Teach the sounds of the alphabet by making a list of the letters and an action word beginning with each letter. For example, the action for the letter "w" might be "wiggle" and the action for the letter "t" might be tickle. Read through the list with your child and do all the actions together. Not only will this playful activity help reinforce the letters of the alphabet, but it will also help your child to remember the sounds of the alphabet by associating them with corresponding actions.
Cut out 30 paper basketballs with one of the following consonant clusters on each ball: ch, sh, th, wh, ph, thr, shr, ph, br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr, bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl, sk, sm, sn, sp, st, sw, str, spr, spl.
Cut out 10 basketball hoops with one of the following set of vowel phonograms written on each: ack, ail, ain, ake, ame, an, ank, ap, ash, at, ate, ay, eat, ell, est, ice, ick, ide, ight, ill, in, ine, ing, ink, IP, ock, op, uck, ig, unk, ale, aw, ir, oke, ore, ump, or, ang, oast, oom.
Form the students into two teams, and have a student from each team take turns picking a ball and match the beginning sound from the ball with one or more of the vowel spelling sounds on the net. Each word a child creates is worth two points for his team.
Sing the nursery rhyme "Jack and Jill" to your class. Present a computer printout of the words to the nursery rhyme in large print, with the words "Jill" and "hill" highlighted. Ask students to read along to the nursery rhyme with you while you point to the words. Ask the students to repeat the highlighted words and point out the similar sound and spelling at the end of these words. Ask your students to help you come up with a list of other words ending in "-ill" sounds and assist them in putting them into a story.
Read a book of silly rhymes to your students. After a few pages, begin leaving off the rhyming word and have your students take turns guessing what the word would be, using the rhymes and sentences as clues to help. Without even realizing it, students will come to understand letter/sound relationships from these rhymes.