Learning reading skills is a top priority for parents with toddlers. Our kids’ ability to read hugely impacts all other aspects of school and learning. This is why we need to use the most effective method available when teaching kids how to read. What is the best method? Phonics for toddlers. It is the simplest way to teach reading skills that works.
Anyone with a toddler at home knows how quickly the day passes. You’ve got your hands full trying to get the little one dressed, fed and kept safe. And, when it’s time to start preschool, you have to do all that all before the morning bell while keeping track of what they learn in class!
Ideally, we could drop our kids off and school and receive them learned and trained. But every parent knows that is not the reality. In fact, one of the things children struggle with most at school is learning how to read and as parents, we need to figure out how to help them along.
Unfortunately, not all teachers use phonics for toddlers in the classroom. Some teachers use whole language or balanced literacy approaches. These methods are not as effective, and many students never develop the skills necessary to become successful readers and learners. So, as parents, we need to do some extra work to ensure that our kids are learning to read the right way. The good news is that it doesn’t need to be much of a chore.
Professor Pup’s Academy offers phonics for toddlers. We have programs that you can use right at home at super affordable prices. You get access to high quality phonics programs that children enjoy playing. All the while, they learn fundamental phonics that prepare them to learn to read.
If you want your children to get the most out of the early years of school, get a head start with phonics for toddlers at Professor Pup’s Academy.
How To Use Professor Pup’s Phonics for Toddlers
You can use Professor Pup’s phonics for toddlers anywhere. Really! Our programs work well on tablets and smartphones. They are perfect to use over the summer to prepare kids for preschool. They also work well to supplement preschool training, especially if your child has a hard time learning reading skills.
Reading science proves that phonics is the best way for toddlers to get started with their reading skills. Why? Phonics has levels, so toddlers can start with the simplest building blocks!
The very first building blocks of phonics for toddlers are phonemes. Phonemes are phonics sounds – the individual sounds that join together to make words. Our program, Professor Pup’s Phoneme Farm, teaches toddlers about phonemes using songs, memorable characters, and interactive activities. By the end, your children understand exactly what phonemes are and how to use them to create words. Plus, they’re excited to move onto reading with Professor Pup and his friends!
Professor Pup’s Phoneme Farm is based on leading research in early childhood literacy, and achieves all of the following learning objectives:
- Introduce all phonemes in American English
- Recognize phonemes in the beginning of words
- Identify phonemes at the end of words
- Recognize phonemes in the middle of words
- Introduce blending and segmenting
- Start developing phonemic awareness
Every lesson is like a puzzle that needs to be solved. Kids enjoy the company of friends like Pup, Rat, Pig and Hen while helping them around the farm. Beautiful graphics illustrate the setting and energetic music keeps children engaged in the learning process. By the end of the program, your child knows all the phonemes and feels excited to learn more.
Professor Pup’s Phoneme Farm Begins with an Easy Introduction
Phonics for toddlers is all about developing phonemic awareness, so that kids are set up for success later on! Phonemes, or phonics sounds, make up words. Depending on the combination and order of these phonemes, we get different words. For example, cat and car both contain phonics sounds /k/ and /a/. When a child gets to the point of understanding the similarities and differences between cat and car, they are well on their way to developing phonemic awareness. Consequently, children with strong phonemic awareness become better writers, spellers and readers.
With each lesson, Professor Pup explains what phoneme we will be practicing. Then, he sings a song with his friends providing lots of examples of words that contain that phoneme. These sounds can come at the beginning, middle, and end of words – so it’s really helpful for kids to hear these examples! Toddlers become familiar with the phoneme by hearing it over and over again, used in all different ways.
Professor Pup encourages your child through each and every step. His directions are clear and simple. Throughout the exercise, he provides gentle feedback to guide children in the right direction. He is optimistic, friendly and cheerful – so that phonics for toddlers is never a chore, but an enjoyable activity to do again and again.
Professor Pup’s Phoneme Farm Introduces Simple Phonics Sounds
It’s important to remember that reading is not a natural skill. Toddlers naturally learn how to speak and talk – but reading, spelling, and writing are a whole other story! That’s why Professor Pup teaches these skills in the easiest and clearest way possible. He provides lots of examples and lots of space to practice.
Professor Pup leads children through several exercises that first practice initial phonics sounds. For example, after the introductory song, children are presented with two images. They are instructed to pick the image that begins with the sound /a/ among these two choices. They choose between:
- Alligator and pencil
- Frog and apple
- Fox and ant
As children choose their answers, Professor Pup repeats the word very clearly so children can hear the sounds. If the child chooses incorrectly, he explains that there is no /a/ sound in that choice and to try again.
In the next exercise, children must pick two images that start with the phoneme /a/ among three choices. With the addition of the third choice, children really get to understand the /a/ phoneme. For example:
- Drum, apple and asteroid
- Ant, ax and box
- Animal, antler and cup
Children repeat these exercises a few times until they fully understand the phoneme /a/ and how it starts words. The best part is that Professor Pup uses words that our toddlers most likely know. So, they start linking the phoneme in the lesson with words they use every day.
Professor Pup’s Phonics for Toddlers Teaches Critical Thinking Skills
Next, Professor Pup introduces critical thinking within phonics for toddlers. To reinforce phonemic awareness, the next exercise asks children to pick the one image out of three options that does not contain the phoneme. For example, in the lesson on the phoneme /d/, the child chooses between images:
- Rain, drink and desert: the image that does not contain the /d/ sound is “rain.”
Keep in mind that the children are only choosing between pictures. They’re not reading the words yet – just practicing with sounds! As always, Professor Pup clearly explains the instructions and repeats them if necessary.
After children practice identifying the phoneme, they move on to final phonemes. Final phonemes are phonics sounds that come at the end of words. In these activities, children look at three images. Only two of the images end in the phoneme that they’re practicing. For example:
- Pup, tooth and cap: the images that end with the /p/ sound are “pup” and “cap.”
After teaching initial and final sounds, Professor Pup leads activities practicing the sounds that appear in the middle of words. This is a bit more challenging than recognizing beginning or ending phonemes, which is why these exercises are introduced only at the end, once toddlers have lots of practice!
How does Professor Pup help toddlers learn the phonemes in the middle of words? Similar to earlier exercises, Professor Pup gives children a set of three choices, and encourages them to choose two images that contain the same phoneme. Take this example from the lesson on medial phoneme /a/. Here, children must choose two images that contain the phoneme /a/.
- Hat, snap and lock: the images that contain the /a/ sound in the middle are “snap” and “hat.”
In the following exercises, children repeat the same concept, but this time, they must choose the image that does not contain the phoneme. For example, in the exercise for medial phoneme /i/, children must choose the image that does not contain the /i/ sound.
- Six, pot and hill: the image that does not contain the /i/ sound in the middle is “pot.”
Because phonics for toddlers moves in baby steps, children learn all these phonemes in the simplest way possible! In fact, you’ll be surprised to find just how quickly that your children learn the basics.
Professor Pup Prepares Toddlers to Learn to Read with Phonemes
At the end of Professor Pup’s Phoneme Farm, children have a solid understanding of what phonemes are and how they work. But, how exactly do phonemes impact reading? When toddlers learn about phonemes, they begin to bridge the gap between speaking and reading. Eventually, they start to link phonemes (the sounds of phonics) with written symbols.
For many young kids who haven’t learned about phonemes, reading is a difficult and overwhelming process. However, phonics for toddlers provides an amazing foundation, so that when kids begin to read, the process can be stress-free and fun.
Phonemes are the foundation of phonics for toddlers. As a result, phonics is a must for children to become successful learners and readers!
Professor Pup’s Phonics for Toddlers Is the Best Way to Develop Reading Skills
Ultimately, at Professor Pup’s Academy, we want every single child to succeed. That is why we used only proven methods to create our phonics for toddlers. Our program is designed by literacy experts who know exactly what children need in order to learn to read.
In Professor Pup’s Phoneme Farm, we provide 40 distinct lessons. As a result, your child is thoroughly prepared for advanced phonics for toddlers, eventually learning to read, spell and write on their own.
Phonics for toddlers does not have to be difficult! You can choose right now to help your child succeed. Our programs make it easy for parents to teach phonics to toddlers without any additional training or knowledge. Our programs are so simple to use that your child completes lessons with minimal supervision.
Help your preschooler learn to read through phonics for toddlers. Download our program at the App Store for $2.99, or learn more on our Home Edition page.