The Easiest Way to Teach Letter Sounds in Kindergarten
You’re ready to teach your kindergartener how to read—but where do you start?
The alphabet, right?
Not exactly. 😉
Many well-meaning homeschoolers begin with letter names, ABC songs, or handwriting drills.
But when it comes to actually learning to read, there’s a better first step:
👉 Teach letter sounds first.
In this post, I’ll show you a simple, effective way to teach letter sounds at home—without needing a curriculum or a stack of worksheets.
Let’s build a strong reading foundation from Day 1. 🧠
🔤 Why Letter Sounds Matter More Than Letter Names
To read a word like map, your child needs to connect the sounds /m/ /ă/ /p/ to the letters m–a–p.
They don’t need to know those letters are called “em,” “ay,” or “pee.”
They need to know what sounds they make. That’s what phonics is all about.
Research from the Science of Reading shows that:
Kids who learn sounds first become stronger decoders
Letter names can actually get in the way at the beginning
Sound-based instruction leads to faster, more confident readers
So while the ABC song is fun, it’s the sounds that unlock real reading. 🔓📖
🧱 A Simple, Sound-First Teaching Routine
You don’t need to teach all 26 letters at once.
Start with just a few—and build slowly.
Here’s a sample routine using s, a, t, m (a common starting set):
🧠 Step 1: Say the Sound
Hold up the letter s and say:
“This letter is s. It makes the sound /s/ like sun.”
Make the sound clear and short—no “suh” or extra vowel sound at the end.
👂 Step 2: Make It Meaningful
Say:
“Let’s think of things that start with /s/: sun, snake, sock…”
Look around the room and find items that start with that sound. Let your child help!
✏️ Step 3: Trace and Say
Use your finger, a crayon, or a stick in sand. Have your child:
See the letter
Say the sound (/s/)
Write or trace the letter
This taps into multiple parts of the brain—and helps lock in the connection.
📚 Step 4: Blend Sounds Together
As soon as your child knows 2–3 letter sounds, start blending!
For example:
s–a–t = sat
m–a–p = map
Sound it out slowly together, then say it fast.
Let them hear the “aha!” moment. 🎉
⏱️ How Many Letters Per Week?
It depends on your child, but here’s a simple guideline:
1–2 new letters per week
Practice previous sounds daily in short bursts
Once 4–5 letters are solid, begin CVC word blending
Keep lessons short (5–10 minutes) and playful.
Repetition is powerful—but don’t force it.
🧩 What If My Child Already Knows Letter Names?
That’s fine! Just shift focus.
Say:
“You already know this is M. Now let’s learn what sound it makes. It says /m/ like moon!”
From here on out, prioritize the sound in your reading instruction.
Letter names will still be there—but they’ll take a back seat for now. 🚌
🔁 Review Ideas That Actually Work
You don’t need to drill flashcards.
Here are better ways to reinforce letter sounds:
Play “I Spy”: “I spy something that starts with /b/...”
Sing sound songs: Replace ABC with /a/ /b/ /k/ etc.
Sound sort: Put toys or pictures into sound groups
Letter hunt: Find the letter m in a book or on signs
Build with magnets or tiles: Say the sound as you build the word
Make it interactive, multisensory, and fun. 🧸
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a boxed program to teach reading.
You need to start with the right piece of the puzzle: letter sounds.
By teaching a few sounds at a time—and helping your child blend them into words—you’re giving them the tools to unlock written language.
Keep it simple. Keep it joyful. And celebrate every little win. 🥳
Because learning to read doesn’t have to be complicated.
It just needs to be sound.
