About these games

These games build phonological awareness. That is the ability to hear and play with sounds in words. The International Dyslexia Association calls this a critical foundation for reading and spelling.

Play one or two games a day. Keep each game to five minutes. Keep it fun. Use sounds, not letter names.

1. Rhyme or Not

1. Say two words, like "cat" and "hat".
2. Child gives a thumbs up if they rhyme.
3. Child gives a thumbs down if they do not.
4. Mix rhyming and non-rhyming pairs.

2. Clap the Syllables

1. Say a word, like "butterfly".
2. Clap once for each part: but-ter-fly.
3. Child claps and counts the parts.
4. Use names of classmates for fun.

3. First Sound Hunt

1. Say a sound, like /s/.
2. Child finds an object that starts with that sound.
3. Child says the object and its first sound.

4. I Spy Sounds

1. Say "I spy something that starts with /b/."
2. Child guesses the object.
3. Swap roles so the child gives the clue.

5. Robot Talk

1. Say a word in sounds, like /d/ /o/ /g/.
2. Child blends the sounds and says "dog".
3. Start with two or three sounds.
4. Add more sounds as the child improves.

6. Break the Word

1. Say a short word, like "sun".
2. Child says each sound: /s/ /u/ /n/.
3. Child taps a finger for each sound.

7. Sound Swap

1. Say a word, like "map".
2. Ask the child to change /m/ to /k/.
3. Child says the new word: "cap".
4. Later, swap the last or middle sound.

8. What's Missing?

1. Say "sunshine".
2. Ask the child to say it without "sun".
3. Child says "shine".
4. Later, remove single sounds, like "seat" without /s/.

9. Rhyme Chain

1. Say a word, like "bed".
2. Each player adds a rhyming word: red, fed, led.
3. Nonsense words count if they rhyme.
4. Stop when no one can think of another.

10. Sound Counting Jumps

1. Say a word, like "frog".
2. Child jumps once for each sound.
3. Child counts the jumps: four sounds.

Tips for success

• Model first, then let the child try.
• Praise effort, not speed.
• Go back to an easier game if the child struggles.
• Use real objects and pictures for younger children.

Track progress

Child: ________ Games played this week: ________ Game that was hardest: ________ Game that was easiest: ________

When to talk to someone

If a child still finds these games very hard after several weeks, tell the teacher or school team. Hard does not mean dyslexia. Only a professional can diagnose. Diagnosis is made by a licensed professional, usually a psychologist or psychological associate. In Quebec, a speech-language pathologist (orthophoniste) can also diagnose. Rules differ by province.