Beginning Sounds Worksheets for Preschool

Sounds first, then letters

Before preschoolers can match a sound to a letter, they need to hear the first sound in a word. The best way to practice is out loud, without any paper: "I spy something that starts with mmm." These worksheets turn that game into a picture activity. Your child looks at three pictures, says each name, and circles the one that starts with the sound.

Why these eight letters

The sheet is set to B, D, F, H, M, P, S and T. These consonants have clear, consistent sounds and pictures that young children know well, such as ball, duck, fish, hat, moon, pig, sun and tree. Sounds like /m/, /s/ and /f/ can be stretched out, which makes them easy to hear. The vowels are left out on purpose because their short sounds are harder to tell apart.

A simple routine

1. Say the letter's sound, not its name, and ask your child to repeat it.
2. Say each picture name slowly together, and stretch the first sound.
3. Let your child circle the picture that starts with the sound.
4. Do only a few questions. Six is a full session for most three- and four-year-olds.

Keep the words under the pictures

The setting Show word under each picture is on, so a parent or teacher can read the name quickly. Turn it off if your child is already reading and you want them to rely on sound only.

When to add more letters

When your child gets most questions right, use the letter buttons to add more letters, or move on to beginning sounds for kindergarten. To work through the whole alphabet, use the A to Z worksheet. For a gentler look at letters, try shadow matching or letter formation.