There are very few activities as pleasurable as reading. It’s said that only one who has read deeply and widely can genuinely understand their inner selves. However, to do that, it’s important to develop reading skills early on. Phonics is one of the most efficient ways to do that. It helps in understanding words through sounds through a specific sound pattern. And while this method works, many children find it pretty tricky initially. Even those who don’t could benefit from an easier learning method.
And what would that way be? Well, phonics online games. As the name suggests, these make learning enjoyable. Storytelling, letter spelling, word formation, matching letters with sounds, etc. – there are various interactive exercises to keep a child interested. But if you’ve never heard of these, this is the article you need to read. It tells you some interesting facts regarding this learning method.
What are they meant to do?
As already mentioned earlier, they are meant to introduce children to phonics. While the latter is an excellent way to learn words by connecting them with sounds, many might struggle with it. The games make the entire process incredibly fun. So, for example, you might have a word, or a couple of them, sounding a certain way. Children learn that word while enjoying themselves rather than memorising it. This ensures that they retain what they learn rather than forgetting it afterwards.
Types of activities available for children
The activities available in each online game might vary from one platform to another. Most of them will have a basic set of tasks meant to arouse a child’s attention. Here’s a look at some of them.
Animation
This one’s a big hit with most kids. It requires them to follow a specific animated figure as they spell out certain words or sentences. The character might even have them talk directly to the listener. After having pronounced the word, the character might ask the child to repeat it. Upon doing that successfully, they are rewarded with a point or given access to the next level.
Finding the letter
Exercises like these help children build their observational skills besides phonics. In this game, they are given a set of words with a particular letter missing. For example, the word “zebra” might have “z” missing in it. The child might be asked to find the missing letter. While doing so, they might have to pronounce the word too. It helps them remember the sound of the word and become good at spelling.
Matching and Learning
Although every activity mentioned above helps with phonic building in children, this one has an extra benefit: memory retention. Children can develop their memory by matching two words that sound the same. Or, they might even be asked to identify a particular image based on a certain word. It reinforces the word-image association, which is an integral part of phonics. The matching words could be names of animals, places, snacks, etc. It’s a great way to help them build confidence.
Arrange the Letters
Think of a crossword puzzle for kids, and this is what you get. In this activity, the child might have to arrange a set of jumbled letters to form a proper word. They could be two, three or even six words. It helps them build confidence, expand their vocabulary, and get a good grasp of spelling. The best part is that the difficulty of words increases with every level, so the child has enough time to prepare themselves mentally for the next challenge.
If your child is having trouble with phonics, then trying out phonics online games is a good idea. Learning doesn’t always have to be serious. It can, and should be, fun, rewarding and satisfying. These games do just that.
