Phonics practice works best in short, focused bursts that isolate one sound pattern at a time. This page covers blends and a starter sight-word list — the two building blocks of early reading fluency.
Quick Facts
- Best for: Ages 2–7
- Time: 10 minutes
- Skill focus: Blending sounds, sight word recognition
- Materials: Pencil, this page printed
Sound Blends
Practice these common blends by having your child say each sound separately, then blend them: bl, cr, st, sh, ch, th. Example: “b…l…black. Blend it: black.”
Starter Sight Words
The, and, is, you, said, was, they, have — practice 3–4 at a time rather than the full list at once. Point to each word and have your child say it instantly, without sounding it out (sight words are recognized by shape, not decoded).
What They’re Learning
Blending is the skill that turns individual letter sounds into real words — it’s often the exact place early readers get stuck. Sight words are practiced separately because many don’t follow standard phonics rules (like “said”) and need to be recognized instantly for fluent reading.
Parent Tip
If blending is hard, slow it down further — say each sound with a full second pause between them before asking your child to blend, rather than rushing the demonstration.