🎒 Getting Ready for 1st Grade · Lesson 2 of 7
Sounds and letters
Rhymes, first sounds, syllables and letters — the fun way.
Hearing sounds first (phonemic awareness)
Before reading, kids need to hear the sounds in words. That’s done with ears, not paper — in the car, at dinner, in the bath.
Games
| Rhymes | “What rhymes with cat?” — hat, bat, mat |
|---|---|
| First sound | “I spy something that starts with /b/” |
| Clap syllables | el-e-phant = 3 claps |
| Blending | “What word is c-a-t?” |
| Change a sound | “Say cat. Change /c/ to /h/” — hat |
Letters and sounds
Learn each letter’s sound, not just its name: B says /b/, not “buh” with a big vowel. Kindergarten Common Core expects kids to know the main sound of each letter and read common sight words like the, a, I, you, is.
Read aloud every day
Fifteen minutes of reading aloud a day is the single best thing for future readers. Let your child choose books, point to words sometimes, and talk about the story.
Tip
💡 Magnetic letters on the fridge: build your child’s name, then a 3-letter word like “sun”.
✏️ Practice: your turn
- Play “I spy” with first sounds in the car
- Clap the syllables of family members’ names
- Read aloud for 15 minutes every day this week
- Build 3 words with magnetic letters
🧠 Quick quiz
Answer all 4 questions correctly to mark this lesson as done.
0 of 4 correct
All lessons in Getting Ready for 1st Grade
- 🌱 1. What “readiness” really meansFeelings, friends, independence and attention — and what isn’t expected
- 🔤 2. Sounds and lettersRhymes, first sounds, syllables and letters — the fun way
- 🔢 3. Numbers and first mathCounting, quantities, more and less, shapes and patterns
- ✏️ 4. Fine motor skills and pencil gripScissors, lines, drawing and writing their name
- 🧦 5. Independence and routinesBackpack, bathroom, lunchbox, sleep and mornings
- 💛 6. The emotional sideTalking about the change, saying goodbye, friends and confidence
- ☀️ 7. The summer plan15 minutes a day, what to buy, the first week, and who to call