We are looking at reading again on 31 Days of Learning now; thanks to Emma from Life According to Mrs Shilts. Learning is so much fun for toddlers. There’s a whole world to discover and every day is a day to soak up more and more. At around 12 months, babies begin to practice all the sounds they have heard in the world around them and turn them into words. As they get older and learn more about the world around them, they begin to learn more words and understand words in context. Introducing phonics flashcards is a great way to introduce them to the alphabet and give them a firm foundation to build upon.
Introduce Phonics for Toddlers: 26 New Sounds
Using the phonics flashcards, you can introduce your toddler to 26 new sounds and apply them to 26 items—everyday things. The basics of phonics, such as learning letter sounds and vowels, are important for building a strong foundation in early education. Introducing phonics at a young age can help prepare children for preschool and future education.
As your toddler begins to recognise the picture on the card with the letter sound, they’ll begin to recognise other items that begin with the same sound. Parents can keep their child engaged by turning the activity into a fun learning game, such as playing by matching sounds to pictures. When your child is recognising items, learning can happen naturally through play, and parents should point to the letters and pictures to help their child make connections. Singing the alphabet song is also a fun way to help toddlers learn letter sounds and broaden their vocabulary.
This will open up so many doors for them and their learning journey. Note for parents: children develop at their own pace and age, and their interest and readiness for phonics can vary. Observe your child’s interest and avoid pressuring them, allowing learning to happen at their own pace. Introducing phonics concepts through playing and games can make the learning process enjoyable and effective.
Note: Not all students or older children will need the same approach—these flashcards are designed specifically for toddlers.
How to use phonics flashcards with your toddler
To use the phonics flash cards with your toddler, download the phonics flash cards file to your computer.
Open the flash cards file and select the file to print.
Make sure you select the file to print to fit to page, this will adjust the document to your paper size. Print off the cards in colour onto card stock. Then, cut around each card with the letter on so that you have 26 cards.
Using the free phonics flashcards, you can introduce your toddler to new vocabulary.
Sound out the letter of the alphabet and using the descriptive picture on the card, you can use the letter as part of a new word.
For reference – here are the words that we have associated with each letter on the cards for you:
| a | apple | h | hat | o | orange | v | van |
| b | ball | i | igloo | p | penguin | w | water |
| c | car | j | jam | q | queen | x | xray |
| d | dog | k | kite | r | robot | y | yo-yo |
| e | egg | l | lion | s | snake | z | zebra |
| f | frog | m | moon | t | train | ||
| g | goat | n | nose | u | umbrella |
With use, your toddler will be able to recognise the item on the picture on the card and in doing so, will be able to recite the sound of the letter.
Using the phonics flashcards, you could introduce your toddler into a vast variety of new words broadening their vocabulary and significantly increasing the knowledge they have of the world around them.
Developing phonological awareness in young children
Developing phonological awareness in young children is a key foundation for learning to read and write in the English language. Phonological awareness means being able to hear, recognize, and play with the individual sounds—also known as phonemes—that make up words. This skill helps children break down words into their beginning sounds, blend sounds together, and eventually decode real words as they read.
A fun way to start teaching phonological awareness is by singing the abc song together, which helps children become familiar with the different letters and their order. Parents and educators can also use sidewalk chalk to write out letters and simple words, encouraging kids to say the letter sounds as they play. Rhyming games, clapping out syllables, and matching pictures to beginning sounds are all engaging activities that make the learning process enjoyable for toddlers.
As children become more comfortable with letter sounds, you can introduce simple games that focus on blending individual sounds to form words. For example, say the sounds “d,” “o,” and “g” separately, then blend them together to make the word “dog.” This helps children understand how sounds come together to create words, building their confidence and ability to read.
It’s also important to introduce sight words—common words that don’t always follow regular phonics rules. Learning to recognize these words by sight helps children read more fluently and with greater understanding. Using lists like the Dolch Sight Words, you can practice these high-frequency words through fun games, flashcards, or even writing them with sidewalk chalk.
As your child’s skills grow, you can explore more complex letter combinations and patterns, such as “sh,” “ch,” and “th.” Practicing these sounds together through games and stories helps children recognize patterns in words and strengthens their reading and writing abilities. By focusing on phonological awareness, letter sounds, and sight words, you’re giving your child a strong foundation for future reading success.
Remember, the most important part of teaching phonics and phonological awareness is to keep the experience positive and fun. Celebrate your child’s progress, play lots of games, and encourage them to explore the world of sounds and words every day. With a strong start in phonological awareness, your child will be well on their way to becoming a confident and enthusiastic reader.
Download your free phonics flashcards set for toddlers and have fun!
Aren’t these adorable? We think they are – we do also have some other resources on the site to compliment these as well; both helping with early reading, learning the alphabet and general fun for toddlers!
Other phonics and alphabet resources for babies and toddlers
We have so many resources on KiddyCharts, it can be hard to know where to start - why not take a look at these though to help with phonics and alphabet learning?
Alphabet poster printables
Some posters to add to the fantastic flash cards we have here.
Alphabet flash cards
Some more flash cards in case you need a little more variety of designs and what to have even more resources to play with.
Kids reading: How to encourage them
How to encourage kids to read generally.
Free printable reading quotes for World Book Day posters and beyond
Finally some posters to inspire reading in your children. Why not add them to a little book corner for them in the house or in the classroom?
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We hope to see you soon, and happy phonics practise as well!
Helen
Emma Shilton
Emma is a work-from-home Mum and lives with her husband and two young boys in the West Midlands. By day she's juggling the school run with an active toddler and drinking cold cups of coffee and by night she's a content creator for her blog and client social media channels. Emma writes at Life According to MrsShilts and shares all the milestones, memories and smiles of everyday family life.
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