s
(Tune: The Farmer in the Dell Track 1)
The snake is in the grass. The snake is in the grass. /sss/! /sss/! The snake is in the grass. Action: Weave your hand in an ‘s’ shape, like a snake, and say sssssss.
a
(Tune: Skip to My Lou Track 2)
/a/-/a/! Ants on my arm. /a/-/a/! Ants on my arm. /a/-/a/! Ants on my arm. They’re causing me alarm. Action: Wiggle your fingers above the elbow, as if ants are crawling on you, and say a, a, a, a!
1
r
(Tune: The Muffin Man Track 10)
See my puppy rip the rag. /rrr/! /rrr/! See my puppy rip the rag, when he pulls so hard. Action: Pretend to be a puppy, pulling a rag, and shake your head from side to side, saying rrrrrrrrrrr.
m
(Tune: The Wheels on the Bus Track 11)
The mom and the dad make many meals. /mmm/! /mmm/! The mom and the dad make many meals for their hungry children. Action: Rub your tummy, as if you are seeing tasty food, and say mmmmmmmmm.
6
ai
ay a-e
ee ea
ie y i-e igh
oa o-e ow
ue u-e ew
vowels
(Tune: Skip to My Lou Track 40)
rain
A vowel is in every word, every word, every word. A vowel is in every word that we read or write.
bo at
a tre
t
/ai/, /ee/, /ie/, /oa/, /ue/. /ai/, /ee/, /ie/, /oa/, /ue/. /ai/, /ee/, /ie/, /oa/, /ue/, are long vowels that we use!
toad
dog
su n
/a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/. /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/. /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/, are short vowels that we use!
hat
fish tie
rescue
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Games and activities Singing the Jolly Songs and doing the actions is a fun way of helping your child learn the letter sounds in English. Using games and activities will further help them to recognize these letter sounds in words. This is important, as it will help them with both their reading and writing. These games and activities can be played at any time and are perfect for car trips, as no pen or paper is needed.
1
I-spy Look around and choose an object you can see, such as a tree. Then say, I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with /t/. Your child has to try and guess what it is by looking around for things that begin with a /t/ sound. When they get it right, it is their turn. Do use the digraphs too, such as /ch/ and /sh/. Once your child can hear the sounds easily, you can vary the game with I spy, with my little eye, something ending with /t/.
2
Sound race You and your child choose a letter sound each
(it is better not to choose /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/, /x/, /y/, or /z/!). You then have to spot as many things beginning with your letter sound as you can. For example, if you choose the /c/ sound, you might see a cat, car, cow, cloud, corner, or, even, a kite. Whoever sees the most things beginning with their chosen letter sound is the winner.
3
What sound can you hear? Ask your child if they
can hear a specific sound in a word, for example: Is there a /t/ sound in teddy? Is there a /t/ sound in car? Is there a /d/ sound in road? Is there an /ee/ sound in green? Is there a /w/ sound in truck? As in the examples given, vary the question so that sometimes the letter sound is in a word and in others it is not.
4
Where is your mouth? Sound out a part of the body, asking,
for example, Where is your m-ou-th? Your child has to try and hear the word, call it out, and touch that part of their body. Continue with different words, such as l-e-g, ar-m, f-oo-t, b-a-ck, n-e-ck, h-a-n-d, n-ee (knee), and h-e-d (head). Putting the emphasis on the first letter sound, and saying the sounds quickly, will help your child hear the word. As well as parts of the body, you could use farm animals, such as c-ow, sh-ee-p, and p-i-g. Your child can then answer by making the sound of the animal. Other possible categories are food, transport, pets, colors, and sports.
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