This blog post has been written by experienced teacher and founder of Mrs Mactivity, Heather McAvan. Mrs Mactivity makes exciting, hands on activity based learning resources for the 3-11 age range, including a phonics scheme.
At Mrs Mactivity we know only too well that practitioners and teachers spend a lot of their time preparing for the day ahead, and it’s something that we really want to help with. Phonics can be especially time consuming to prepare for, mainly because it’s so vitally important, but also because there are always a wide range of needs and abilities to cater for. It’s also a relatively short part of your day, especially in Early Years, and therefore not something that you want to spend a lot of time resourcing for.
With that in mind, we’ve put together some quick and easy phase 2 phonics ideas and activities for you to deliver for maximum impact! If you’re interested in these, you might also be interested in our entire phase 2 phonicsscheme, which contains active, hands on ideas that are also easy to deliver and prepare for.
Give each child a sound mat, with the sounds facing upwards and a set of the Phase 2 sound cards.
Picking up one at a time, children must match their sound cards to the sounds on the mat, placing the card on top of the matching sound.
Make it a challenge!
Challenge the children to use the phase 2 letter cards and phase 2 picture cards and match them on both sides of the sound mat, saying the sound as they go.
Hand out the sound mat to the children with the pictures facing upwards. You may want to talk through the pictures with the children before starting the game.
Give each child a set of Phase 2 sound cards or Phase 2 letters depending on ability. (magnetic letters are ideal).
Practitioner to start by saying, “I spy a (state one of the pictures eg. ssssock).” Make sure you emphasise the initial sound.
Children to listen to the initial sound, find the picture and then place
the correct initial sound on top.
Extension Activity
Don’t give the children all the letters present on the sound mat. When you shout out the “I spy”, only children with the sound can put it down on their mat. The first child to complete a row is the winner!
You can also use everyday items you’ve got lying around to make fun phase 2 phonics games.
Egg Box Phonics Match Up
What you will need
12 egg carton
Sharpie
12 milk bottle caps
Take an egg carton and write 12 of the phase 2 phonemes in each divot using a sharpie. The sounds (if you are following letters and sounds) are:
s, a, t, p
i, n, m, d
g, o, c, k
h, b, f, ff, l, ll, s
On each bottle cap, mark the same 12 phonemes. Jumble them all up, then challenge the children to put the bottle cap in the right space in the egg carton, saying the sounds as they go.
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