Play A Matching Game To Learn 26 Initial Sounds (3 years +) - Activity Pack

This Activity Pack is designed for children aged 3 years and above to help them learn the 26 initial sounds of the English alphabet through a fun matching game. Parents or teachers are instructed to create 26 cards, each representing one of the consonants (b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, x, y) or vowels (a, e, i, o, u). Each card should feature an image that corresponds to the sound it represents, such as a 'bin' for 'b', 'cot' for 'c', and 'dog' for 'd'. For vowels, the focus is on their short sounds, as in 'fish' for 'i' and 'cat' for 'a', distinguishing them from the long vowel sounds that are the same as the letter names.

The pack provides hints for parents and teachers on how to extend the learning experience. It suggests that children should practice the sounds daily, make new words, and read them repeatedly to reinforce their learning. Additionally, the pack introduces "look and say" words, which are common words that children should learn to recognize on sight. These include 'has', 'of', 'in', 'at', 'go', 'to', 'by', and others. Flashcards for these words are included, which can be used in a variety of ways, such as holding them up for the child to call out or laying them face down for a memory game. This approach combines visual recognition with phonetic sounds to build a strong foundation in early reading skills.