Alphabet Beginning Sounds Picture Cards Sorting Activity

Reading begins with our ears. Hearing the sounds in the words we speak and sing is one of the first steps toward understanding letter/sound relationships. Rhyming, blending and segmenting syllables and phonemes (sounds), and identifying the beginning, middle and ending sounds in words are crucial literacy activities for preschoolers and kindergarteners. That is why I created this Beginning Sounds Picture Cards Sorting Activity!

Alphabet beginning sounds sorting card set

Beginning Letter Sounds in Kindergarten:

BUILDING STRONG PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS BEGINS IN PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN

IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL SOUNDS IN WORDS HELPS CHILDREN MAKE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ORAL LANGUAGE AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE.

Early phonological awareness includes rhyming, clapping syllables, segmenting words by each sound, and identifying initial/middle/ending alphabet sounds in words.

While it’s equally important to teach the alphabet letter names and sounds, phonemic awareness should come first.

The beauty of working on phonemic awareness skills is that it easily fits into quick transitions throughout the day. Sing the alphabet song or silly rhyming songs, ask children to repeat word pairs that begin with the same sound, or clap syllables when transitioning to “re-cess” or “lunch.”

I also like to teach kids to look in a mirror as they isolate a sound so they can see what their mouths are doing. Exaggerate sound production to help kids discern between sounds that are similar and often confusing, like /th/ in thin and /f/, or /m/ and /n/.

The beginning sounds pictures for kindergarten include header cards with upper and lower case letters A-Z and four alphabet picture cards for each letter.

Alphabet beginning sounds sorting card set

Get kids really thinking about sounds and how we produce them to further their understanding. Here are some questions to keep in mind as children sort the picture cards.

  • What sound do you hear at the beginning of the word?
  • Do you know the letter that makes that sound?
  • What other pictures/words have the same beginning sound?
  • How do you make that sound with your mouth? Tongue? Breath? Throat?
  • Can you sing/stretch that sound, or is it quick?

Why Is It Important For Kids To Manipulate Sounds?

Distinguishing sounds in a word, and later manipulating those sounds help children make important connections as they begin to learn more about printed words.

There are five levels of phonological awareness. It’s important to guide students through each level with lots of modeling, scaffolding, games, sound worksheets, center activities, and repetition.

Materials needed for the Beginning Sounds Picture Sort:

Get the Supplies Here:

Don’t worry about making a special trip to the store. You can get all the supplies for this activity right here.

  • Paper (card stock or plain)
  • Printer
  • Laminator (optional)
Easy Product Display with supplies
Alphabet beginning sounds sorting card set

Low-Prep

High-Engagement

Low-Prep

Expand your activity library with these amazing resources!

How To Use The Beginning Sounds Picture Cards

BUILDING PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNERS

PROVIDE A WIDE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES TO KEEP WORDPLAY FUN, INTERACTIVE, AND NEVER TEDIOUS.

All you need to do is print the beginning sound pictures and alphabet heading cards onto white card stock and laminate them.

Then, cut the pictures and headings apart.

Place the activity at the literacy center. Here are the steps for the learning activity:

  1. Lay all the letter activity cards on the floor.
  2. Place the picture cards in a pile.
  3. Draw a card, name the picture, and identify the first sound in the word.
  4. Find the corresponding letter and place the picture card beneath it.
  5. Repeat!

As always, there are many ways to differentiate the activity or get creative with how you use it. You might even use the letter cards to introduce the alphabet to preschool students.

Alphabet beginning sounds sorting card set

Other Ways To Use the Kindergarten Beginning Sounds Cards:

Alphabet Cards

Use the ABC cards to learn letter names and sounds, sort them by shape, or put them in ABC order.

Create a Book

Cut the printed sound picture sort pages in half and staple them into a book with one letter per page and initial sound pictures the students can flip through any time.

Letter Matching

Print a double set of letter cards for students to match the letters of the alphabet.

Sensory Bin

Teach a letter sound per week and fill the sensory bin with objects that begin with that letter.

Rhyming Skills

Put all of the pictures in a pile. Draw a card, name the picture, and then make a silly rhyme (ie., apple/bapple, or juggle/muggle).

Ending Sounds

If some of your students have mastered beginning sound activities, challenge them to identify and sort by the ending sound.

Alphabet Beginning Sounds Sorting Cards
join the newsletter & Get your free activity

Enter your email to get your activity now!

Already a subscriber? No worries. Just enter your email here to have the activity sent directly to your inbox.

Similar Posts

Love Potion Juice Box Valentine’s Day Card for Kids
| | | | | | | | |

Love Potion Juice Box Valentine’s Day Card for Kids

You have your heart shaped cookies, cupcakes topped with red and pink sprinkles, and valentine conversation heart candy ready to go! You’re all set for your Valentine’s themed snacks and all that’s left is planning your beverages. It can be so hard to find holiday themed kid’s drinks. But don’t worry. I have the perfect…

Counting Falling Stars Preschool Math Activity
| | | | |

Counting Falling Stars Preschool Math Activity

Creating simple, yet fun learning activities for my preschooler is a passion of mine. I have found hands-on activities and games to be a great way to help preschoolers learn academic skills. Counting Falling Stars Preschool Math Activity is the latest! It is so quick to make and set up! Your preschooler can start counting…

Christmas Tree Lights Roll and Count
| | | | | |

Christmas Tree Lights Roll and Count

Christmas Tree lights are one of the most magical parts of the season. The way they twinkle, shine and dance is pure magic. Any learning activity will “shine” just a little brighter when paired with such magic. This fun Christmas themed activity helps little ones practice counting in a fun, Christmas-y way. Christmas Tree Lights…

Homemade New Years Noisemakers with Upcycled Bottles
| | | | | | |

Homemade New Years Noisemakers with Upcycled Bottles

This New Years bottle noisemaker activity is a fun way to teach students to upcycle old water bottles around their home. And it’s also a blast to have your own homemade New Years Noisemakers to ring in the New Year with your kids. Have your students bring in their water bottles, emptied and rinsed off…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *