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Beginning sounds are an important part of learning to read, and kindergarten students need plenty of practice hearing and identifying them! If your little learners are working on letter sounds, this FREE Beginning Sounds Activity is an easy way to add more phonics practice to your kindergarten classroom. It’s simple, low-prep, and can be used in so many different ways!
Learning to hear the beginning sound in a word is an important early literacy skill. Students need to be able to listen to a word and identify the sound they hear first.
For example:
sun → /s/
dog → /d/
map → /m/
Once students can hear those sounds, they can begin connecting the sounds they hear to letters. This is an important step toward reading and spelling! The key is giving students lots of opportunities to practice.
This FREE beginning sounds activity is a simple way to give your little learners extra practice. You can use it during your literacy block, small groups, centers, intervention, or even when you have a few extra minutes in your day. And because it is FREE, it’s an easy resource to add to your kindergarten teacher toolbox!
One of my favorite things about a simple activity like this is that you don’t have to use it just ONE way. Here are a few easy ways to use it.
Pull out the activity during small-group phonics instruction. Have students look at each picture, say the word, and listen carefully for the beginning sound. Ask: “What sound do you hear at the beginning?” Have your students say the sound and identify the matching letter. Small groups are also a great way to see which students understand the skill and which students need a little more practice.
Add the activity to a literacy center for additional beginning sound practice. Your little learners can work independently or with a partner.
Need something simple for your little learners to work on when they arrive? This beginning sounds activity makes great morning work. Students can get started while you take attendance, greet students, or get everyone settled for the day.
We all have those students who finish their work before everyone else! Keep this activity available for students who need something meaningful to work on when they finish early. Instead of busy work, they are getting extra phonics practice.
Some students simply need more time and more practice. Use this activity during intervention, one-on-one practice, or with a small group of students who need additional support with beginning sounds. Sometimes a little extra repetition is all they need!
Not every kindergartener will be at the same level when it comes to beginning sounds. The great thing about this activity is that you can easily change how you use it based on your students’ needs.
Start with sounds and letters your students already know. Say the picture name together and stretch the word so students can listen for the first sound. You can also give students two choices. For example: “Does ball start with /b/ or /m/?” This gives your little learners some support while they are still practicing the skill.
For students who have mastered beginning sounds, make the activity a little more challenging.
Have them:
The same activity can look completely different depending on the needs of your students!
Kindergarten students love hands-on learning, so don’t feel like beginning sound practice always needs to happen sitting at a table. Get your students moving!
Have them:
You can even make it into a quick game. Say a sound and have your students look around the room for something that starts with that sound. It doesn’t have to be complicated to be fun!
If you are working on beginning sounds, I definitely recommend having a few different activities available for your students.
The FREE Beginning Sounds Activity is a great place to start, but there are two other resources I think are must-haves for your kindergarten phonics toolbox!
These Beginning Sound Alphabet Picture Cards are perfect for hands-on phonics practice! Use them with a pocket chart for sorting, or use them during small groups, literacy centers, partner activities, and intervention. Students look at the picture, say the word, listen for the beginning sound, and match it to the correct letter. It’s a simple way to get students looking, saying, listening, and sorting while practicing beginning sounds. And I LOVE resources that can be used in lots of different ways!
Another great resource for beginning sound practice is the Alphabet Books A-Z. Students practice their letters while also working on tracing, writing, and beginning sounds.
These are great for:
I love being able to work on several important skills with one simple activity!
Beginning sounds take practice. Some students will catch on quickly, while others will need lots of repetition before they are confident. That’s completely normal! The more opportunities students have to hear the word, say the word, listen for the beginning sound, and connect that sound to a letter, the stronger those skills will become.
Use the FREE activity for extra practice. Add the picture cards to your phonics centers. Use the alphabet books for letter and sound practice. Keep it simple, keep it hands-on, and keep practicing!
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