Phonological Awareness

Phonemic awareness is crucial for early reading success, and there are simple ways parents can support this skill at home. One effective strategy is to play sound games that focus on individual sounds (phonemes) in words. For example, try asking your child to identify the first or last sound in a word or practice blending sounds together to make words (like /c/ - /a/ - /t/ for “cat”). Another approach is reading rhyming books or singing songs with alliteration and rhyme; these help children hear similar sounds in words, which builds phonemic awareness naturally. Clapping syllables in words or playing “I Spy” with sounds (“I spy something that starts with ‘b’”) are also engaging ways to reinforce this skill. Most importantly, make these activities playful and pressure-free to keep learning fun and engaging for your child, helping them develop confidence with language sounds.