Looking for a simple activity that will teach kids to sound out words? Try these free word slider cards!
You can introduce “sounding it out” in different ways.
1. One way is to take out some letter tiles – H, A, and T for example. Lay out the tiles in order with large spaces in between. Show your child how to say each sound separately. Gradually squeeze the letter tiles together as you say the sounds closer together.
2. Another option is to write the letters of a three letter word in three separate boxes. Push a counter (like a block or poker chip) up toward each letter as you say the sounds. Help your child to say the sounds faster until he can say them together.
3. Consider starting with continuous sounds (sounds you can sustain) and using continuous phonation. That’s just a fancy way of saying “stretch out each sound until you get to the next one.” An example is found in this video from Heidisongs with the word RUN.
I saw this genius activity on the fabulous blog Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational, whose author learned about it from her son’s kindergarten teacher. With Relentlessly Fun’s permission, I’m sharing the idea on my blog as well.
The idea is very simple. You can use index cards or long strips of paper to write simple words to sound out. Since my Three loves to read and spell the word “pop,” I created a set of 30 short o word cards. (You can download my cards for free at the end of the post.) It helps to include a picture of the word at the end of the strip for self-checking.
Next, seal a business sized envelope.
Cut off the end of the envelope.
Insert a card into the envelope. Have your child say each sound as each letter or letter combination is revealed.
Have him repeat the sounds in order until he can sliiide them all together to make a word.
Simple! The first couple times we did this, my little guy resisted. I pulled it out a month later, and suddenly he was sounding out at least half of the words on his first or second try. I loved seeing the smile on his face when he revealed the final picture and saw that he was correct!
More free word slider cards
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lola
This is such a wonderful site. thanks so much for a job well done.
Anna Geiger
Thank you, Lola!
JAMIE
very good
verna harrison
Thank you.
Janet
I love this idea .I find it very informative to spark new interest in my child. Not boring
Jessica
Forgive me if this was already asked, but do you have all the other short vowels as well? I think this resource is amazing!
Anna Geiger
Hi Jessica! I don’t mean to be ignoring your comment! My short u cards are here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/word-slider-cards-short-u/. I am working on short i and plan to have ALL the sets done by mid-January. Glad you like them!
Chelsea
Hi Anna,
Do you have the other short vowel cards available yet? I would love to start using these with some kinders of mine.
Anna Geiger
Yes, I just haven’t linked to them here yet – whoops! You can find them all linked at the bottom of this post: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/sounding-out-short-vowels-with-slider-cards/
Jennifer Brown
This really looks like a very promising activity. This could really our kids pronounce hte words we want them to learn.
Thanks for the ideas.
Anna Geiger
You’re welcome, Jennifer – thanks for stopping by!
Deceptively Educational
These cards seriously taught my son to apply phonics in an effort to read. I’m so glad you’ve shared these! The more people who use them, the better! Hands down, they’re one of the best early reading strategies!
Anna Geiger
Thanks so much for bringing them to my attention 🙂 I do think they’re fabulous! They’ve helped my little guy “unlock the code.”
Dianna @ The Kennedy Adventures
Love the great resources you share on The Thoughtful Spot!
Viviana @ Totschooling
I love this idea! I will definitely use it with my daughter. Thank you so much for sharing!
Anna Geiger
You’re very welcome, Viviana!
Emma @ P is for Preschooler
This is such a simple but brilliant idea! So much of reading is sounding it out, and this will help kids focus on that.
Anna Geiger
Thanks for checking it out, Emma!
Janet
I love this idea .I find it very informative to spark new interest in my child. Not boring
julie boesky
I have one HUGE worry in looking at this activity… forgive me if i missed something. Do you understand that the short o in a word like mop makes a short sound BECAUSE it has a consonant after it?? (closed syllable) When the child has uncovered only the m and o in your picture, it actually is saying “moe” because it is an open syllable until the consonant after it is revealed…. your activity would be accurate and effective if you work in the OPPOSITE direction… start with all letters uncovered, and then you could show your child how the sound changes as you take away the last letter?!!! vowel sounds are what is tricky for many kids….
Anna Geiger
Hi Julie! Yes, I do understand about open and closed syllables. I appreciate your concern – however, the point of this activity is to teach sounding out short vowel words with word families — and since the child knows that another letter is coming, I don’t see anything wrong with teaching him to say the short vowel sound of the vowel. As to your last point, I do start with modeling the activity first – so my child does understand that these are not two letter words. As a teacher I had to use a phonics curriculum that taught children all the lingo – open and closed syllable, breves, macrons, etc. Instead of helping the children who had trouble reading, it confused them. I appreciate your point, though – something to keep in mind!
Mama to 5 BLessings
That is a great idea, so simple too! Love using resources I already have!
Anna Geiger
I love that kind of activity, too! Thanks for checking this one out.