Want to Help You Nanny Kids Read Better?

Teaching Phonics

Phonics gives us the tools to sound out and learn thousands of words without depending upon memorization. Phonics is simply the relationship between the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make. Use phonics to teach children the most common sound-spelling relationships so that they can decode, or sound out, words. This decoding ability is a crucial element in reading success. Here is a very easy phonics project to make with your Nanny Kids:

You Will Need:

Colored Heavyweight Paper (use at least two different fun colors)
Scissors
Ruler or Straight Edge
Marker
X-Acto Knife (or sharp scissors are fine)
Glue Stick
Big List of Phonic Words

What to Do:

1. Fold colored paper into half lengthwise and in half lengthwise again to cut strips out of the paper (see our yellow paper). Take a contrasting color and fold the paper into quarters, making a small rectangle (see our pink paper).

2. Line up the strip of long paper (yellow paper) with the smaller rectangle (pink) facing the smaller rectangle horizontally on the table.

3. For Adults: Use a straight edge and an X-Acto knife to cut two slits in the smaller rectangle (pink paper) so you can slide the longer strips (yellow paper) through the openings. Cut the slits on the left side of the smaller paper so you can write half of the word on the right side of the rectangle.

For Kids: Have them fold the smaller rectangle (our pink paper) in half horizontally and cut out a square on the left side of the paper leaving enough room on the right side of the paper to finish the word. Glue two rectangles together with the one with the hole on top. Glue the short edges of the rectangles together so that you can slide the long slip of paper (our yellow paper) up through the two sheets of paper to create words.

4. Using your list of phonic words write the suffix (ending of each word) on the right side of the small rectangle (our pink paper). Write several prefixes (beginning of each word) spaced out on the longer strip of paper (our yellow paper).

Allow your Nanny Kids to sound out the words and create new ones too.