Phonological awareness

What is phonological awareness?

Phonological awareness is the ability to hear, recognise, and play with the sounds in words. It’s not about learning letters yet, but about understanding that words are made up of smaller sounds—like syllables and individual sounds (phonemes). This skill is crucial for reading and writing success later on, and the good news is, you can help develop these skills at home long before your child enters school.

Simple ways to build phonological awareness

Here are some fun and easy ways you can help your preschooler develop their phonological awareness:

Rhyming Games

Learn how >
Rhyming is a fun way for kids to hear and play with sounds. You can play rhyming games like, “What rhymes with cat?” or sing songs with lots of rhyming words, like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Reading books with rhyming patterns also helps children hear how sounds repeat in words.

Listening for Sounds

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Get your child to listen carefully for the first sounds in words. For example, say “What’s the first sound in ‘sun’?” and help them say “/s/.” You can also practise identifying the last sounds in words when your child is ready.

Sound Substitution Games

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Once your child is comfortable identifying sounds, try changing one sound in a word to create a new word. For example, ask, “What happens if we change the /c/ in ‘cat’ to /h/?” Your child will enjoy hearing how words change when you swap the sounds.

Clapping Out Syllables

Learn how >
You can teach your child that words are made up of smaller parts, called syllables. Start by saying a word, like “banana,” and clap your hands for each syllable: ba-na-na. You can also tap on a table or use a toy drum for added fun!

Play "I Spy" with Sounds

Learn how >
Turn “I Spy” into a listening game where you focus on the first sound of things around you. For example, “I spy with my little eye something that starts with the /m/ sound,” and see if your child can guess “mop” or “mat.”

Alliteration with Names

Learn how >
Create alliterative phrases or sentences using the names of family members or pets. For example, "Mummy makes macaroni." Have your child say the sentence with you and emphasise the repeated beginning sounds.

Why it's important?

Phonological awareness is a key predictor of how well children will read and write in the future. Children who can recognise and manipulate sounds in words tend to become strong readers, because they’re better at figuring out how sounds map to letters when they start learning to read. So, the more children can practise these skills early on, the more confident they will be when they start school.

teaching sounds to kids

By making phonological awareness activities part of your daily routine, you’re helping your child build the strong foundation they need for reading and writing. These simple, fun games will not only prepare your child for school but also help set them up for success in becoming a confident reader and writer in the future.

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