20 Fun Phonics Activities and Games for Early Readers

In 2000, the National Reading Panel report outlined five essential components of effective reading instruction for young children: phonemic awareness, phonetics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Phonics is key, as breaking down words into their individual sounds helps children gradually understand and build their reading and writing skills. Phonic activities like these will help build reading fluency in young students.

Also, for more help teaching phonetics, check out this free guide to teaching the science of reading from our friends at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

1. Start with anchor charts

When it comes to phonetics, there is a lot to learn. Hang anchor charts around the room to help kids remember important rules like silent E, vowel shuffles, and hard and soft C and G. Here are all of our favorite phonetics anchor charts.

2. Color the initial sounds

Most children begin learning phonetics by mastering the initial sounds of words. Let kids color the words that start with the matching sound on these cute free worksheets.

Learn More: The Measured Nut/Initial Sounds Coloring Pages

3. Build words using a table of initial sounds

Grab this free printable spreadsheet and print out copies for your students to use in their phonics activities. There is also a version for rhymes.

Learn more: This Reading Mama/Initial Sounds chart

4. Learn digraphs with clip wheels

Combine fine motor skills with phonetics practice with these free digraph wheels for beginners. Tip: Add small dots on the back to mark correct answers so kids can correct their work themselves.

Learn more: Playdough to Plato

5. Hit the letter sounds

Saying words letter by letter is a lot more fun when you swatter each letter with a fly swatter! This is a great idea for active learners.

Find out more: Frugal Fun 4 Boys

6. Walk the word

This one will also keep active learners moving and happy! Write words on the sidewalk with chalk, then walk (or hop or hop) along them, sounding the word along the way. Simple but fun!

Learn more: coffee mugs and crayons

7. Play Just Swap One

As students move from box to box, they change a letter to form the new word represented by the picture. They may have to change the first, middle or last letter, so it's a real challenge!

Learn more: This Mama Reading / just swap one out

8. Toss and mix with plastic cups

Grab a stack of plastic cups and some ping pong balls for this fun phonetics game! Label the cups with different mixes of letters and stand them up (tape them if they tend to fall over). Children toss a ball into a cup and then find a word that uses that mix of letters to earn a point.

More information: Education.com

9. Mix and match cups to form words

If you have a few cups left, label them with more letters or mixtures of letters, then use them to mix and match words. This is a particularly fun way to work on CVC and sight words.

Learn more: Inspired Elementary School

10. Chop pool noodles in phonics tools

This has to be one of our favorite phonics activities. Cut a pool noodle into pieces and label them with letters. Then stack and rotate for fun learning!

Learn more: pool noodle phonics

11. Make some phonics cubes

Slide the free printable inserts into a set of photo cubes, then roll until you get the right combination of letters and words.

Learn more: These Reading Mama/Phonic Cubes

12. Use color stirrers to make word excerpts

These clever phonics tools are easy to make using paint stir sticks and paper towel tubes. Just slide the stick in and out to form new words!

Learn more: I can teach my child

13. Play a flip-top phonics game

If you're going through packs of wipes like most parents do, you'll appreciate this idea. Store the flip tops and use them in DIY ponic activities.

Learn more: No time for index cards

14. Use a pocket map for phonetics activities

Here's another reason why teachers love pocket charts: They're great for phonics centers. Sort and combine cards to practice initial sounds, blends, short and long vowels, and more.

Learn more: Class of Miss Giraffe

15. Participate in Blends and Digraphs Bingo

Every kid loves a good game of bingo! Grab these free printable bingo cards and use them to practice shuffles and digraphs.

Learn more: The Measured Mom/Blends and Digraphs Bingo

16. Throw some phonik water balloons

This one seems almost too fun to count as learning! Glue on initial sounds, then toss water balloons to complete the words.

Learn more: Mess for Less

17. Race to the top with blends and digraphs

Play this free printable game to practice mixing consonants. Throw a chip on the board and say that word out loud. Then move the correct mix counter up one space. First to the top wins!

Learn more: These Reading Mama/Blends and Digraphs games

18. Try locks and keys to learn phonetics

This self-correcting phonetics activity is also a great way to practice fine motor skills... and it's a lot of fun! Label keys with initials and locks with word endings, then match them and try the key to see if you get it right.

More information: Unlock games and learn

19. Play Phonogram Connect Four

Draw a word card and find an empty slot on the board. Your goal is to get four in a row!

Learn more: Mrs. T's First Grade Class

20. Teach them the Soft C & G Chant

Simple little chants like these help children remember some of these confusing rules of speech. Combine it with other favorites like "I before E except after C".

Learn more: These Reading Mama/Soft C and G

Would you like more information? Check out The Science of Reading At Your Fingertips, a free resource from HMH. Inside you will find sections with tips on literacy in 2021, learning to read, essentials and beyond the school building.

By: 20 Fun Phonics Activities and Games for Early Readers