Using Phonics Cards for Children

Phonics is the foundation for children to read and write. This blog talks about using phonics cards for children.

What is phonics ?

Phonics is defined as the skill to link letters or combination of letters to units of sounds.

Knowledge of phonics helps children read confidently. It also helps them to write independently.

 Benefits of phonics cards   –

Phonics sound cards are an easy and fun way to develop phonemic awareness. The benefits of using phonics cards are as follows –

• Provides a hands-on learning experience.

• Fun and easy way to learn phonics.

• It is also not costly. It can be purchased at nominal prices or made at home.

• Appeals to visual learners as it is bright and colorful.

• It can also be used in a lot of activities.

• It can also be easily carried from one place to the other.

• Improves visual memory.

Activities with phonics cards for children –

 1. Noughts and crosses

Firstly, draw noughts and crosses board on white board. Secondly, decide who will draw noughts and who will make crosses. Thirdly, place a phonics flash card in each space. Take turns with your child to read a sound or word and cover the flash phonic sound picture cards. Once the person reads it, draw the nought or cross. The person who gets three in a row wins the game. This is a fun activity to learn phonics.

2. Guess the sound

This is also a fun game to play with kids. Firstly, choose two sound flash cards. For example, ‘ch’ and ‘sh’. Secondly, give the child word cards with these sounds. Finally, ask the child to put the word card under their respective sound card. To make it more fun, play this in a group. You can also customize the game depending on the level of the child. For example, you can choose single sounds like ‘a’ and ‘r’. You can also increase the sound cards.

3. Guess what is missing

This is a easy phonics cards game for children. To play this game, keep 3 phonic cards face up. Give a few minutes for the child to look at the cards. Ask the child to close their eyes. Now remove one sound card. The child has to guess which sound card was removed. You can also increase the number of phonic cards depending on the attention span of the child. 

4. Sound Bingo

This game is best played in a group. Give a bingo card to each player with different letter sounds written on the cards. Keep the phonics sound cards face down and make one person the bingo caller. The bingo caller will pick one card and say the sound out loud. If the player has that sound, he/she will have to cross it off. To make the activity more fun, you can also keep small rewards like chocolates, stationery and the like to be given to the players.

5. Sound dig

This game is quite messy but also fun. Arrange several phonic cards in a grid. Now keep a transparent box or tray on top of the cards. Fill this box or tray with shaving foam. Flour can also be used. Now ask your child to dig around with their hands to find the sound. Once they find a sound, have them say the sound and also a word with that sound. To make it more fun, you can also set a timer. Take turns with your child. The player who finds the most sounds and says words in the time limit wins the game.

6. Finders keepers

Hide several picture cards around the house. Now call out a sound. After that, ask the child to find picture cards with that sound. If the child picks the correct card, they get to keep it. If not, they must return the card to the hiding place.

7. Hop Jump Walk

This is a multi sensory activity. Place phonic cards around the floor of the room. Now instruct the child how to go from one sound to the other. For example the child is standing on the phonic card A. Tell the child to walk from sound A to sound C. They can also jump from one sound to the other or hop. You can also choose other movements.

8. I Spy

This is also a fun activity. You can use objects for the activity. Pictures can also be used.  Give your child only those phonic cards that correspond to the objects or pictures chosen. Now have your child pick a phonic card and read the sound. He/she will then have to identify the objects or pictures that correspond with the phonic card.

9. Clap and punch

For this activity, say a word to the child – example,  bat. You can also show a picture and ask the child to identify the object. After that, ask the child to say the sounds in the words. As they say the sound, they have to clap for the vowels and punch for the consonants. 

10. Match Me

This activity requires two sets of flash cards – upper case letters and lower case letters. Select a few lower case letters and give those cards to the child. Now take the corresponding upper case letters and keep it face up on the floor or table. After that, say a sound. The child has to keep the lower case letter of the sound said the upper case letter. This is also a great activity to work on their phonics.

For more fun activities with phonic flash cards

For more ideas on how to make alphabet flashcards,

For more ideas, check out our other blogs –