When a child attends early years education, they experience a range of experiences and educational opportunities, helping them gain confidence and essential, lifelong skills. One of the most effective ways to shape a child’s future is by teaching the early stages of phonics, helping them strengthen early language and literacy skills.
At Lodge Park, our nursery in Greenlands, we understand the importance of implementing phonics into daily routine at an early age to help build children’s self-confidence when learning the early stages of reading and writing. From phonics activities to storytelling, our Greenlands preschool team is there to help children boost their love for learning while preparing them for the upcoming years at primary school.
What is Phonics and Why is it Taught in Early Years Education?
The phonics programme teaches children to connect sounds with specific letters or letter groups. Over several phases, children begin to understand how letters represent certain sounds, helping them read and spell words independently. The earlier phases in a phonics programme will focus on speaking and listening, whereas the later phases hone in on complex word structures as well as strengthening key skills learnt previously. We ensure that every child is nurtured and supported as they build their reading foundation step by step.
At our Greenlands nursery, we focus on the initial stages of phonics, mainly concentrating on speaking and listening skills as well as phonological awareness. Daily phonics activities and games help children boost their natural curiosity around words, giving them the self-esteem to begin exploring words and sounds themselves. These engaging phonics activities make learning feel like play, which helps children stay motivated and keen to participate.
How is Phonics Taught in a Nursery Setting?
At Little Sneakers Nurseries, we implement phonics learning into each day, using a variety of techniques, activities and games that help children joyfully strengthen their phonics awareness. Some of these include:
- Songs and Rhymes: Songs and nursery action rhymes help children recognise patterns in words and understand rhyming sounds.
- Introducing Letters and Sounds: Repetitive recall of letters and their corresponding sounds can boost children’s understanding of the alphabet and its varying phonetic patterns.
- Interactive Phonics Games: Sound-matching games, ‘I Spy’, and sound scavenger hunts help children engage actively while learning their phonics sounds.
- Storytelling: Listening to engaging stories can boost sound awareness, build on existing vocabulary, and help children develop their love for reading.
- Sound Walks: Children go on walks to find objects that match the sound. For example, the word ‘sky’ represents the ‘s’ sound while also helping them learn about the world around them.
The Impact of Nursery Education on Later Stages of Schooling
When your child attends our leading Greenlands preschool, they have the opportunity to grow and develop in many areas, including their reading, speaking, and vocabulary skills. With short daily bursts of phonics, implemented in a variety of fun and engaging ways, they begin to decode words, strengthen their learning abilities, and develop a lifelong love for reading. Laying these foundations allows children to apply their skills as they progress through school, helping them excel when it comes to accessing the appropriate curriculum and independent learning.
At Little Sneakers Nurseries, we understand how important these early learning experiences are, especially when it comes to preparing children for their future educational journey. With strong phonics skills, children gain the confidence to explore ideas independently and engage in a range of learning tasks. We see every day how this early independence, combined with solid phonics foundations, provides children with the tools they need for each step of their educational journey.
Visit Our Greenland Nursery Today
Phonics is one of the fundamental aspects of a child’s educational journey, helping them build strong reading, writing, and communication skills that they can apply to later life throughout school and beyond. Choosing a Greenlands nursery that encourages daily learning, positive peer engagement, and celebrates achievements while helping children overcome challenges is important for children to boost confidence while shaping their future.
At Lodge Park, Little Sneakers Nurseries, our dedicated team creates engaging environments where phonics is taught through fun, interactive activities, inspiring children to become enthusiastic, lifelong learners. If you’d like to learn more about our phonics programme or book a visit to Little Sneakers Nurseries, please get in touch. Have a specific question about our Greenlands preschool? Call us at 01527 523 279 or email [email protected], we’d be happy to help.
