For this activity have the child look through old magazines or newspapers for pictures of objects that begin with the target letter sound or find the target letter in print. Have them cut out those pictures or letters and glue them to card stock or poster board to make a collage for the letter they are practicing. For example, when learning the letter B children should look for pictures of things that begin with the /b/ sound, like birds, balls, balloons and barns. This will help the child associate the letter B with the /b/ sound.
This craft involves writing the letter in capital and lowercase on a piece of construction paper. The child then writes over the pencil letters with a strip of glue and glues down objects so that when they have dried the letters are textured. There are many different things that can be glued down for this craft such as dried beans, macaroni, and craft pompoms. To help reinforce the letter-sound association essential for phonics do this activity in conjunction with reading a book that features something beginning with the targeted letter/sound. The children's book "Stellaluna" is about a bat and would be good for practice with the letter sound /b/.
For this craft the teacher or parent may need to cut out the target letter/sound from a piece of felt. The letter will need to be large enough so that the child can glue other pieces of felt to it. Make sure the child has access to different-colored pieces of felt and then have the student cut out items that begin with that letter to glue to the larger felt letter. For example, the child could cut out items that begin with short or long /a/, such as apples, to glue to the letter A. This will help the child to relate the letter "A" with the sound that is associated with the letter.
To create an alphabet box, the child can paint the outside of an old shoe box. Once it has dried the child can find alphabet letters in old magazines or newspapers to cut out and glue to the outside of the box. The child can then label small toys or objects with alphabet letter stickers to keep inside the box. When the child takes out the items to play with, he will be reminded of the beginning sound and that will reinforce phonics skills.