, banana: hear that first sound?
Beginning sounds are the very first sounds kids hear in words, and they are one of the first steps to reading. Preschoolers and kindergarteners learn to hear that ball, bat and bus all start with /b/, then match each sound to its letter. They sort pictures by first sound, find words that start the same, and say the first sound of their own names. Soon they hear the middle and ending sounds too, and they are ready to blend words like c-a-t. The click comes when a child points to a sign and says, "That starts with my letter!"
These moves help little ears catch that very first sound.
Focus on one letter sound for a few days. Say it, write it, find it, and finish with a quick letter game where kids tap every picture that starts with that sound. Short, focused rounds build strong sound-letter links.
Why it works: the National Reading Panel found that systematic, explicit phonics teaching clearly improves how children learn to read.
Try it withLetter B GameGamesOpen it →Give kids a pile of picture cards and two or three letter mats. They say each picture name out loud and slide it to the matching letter. Saying the word is the important part, since kids hear the sound in their own voices.
Why it works: children learn more from words and pictures together than from words alone (Mayer, 2009).
Try it withBeginning Sounds B C D Pictures WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →Draw three boxes and give kids three counters. Say "sun" slowly and push one counter into a box for each sound. Then ask, "What is the first sound?" Elkonin boxes show kids that words are made of separate sounds.
Why it works: kids understand an idea best when they touch it, then draw it, then write it, the order the U.S. Department of Education recommends for elementary math.
Try it withElkonin Box WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →Little learners love sound games, especially when they get to be loud.
GamesKids tap pictures and hear the letter A sound come to life on screen. Perfect for centers!
Open Letter A Sound Game →
WorksheetsPull a picture from the bag, say the first sound and match it to its letter: j, k or l.
Open Beginning Sounds J K L Worksheet - Pictures →
WorksheetsKids listen for a sound and hop forward, stay put or hop back to show where they hear it.
Open Beginning, Middle, and Ending Sounds Worksheet →Teacher favorites right now: Letter B Game, Letter A Sound Game and Letter C Game.
Many children start hearing beginning sounds around age 4, and most kindergarteners can name the first sound of a word by the middle of the year. Every child moves at their own pace.
Play "I spy something that starts with /m/." Say the sound, not the letter name. You can also sort toys by their first sound or sing silly songs that repeat one sound.
Most teachers teach them together, but the sound is what helps kids read. When you show a letter, say both: "This is B, and it says /b/."
After beginning sounds, kids learn ending sounds, then middle vowel sounds. Once they can hear all three, they are ready to blend and read simple CVC words like "dog" and "map."
Loved by 2 million teachers & families
Printables, songs and games for every subject, Preschool through 6th. Ready to teach today, and kids beg for more.
