Favorite phonics for 3.5 year olds?

[Anonymous]

What’s an age appropriate way to begin teaching phonics to a preschooler? She is starting to understand that “L is for Larla, etc.” there are so many resources out there for teaching the alphabet and phonics, the choices are overwhelming. Kindly share your suggestions for this age group.

I saw the lovevery set, but have sticker shock at the price tag.

[Anonymous]

Read a lot of high quality literature (hours a day), explain what words mean, ask a lot of open ended questions, don’t give her a screen until she’s 13, and teach letter sounds.

[Anonymous]

At 3 I’d keep it fun. Matching objects to letter sounds, matching games, writing letters based on how they sound, writing letters in sand or with play dough and talking about the sound they make, flip books, file folder matching games, etc etc.

If you want a writing program try alphabet beats- worth every penny. It covers basic sounds and letters but not phonics. Should cover you for a year though. You might enjoy the drawing video at that age too to work on FM skills. Lots of fine motor activities in general are great at this age.

Also some preschool workbooks that introduce letters and phonics.

Light and easy, she’s 3. I would do it in short spurts several times a day, look up Montessori reading or phonics. Most of these things can be done with a little effort and a few basic materials.

If you want a more specific program I like SRA Language for Learning but don’t know if it covers reading. You could try SRA Reading Mastery, but I like to start with LFL first, as it focuses on attention and receptive language. Might be out of your price range though.

Just read a lot, a lot, a lot of simple books. I like Bob books for very early learners. Lakeshore used to have an activity that you could easily make this time of year. It’s an oversized Easter egg with an 3D object and 3 foam letters. Think Rat, Hat, Cow, cat, etc. CVC words but you could expand the activity any way you like. Lots of fun and easy to clean up / end when they’re bored. You can buy those little objects from lakeshore still but don’t think that activity is available anymore. Any small object would do, check dollar tree. Would be easy to re-create, just time to find objects and buy a bunch of foam letters.

Something else fun at that age is to label everything in the house. Bed, Sink, stove, table, etc. Talk about the word and the sounds each time you use it. Sound it out. Then when they learn it you pretend the label fell off and ask them to write a new one.

Sesame Street works too, I’m not big on video but occasionally is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At 3 I’d keep it fun. Matching objects to letter sounds, matching games, writing letters based on how they sound, writing letters in sand or with play dough and talking about the sound they make, flip books, file folder matching games, etc etc.

If you want a writing program try alphabet beats- worth every penny. It covers basic sounds and letters but not phonics. Should cover you for a year though. You might enjoy the drawing video at that age too to work on FM skills. Lots of fine motor activities in general are great at this age.

Also some preschool workbooks that introduce letters and phonics.

Light and easy, she’s 3. I would do it in short spurts several times a day, look up Montessori reading or phonics. Most of these things can be done with a little effort and a few basic materials.

If you want a more specific program I like SRA Language for Learning but don’t know if it covers reading. You could try SRA Reading Mastery, but I like to start with LFL first, as it focuses on attention and receptive language. Might be out of your price range though.

Just read a lot, a lot, a lot of simple books. I like Bob books for very early learners. Lakeshore used to have an activity that you could easily make this time of year. It’s an oversized Easter egg with an 3D object and 3 foam letters. Think Rat, Hat, Cow, cat, etc. CVC words but you could expand the activity any way you like. Lots of fun and easy to clean up / end when they’re bored. You can buy those little objects from lakeshore still but don’t think that activity is available anymore. Any small object would do, check dollar tree. Would be easy to re-create, just time to find objects and buy a bunch of foam letters.

Something else fun at that age is to label everything in the house. Bed, Sink, stove, table, etc. Talk about the word and the sounds each time you use it. Sound it out. Then when they learn it you pretend the label fell off and ask them to write a new one.

Sesame Street works too, I’m not big on video but occasionally is fine.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Just read a lot to her right now, especially stories that rhyme. It will help with her phonological awareness. Please don’t feel the need to drill her at 3.5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just read a lot to her right now, especially stories that rhyme. It will help with her phonological awareness. Please don’t feel the need to drill her at 3.5.

Certainly don’t drill her but if she’s interested in’ letters then roll with it. Next month she might not be and that’s fine too, but 3 1/2 is certainly not too young to teach basic reading and writing assuming a neurotypical child with an adult that has the time and patience to teach it.

[Anonymous]

Schools use decoder sets. Each book builds on the next.

like these for example https://www.benchmarkeducation.com/y65921-bec-decodables-collection-gr-k-single-copy-set-39-titles.html

[Anonymous]

I hope she’s in preschool

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At 3 I’d keep it fun. Matching objects to letter sounds, matching games, writing letters based on how they sound, writing letters in sand or with play dough and talking about the sound they make, flip books, file folder matching games, etc etc.

If you want a writing program try alphabet beats- worth every penny. It covers basic sounds and letters but not phonics. Should cover you for a year though. You might enjoy the drawing video at that age too to work on FM skills. Lots of fine motor activities in general are great at this age.

Also some preschool workbooks that introduce letters and phonics.

Light and easy, she’s 3. I would do it in short spurts several times a day, look up Montessori reading or phonics. Most of these things can be done with a little effort and a few basic materials.

If you want a more specific program I like SRA Language for Learning but don’t know if it covers reading. You could try SRA Reading Mastery, but I like to start with LFL first, as it focuses on attention and receptive language. Might be out of your price range though.

Just read a lot, a lot, a lot of simple books. I like Bob books for very early learners. Lakeshore used to have an activity that you could easily make this time of year. It’s an oversized Easter egg with an 3D object and 3 foam letters. Think Rat, Hat, Cow, cat, etc. CVC words but you could expand the activity any way you like. Lots of fun and easy to clean up / end when they’re bored. You can buy those little objects from lakeshore still but don’t think that activity is available anymore. Any small object would do, check dollar tree. Would be easy to re-create, just time to find objects and buy a bunch of foam letters.

Something else fun at that age is to label everything in the house. Bed, Sink, stove, table, etc. Talk about the word and the sounds each time you use it. Sound it out. Then when they learn it you pretend the label fell off and ask them to write a new one.

Sesame Street works too, I’m not big on video but occasionally is fine.

Thank you!

Here’s some ideas of things you can buy or make. This company is pricey but quality, most items can be made yourself.

Like this- you should be able to find a template online or just draw on a piece of paper. For cheap laminating use clear contact paper. Leave 1/2 inch around the edge when cutting.

https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/arts-crafts/dough-modeling-materials/learn-the-alphabet-dough-mats/p/LA299/

You can pick up something like this and add letters to each fish. Make simple word cards w/ 3-4 letters and photo and catch the letters. Make them double sided with the letters on one side and no letters on the other side- just the photo. That way it grows with you and you don’t have to make it twice. The fish can do double duty for addition/subtraction games later on. Lots to do with these fish, can probably find cheaper though.

https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/sand-water/sand-water-play/lakeshore-magnetic-fishing-set/p/EE339/

This one below of my absolute favorites, you could make it yourself. Can pair with the fish game as this is what I meant by the cards. To save $$ you could do the Easter egg game I mentioned earlier with 2D photos, similar to this but more puzzle like.

https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/language/phonics-word-building/i-can-build-simple-words/p/TT194/

I like this too, along the same lines maybe a little more advanced. You have to find on EBay might not make it anymore. It’s self-correcting. Just love it.




Here’s some free flash cards, plenty of sites like this around

https://www.phonicflashcards.com/info.htm

I don’t love this activity per se, but I love the idea of it. Fine motor combined with letter matching. Could easily be made. I’d prefer the letters make words, as it stands it’s very easy but that might be where you are at right now. Think you can buy those tweezers separately.

https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/language/alphabet/find-the-letter-activity-center/p/LC742/

Can’t forget rhyming words- easy to make your own

https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/language/phonemic-phonological-awareness/whats-the-rhyme-sorting-houses/p/JJ157/

Never used this one, but could see the appeal at 3, could recreate somehow…

https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/language/phonics-word-building/letter-crayons-word-building-center/p/LC113/

A set of these is always fun, think you could find cheaper.

https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/arts-crafts/dough-modeling-materials/uppercase-alphabet-number-dough-stampers/p/LA278/

You can make these with some glitter or sand paper. I’ve even taken those $1 foam puzzles with the ridges on them and glued to card stock- I often work on a budget. Good for those pre-writing skills.

https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/language/alphabet/tactile-letters-lowercase/p/EE259/

Another place simple words live is on food, buy it cheap and add your own labels. Or give her a can of real peas and sound it out. Make it part of the day- get me the peas, remember that starts with P. Keep a shelf just for her and have a can of corn and a can of peas so it’s easy to figure out. You can even take the real label off and add your own to match the skill level.

https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/dramatic-play/kitchen-house-play/lakeshore-grocery-set/p/HH919/

One last thing is do a dot markers, kids love those. Can buy letter books but it’s just as easy to write a giant A on a sheet of paper and let her go to town. Same thing with wiki stix.

Getting tired, that’s all I’ve got. Hope it helps!

[Anonymous]

NP. Do you have to wait until your child knows all their letters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. Do you have to wait until your child knows all their letters?

I don’t think it’s necessary, some may disagree. It certainly helps but they really pick them up as they go. Start with uppercase letter matching activities, lots of focus on letter names rather than letter sounds, keep words simple like 2-3 letters until they know them all. Figure out which letters they do know and focus on the others. ABC song. If they don’t pick it up naturally after a few months though then I’d probably isolate them. It’s hard to move to letter sounds if they can’t name the letter. Depends on age too, at 3 I’d roll with it, at 6 I’d be questioning why they don’t know that basic skill yet.

[Anonymous]

lots of previous threads on this in the preschool forum. This topic is worth a search or three.

[Anonymous]

I did not wait for my kids to learn all of the letters. They learned lower case letters, and learned to recognize letters by their sounds (not names) to start. Both were early readers. Focusing on sounds and the letters they see most often, which are lower case letters, makes the first step of sounding out CVC words easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope she’s in preschool

She is! It’s very play based though. My older child went to the same preschool and while I feel it’s a good school and is developmentally appropriate, it’s completely different than structured learning in kindergarten so I think working on literacy in a low key way at home would be beneficial for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:lots of previous threads on this in the preschool forum. This topic is worth a search or three.

Thanks! Will check.