Give students the perfect place to practice forming words using their phonics skills. Fill a few plastic tubs with all of the necessary supplies students will need to stamp the letters they have learned and to try forming words. The tubs should include a set of alphabet stamps, an ink pad, newspaper that can be laid down on the work surface and some sort of cleaning wipe for the children's hands. This center will remain a popular one throughout the school year as students continue to build their knowledge of phonics.
A cookie sheet provides the perfect place for students to practice using their phonics skills. Fill one plastic bag with lowercase letters and another bag with uppercase letters. Explain to students that when they visit the cookie sheet center, they should take turns selecting a letter from one of the bags and laying it on the cookie sheet. They should then attempt to find the other form of the letter from the other bag. Students enjoy reviewing the letter sounds and variations at this center.
Fill a basket with computer printouts of popular nursery rhymes and colored pencils. Add a set of alphabet cards facing down in the basket. Tell students that when they visit the nursery rhyme center, they should flip over a letter card. They should take time to go through the nursery rhyme circling that letter as many times as it appears. If students have time, explain that they should draw another card and use a different colored pencil to circle that letter every time it appears.
Lay an alphabetical border out on the floor along with several children's magazines and scissors. Ask students to cut out items from the magazine that begin with the various letters of the alphabet. Instruct students to lay the objects on top of each letter. Encourage students to attempt to fill up the alphabet border with pictures. More advanced students may want to look for blends or digraphs and place those pictures on the first letter that appears.