This free phonics for kids video teaches the sound every letter makes, from A to Z, in just 1 minute and 10 seconds. Each letter comes with a picture word: A says /a/ as in apple, B says /b/ as in ball and C says /k/ as in cat. Knowing letter sounds, not just letter names, is the first step to blending sounds and reading simple words.
Video at a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Age | 3 to 6 years (Pre-K, kindergarten and Grade 1) |
| Length | 1 minute 10 seconds |
| Skill | Phonics: the main sound of each letter A to Z |
| Format | One letter, one sound, one picture word |
| Subtitles | Yes, on-screen words |
| Best for | Daily phonics warm-ups at home or in class |
Letter Names vs Letter Sounds
Every letter has a name and a sound. The name is what we call the letter in the ABC song. The sound is what the letter says inside a word. To read the word “cat”, a child needs the sounds /k/ /a/ /t/, not the names “see-ay-tee”.
| Letter | Letter name | Letter sound | Example word |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | ay | /a/ | apple |
| B | bee | /b/ | ball |
| C | see | /k/ | cat |
| M | em | /m/ | moon |
| S | es | /s/ | sun |
| T | tee | /t/ | top |
Why Phonics for Kids Starts with Letter Sounds
When kids know letter sounds, they can blend them to read new words on their own. For example, /s/ + /a/ + /t/ makes “sat”. This is the main skill taught in phonics for kids, and it helps kids read words they have never seen before instead of guessing from pictures. You can read more about how kids learn letters and sounds on Reading Rockets.
What Your Child Will Learn
- The main sound of all 26 letters
- How to connect each sound to a picture word, like /a/ for apple
- The difference between a letter name and a letter sound
- How to hear the first sound in a word
- The base skills needed for blending and early reading
How to Practice Letter Sounds at Home
- Watch and repeat. Pause after each letter and say the sound together.
- Keep sounds short and clean. Say /m/ as “mmm”, not “muh”. Say /s/ as “sss”, not “suh”. Clean sounds make blending much easier later.
- Learn a few sounds at a time. Practice 3 or 4 sounds a week instead of all 26 at once.
- Mix in writing. Say the sound while your child traces the letter on a tracing sheet.
Easy Phonics Games to Try
1. Sound of the Day
Pick one letter each morning. Say its sound together and find three things at home that start with that sound.
2. Sound Sorting Box
Put small toys in a box, such as a ball, a car and a dog. Your child sorts them by their first sound: /b/, /k/ and /d/.
3. Robot Talk
Say a short word in “robot talk”: /k/ – /a/ – /t/. Your child blends the sounds and says the word: cat! Start with 3-letter words.
Before learning sounds, it helps if your child can sing the alphabet. Try our ABC song for kids first.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age should kids learn letter sounds?
Many kids start learning letter sounds around age 4, and most learn the main sounds during kindergarten. Some kids are ready earlier and some need more time, which is normal. Short daily practice, like this phonics for kids video, helps a lot.
Which letter sounds should I teach first?
Many phonics programs start with s, a, t, p, i and n. These sounds are easy to say, and they can be blended into lots of short words like sat, tap, pin and nap.
Should I teach letter names or letter sounds first?
You can teach both, but letter sounds are more useful for reading. Many teachers say the name and the sound together: “This is B. B says /b/.”
Why does C say /k/ in this video?
The letter C has two sounds: a hard /k/ sound as in cat and a soft /s/ sound as in city. The video teaches the hard /k/ sound because it is the most common one in early reading words.
Keep Learning
- ABC Song for Kids: A to Z with Pictures
- Letter Recognition Activities for Kids – 15 games to learn letter names
- Free Letter Tracing Worksheet Maker – trace each letter while saying its sound
- 25 Fun Letter Recognition Activities for Preschoolers
- See all learning videos for kids