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Bowen Island Public Library

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PhonoFun

Phonological Awareness Activities You Can Do with Your Kids!

Enjoy these PhonoFun videos and activity packages, demonstrating Phonological Awareness games that you can play with your pre-reading child. Children who are not yet reading and those who may be struggling with learning to read will all benefit from these games that explore sounds in English.

The videos and activity packages cover the same activities, and the packages contain simple written instructions, explaining the same content as in the video. The activities will cover these areas of Phonological Awareness:

  • Introduction Video
  • Week 1: Counting Words in Sentences
  • Week 2: Counting Syllables in Words
  • Week 3: Rhyming
  • Week 4: Finding the First Sound in Words

Videos

PhonoFun Introduction

(Video script). What is Phonological Awareness? It’s a person’s awareness of sounds in the language. Like being able to recognize words in sentences, and the syllables and sounds within words. It’s when we only use our ears, so it has nothing to do with our eyes, like looking at the alphabet or reading. Developing strong phonological awareness is shown to help immensely with reading and spelling later on.

There are many more phonological and phonemic awareness areas and skills we could cover, so this month’s activities that cover four areas are just a taster! Each video/activity sheet will have games you can play with your child to develop in one area of Phonological Awareness.

To the adult leading these games with their child, please demonstrate the task a few times first, then do it together a few times with your child, making sure they understand the task before allowing them to try it by themselves! We want to make sure the concept is solid so your child can feel successful.

These are activities to try multiple times, to build up the skill, so do keep bringing it back, and try doing it in new ways. For instance, if it’s a game to count syllables, next time count them with Lego or stuffed animals or pebbles you find. Make walks, drives, or mealtimes occasions when you can explore the sounds in words, rhymes, and counting syllables and words in sentences.

And of course, feel free to adjust these games to your child’s level – choose shorter, simpler sentences or words if needed, or longer ones if your child is picking up these skills fast!

PhonoFun 1/4: Counting Words in Sentences

In this activity, we show you how to help your pre-reading child hear and count the words in sentences while building a story together!

PhonoFun 2/4 • Counting Syllables

In this activity, we show you how to help your pre-reading child hear and count the syllables in words while being drummers together!

PhonoFun 3/4 • Rhyming

In these activities, we show you how to help your pre-reading child hear and make up rhymes while out on a walk!

PhonoFun 4/4 • Hearing the First Sound in Words

In these activities, we show you how to help your pre-reading child identify and make the first sound in words.