Phonics Matching
Children are not expected to know how to read before they begin big school, but familiarity with letter formation and basic understanding of phonics can help make the transition into school easier and set them up with a readiness to learn.
You can get them use to letters and sounds by playing rhyming games and games such as phonics I-spy and this object matching game. Lowercase letters should be learned first as these will be the most common letters they see when they are learning to read.
Materials:
Letter Flashcards (you can also make your own, make sure you use lowercase letters)
Objects from around the house that begin with the letters you’re working with
How to introduce:
Put all the objects into a basket (I find this helps them stay focused on the object in hand).
Start with 3-4 cards.
Sound out the first letter of the object with your child and have them try to match the object to the letter.
If you have an alphabet puzzle you can also ask them to match the letter to the card as well. This will help draw attention to the shapes of the letter.
Once they get the hang of it, you can send them off to find their own objects in the home to match with the letters.
Our daughter was 4 years and 3 months old in this video
Great for:
Early Literacy - helping children develop a rich vocabulary, self-expression, and reading comprehension are tools they need to become successful readers and lifelong learners.
Focus and concentration help children to learn. Most skills are learned by practising them over and over, so being able to block out distractions and focus on particular tasks will help the rate in which they learn.