My Toddler knows all the letter sound, What Next?

**** This is Part 2 of the series Teaching Toddlers to Read.

I hope you’ve been having fun teaching—and learning—letter sounds! You can please check out the first part of this blog post here: Step 1
It takes some getting used to, but trust me, it’s completely worth it. Now, you might be wondering, “What’s next? Can I start putting words together?”

Not quite yet, mama! Before we jump into blending sounds to form words, there are a few essential skills to focus on. Let’s break it down.

Practice Sounds Everywhere (But Keep It Fun!)

Consistency is key, but don’t force it. If your little one isn’t in the mood, that’s okay! Some days, you won’t even bring up reading at all—and that’s totally fine.

For screen-friendly families, some great shows naturally reinforce sounds:

• Alphablocks – A fun way for kids to see letter sounds in action!
• Sesame Street phonics segments – Short and engaging clips to reinforce key concepts.

The key? Subtly play these shows. Keep it light, no pressure!

Master Beginning & Ending Sounds Before Blending

Before moving on to blending sounds to form words, your child needs to recognize beginning and ending sounds. Here’s how:

Emphasize the First Sound
When you say a word, stress the first sound:
🗣️ “Listen, honey! When I say ‘ball,’ what do you hear first?” (Stretch the “B” sound: B-B-Ball!)

Bonus tip: Try this in everyday situations!

🧱 “Oh look, that’s a block! What’s the beginning sound?” (Buh-buh-block!)
🐶 “Here’s a dog! What’s the first sound you hear?” (D-D-Dog!)
🍏 “This is an apple. Can you tell me the first sound?” (Aaa-apple!)

Now, Work on Ending Sounds
Just like you emphasized the first sound, do the same for the last sound.
🗣️ “When I say ‘dog,’ what do you hear at the end? D-O-GGG?”

Make it playful! Use familiar words your child loves—like “mom,” “dad,” or their favorite toy’s name.

Make It Hands-On with Magnetic Letters and Other Resources

One of my favorite tricks? Magnetic Letters or just regular stick on letters! These make it easy for kids to physically put words together. You can:

🧲 Spell out a word like “pig” using magnetic letters.
📷 Show a picture of a pig next to the letters to create word association.

You can actually find some affordable sets on Amazon that combine the words and the pictures. Some examples are:
1.  CVC Word Spelling Games, Montessori Educational Toys
2. Learn to Read Phonics Flash Cards 

Try This: Beginning & Ending Sound Challenge

Once your child starts recognizing sounds, challenge them with a simple game.

🔤 SUN:
“What is the first sound in the word ‘sun’?” (Sss-)
“What is the last sound in ‘sun’?” (-n!)

Encouraging kids to isolate the beginning and ending sounds in everyday words will help them become more confident in identifying phonetic patterns. You can do this casually throughout the day—while cooking, driving, or even during bath time!

I created this infographic some months back on the best time you can teach your little one.

Use Worksheets to Reinforce Learning

I know, I know—worksheets aren’t always our favorite! However, trust me, some of them can be incredibly helpful in reinforcing letter sounds, and they do so in a fun and engaging way.

There are worksheets that help kids match beginning sounds to pictures. You can find these on:

📌 Etsy – Search for “beginning/ ending sounds worksheets.”
📌 Twinkl– Search for “beginning sounds/ending worksheets.”
📌 Free printables from this Website or even just google.

Bonus tip: Many of these worksheets involve cutting and gluing, which strengthens those little hand muscles needed for writing. See a sample below.
(You know anything to build the hand muscles we need for writing. For more details please check out this blog post here .

No Need to Buy Anything!

I get it—kids can be expensive! That said, if you don’t want to purchase anything, that’s totally fine. A simple writing pad or even plain A4 paper works just as well. For some reason, my son LOVES A4 paper—I’m not sure why, but hey, if it works, it works!! 😂

You can simply write words out with a pen and show them. No need to break the bank or create a mess—I know you’re already busy!

Now Let’s Move to Syllables—Why, You May Ask?

So, we’ve practiced letter sounds, beginning and ending sounds… now what?
Let’s introduce syllables—but why, you may ask?

Well, syllables are like tiny building blocks in words. Helping your child hear and count them is a simple way to make big words feel less scary and more manageable. Before kids blend full words, it helps to break them into bite-sized chunks they can hear and feel.

Why Syllables Matter

Long words like elephant or butterfly can feel overwhelming to a new reader. But when you clap out the syllables, it breaks the word into smaller parts, making it easier to understand and eventually sound out.

Let’s Try Simple Examples First

Start with easy words your child knows and can say easily:

🖐️ Ap-ple (2 claps!)
🧃 Juice (1 clap!)
🐶 Dog-gy (2 claps!)
🧢 Hat (1 clap!)
🍌 Ba-na-na (3 claps!)

Make it fun with claps, stomps, or even drum beats on a pot—anything to help your child feel the rhythm of the word.

How to Practice Syllables

🎤 Clap it out! Say a word and clap once for each syllable.
🕺 Stomp it out! Get moving and stomp as you say each part.
🥁 Bang it out! Use a toy drum or pot for sound play.
📄 Use worksheets – For extra practice, check out free syllable worksheets. Just search:

• Etsy – “syllable worksheets for kids”
• Free printables – Google “free syllable worksheets for preschoolers.”

Some worksheets even include cut-and-glue activities, which are perfect for building those little hand muscles and keeping things engaging. Remember, there is no pressure—this is all about exploring sounds together in a fun, natural way.

Why All This, Tomi?

You might be wondering, Why go through all these steps before blending sounds?

Here’s why:

Once your child can identify beginning and ending sounds, the short vowel sounds will naturally follow.

For example, if they recognize:
✅ B (buh)
✅ G (guh)
✅ Short A (ahhh)

…sounding out “bag” becomes a lot easier! This lays the groundwork for blending sounds—which we’ll dive into in the next post!

Also, practicing syllables helps kids break down longer words, making reading smoother and less intimidating as they grow. It builds confidence and rhythm in their reading journey.

Final Thoughts: Keep Going, Mama!

It took us almost a year to get to blending, primarily because I believe in no pressure, just fun. Above all, I wanted my son to love reading, not feel forced into it.

Then, one day, it was like a light bulb moment! Suddenly, he could sound out words effortlessly. Now, I actually have to remind him to slow down and sound them out, because in some cases, words just come naturally to him.

So, keep practicing, mama! Don’t give up. Keep it light, keep it fun, and before you know it, the progress will come.