Making Phonics Fun

Reading is something that everyone should be able to do but in order to learn such an important life skill children must begin with the basics which these days means phonics. Teaching the letter sounds, blending etc can be time consuming and with lots of repetitive lessons it can also turn into something rather boring and dull. Not every child will have the same enthusiasm for books and this is why we need to make the subject of phonics more fun!!

It isn't down to any one person to instil this enthusiasm, teachers and parents should be working together to tailor learning sessions to each and every child involved.

My youngest is currently in year one at school and is due to take her phonics test this month which is what gave me the idea of putting this post together. Having had three other children go through the same process I've managed to come up with a few different methods to keep the learning fresh and exciting as well as using the knowledge and resources that their teachers have provided us with over the years.

I've broken this post down into four sections to simplify what I think might just help:

Reading With Biff, Chip and Kipper

Learning to read is a big part of all our lives. Whether you are the child learning or the parent/adult doing the teaching, it can sometimes prove to be a difficult task. I think what we all need to keep in mind is that reading is just an extension of our inaginations and it should be an activity that remains fun and engaging.

My 4 year old, Gracie, started primary school in September and like her sister's before her, she is learning to read using the Biff, Chip and Kipper books from Oxford Reading Tree. I have been reading these books with the kids for so many years now that many of them I know off by heart.