Acti vity Bo o k
ISpyletter sounds s a t i p n 1
Do the sound action s
Say the sounds
Writing practice
Help your child take their first steps in reading and writing
Get ready!
Before you make a start on the activities in this book, practise holding your pencil correctly.
Pencil trails
Now try writing over these trails with your pencil.
Tip
These activities help develop pencil control and teach children to write from left to right.
Use the tripod grip by holding the pencil between the thumb and the index finger. The third finger supports the pencil underneath.
As the pencil is moved, the knuckles on the thumb and index fingers should bend and move like frog's legs.
Draw a picture of yourself in this frame.
Tip
Colouring and drawing is a good way to practise the tripod grip.
Say the s sound.
Say hello to Snake!
It is a sunny day. Snake is curled up asleep, but then he hears a sound. Snake sits up to see Inky Mouse and Bee smiling at him. “Ssssss,” hisses Snake stretching out.
“Can I take your picture for a sound book I’m making?” asks Inky. “Oh yes – s is for snake!” shouts Bee.
Which of these things begin with the s sound? Draw lines to match them to the letter s.
Write the letters. Start on the big dot.
What can you spot that has the s sound?
s sssss s s s s s
Action
Weave your hand in an s shape, like a snake, and say ssssss.
Tip Remember to call s by its sound sss and not its name ess.
s s s s s
S is for seeds
Use seeds to grow the letter s! You can try this activity with other letters, too.
You will need: kitchen roll • pen • scissors • plate • cup of water • cress seeds
Ask an adult to help you.
Sticker time!
Find the sticker spots and stars and place them on the s.
Tip
Say the s sound.
1 Take four sheets of kitchen roll and stack them together.
2 Draw an s on the top one. Carefully cut the sheets into an s shape.
4 Sprinkle cress seeds on the s. Try to keep the seeds only on the s shape. Put the plate in a bright spot. Keep the kitchen roll damp by adding a little water to the plate when needed.
3 Put the s on a plate. Add water to the s so it is wet, but not too wet!
Write the letters.
5 When the cress has grown, snip it off. Put it in an egg sandwich or a salad.
The seeds will sprout in a day or two. It takes about a week for the cress to grow.
Draw over the dotted lines to add stripes.
Peeling and placing stickers helps children practise fine motor skills. s s s s s s s s s s
Learn to read and write at home with
These fun-filled activity books will guide young children through the early stages of reading and writing in an engaging, multisensory way.
There are stories and actions to introduce children to the main letter sounds and a wide variety of activities to help them use those sounds to read and write simple words.
With pages to colour, games, crafts and sticker activities, learning to read and write has never been so fun!
To see the full range of Jolly Phonics products, visit our website at jollylearning.com
Original text by Sara Wernham and Sue Lloyd. Updated and edited by Fran Bromage. Illustrated by Kevin Payne, Alice Potter, Betania Zacarias at Advocate Art. Produced by Gingerbread Moon Creative, gingerbreadmooncreative.co.uk © Jolly Learning Ltd 2025 info@jollylearning.com
77 Hornbeam Road, Buckhurst Hill, Essex, IG9 6JX Tel: +44 20 8501 0405 82 Winter Sport Lane, Williston, VT 05495, USA Tel: +1-800-488-2665 Fax: +1-802-864-7626
Printed in China. All rights reserved. JR25/31.
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD Small parts, not suitable for children under 36 months.
ISBN 978-1-83582-365-1
Reference: JL3651 British English Edition
