Phonological awareness: the pre-reading skill you can build through play
Before learning letters, children need to discover that words are made of sounds. That skill has a name, and it can be practiced through play.
What is it, exactly?
Phonological awareness is the ability to think about the sounds of language, separate from their meaning. A child with good phonological awareness notices that "sun" and "sock" start the same way, that "butterfly" is longer than "fish" even though a butterfly is smaller, and that "cat" and "hat" rhyme.
Many studies on learning to read have found that this skill, developed in the preschool years, is linked to stronger reading later on. It makes sense: to understand that the letter "m" stands for a sound, you first have to be able to hear that sound inside words.
The levels, from easiest to hardest
- Words. Noticing that a sentence is made of separate words.
- Rhymes. Recognizing words that end the same way.
- Syllables. Breaking words into beats: but-ter-fly.
- First sound. Identifying the sound a word starts with.
- Phonemes. Separating every sound in a short word: s-u-n. This level usually comes together in early elementary school.
Between ages 3 and 5, it's natural to focus mostly on the first three levels and begin the fourth.
Games for each level
Rhymes
Nursery rhymes, chants and short poems are perfect. Try pausing right before the rhyming word so your child can fill it in.
Syllables
Clap once for each syllable in family members' names. Who has the longest name? You can also jump once per syllable.
First sounds
Play I Spy with sounds instead of letter names: "I spy something that starts with mmm..." Stretch the sound rather than saying the letter name; "mmm" is much clearer than "em."
Silly words
Swapping the first sound of a word to make nonsense words ("cat, bat, zat, lat") gets lots of giggles and is top-notch phonological practice.
Practical tips
- Speak slowly and exaggerate the sounds when playing.
- Use pictures or objects so your child doesn't have to remember the words.
- Keep it short: five minutes in the car or the bath is plenty.
- Never turn it into a test; if it stops being fun, switch games.
When to ask for help
If at age 4 or 5 your child has a lot of trouble being understood, doesn't enjoy rhymes and songs at all, or finds it very hard to repeat new words, talk to your pediatrician, who can decide whether an evaluation with a speech-language pathologist would help.
Related games on the island
- 🔤 Learn and Play: Interactive cards for discovering letters, numbers and colors, with sound and plenty of celebration.
- 👂 Rhyme Time: A listening game: find the word that starts with the same sound.
This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a pediatrician, speech-language pathologist or other professional. If anything about your child's development worries you, talk to your pediatrician.