This Easter beginning sounds matching printable definitely needs to be added to your collection of Easter activities for toddlers and preschoolers.
Learning how to isolate and identify initial sounds is an important phonemic awareness skill. And this simple matching game is a fun and easy way to work on it!
The Easter theme spices things up for the kids, so it’s a little bit different (even if you’ve been working on the skill consistently). This makes the activity a bit more engaging for the kids.
Related: Easter Calendar Numbers
Phonemic awareness focuses on manipulating the individual parts (phonemes) of spoken words. There are so many ways to teach and practice these skills in the classroom. And repetition is key, so the kids can practice them every day. Why not mix it up with a colorful and engaging matching game that focuses on initial sounds?
Be sure to grab your own copy of this free printable at the bottom of this post.
Easter Beginning Sounds
You definitely don’t have to make every single activity about your preschool themes or holidays. But isn’t it fun to use some thematic items to bring a sense of whimsy and switch things up a little bit?
That’s definitely the case here. The Easter beginning sounds printable incorporates words you’ve probably used multiple times in references to letter sounds (like alligator for /a/). But it’s done in a slightly different way, with an Easter twist.
Related: Spring Activities for Preschoolers
Prepping the Initial Sounds Printable
The printable is super simple, making for easy prep so you can use it with the kids quickly. To get started, you’ll need a few items (I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post):
- Easter beginning sounds printable (get it at the bottom of this post)
- Printer
- Scissors (or paper cutter)
- Laminator
- Laminating pouches
The laminator and laminating pouches are optional, but highly recommended. They’ll help keep the cards protected so that multiple little hands can use them. And it will better protect them to use for years to come.
Related: Easter baking soda and vinegar experiment
Prepping the printable goes as follows:
- Download the initial sounds printable and save it to your computer.
- Open the file in the most up-to-date version of Adobe Reader.
- Print.
- Cut into individual cards.
- Laminate.
- Cut once more.
And then, wahoo! You’re ready to go.
How to Use the Easter Beginning Sounds Matching Cards
Begin by explaining and modeling how to find a spoken word’s initial sound. Say a word out loud – perhaps your name or a student’s name. Then focus in on the first sound in that word and say the sound in isolation.
From there, walk the children through the steps with you. Encourage them to say another word out loud with you. Stress that beginning sound and challenge the kids to do the same. Then say the sound on its own, again encouraging the children to do so with you.
After that, introduce the Easter beginning sounds cards to your students. Explain that they need to help you put the eggs in the right baskets. And the only way to do so is to match the beginning sound of the image on the egg to that of the basket.
Additional Ways to Use the Initial Sounds Activity
The best thing about using printables like this over your typical worksheet is that you can use them to cater to the specific needs of your students. The picture cards are so open-ended that you can get creative and provide your class with a variety of lessons and activities! Here are a few ideas:
First, set up a beginning sounds Easter egg hunt in your classroom. Or, better yet, take advantage of the spring weather and take the kids outside. Give each kid a basket card and have them hunt for a specific beginning sound. Or let the kids have a free-for-all egg hunt. When they find all of the cards, let them work together to match beginning sounds!
You can also set the basket cards out and hide the eggs in an Easter sensory bin. Then, the children can dig through the colorful chickpeas as they find the eggs to make matches.
Go the traditional route and lay the cards out, face down, on a table. Let the children take turns, flipping two cards at a time, to find beginning sounds matches. Make sure they say the word, emphasizing the beginning sound, each time a card is flipped over.
Turn it into a phonics activity using letter manipulatives, like magnetic letters. Have the kids match the letter to the beginning sound on the picture card. Or let them write the corresponding letter on a chalkboard or a white board.
Look around your classroom to find extra materials to use in conjunction with the Easter beginning sounds printable. I’m sure you can come up with some amazing activities for the kids!
Regardless of which activity you choose to do, your preschoolers are sure to have an “egg-cellent” time!
What are the Children Learning?
Now, you may be wondering why we would dedicate an entire lesson to beginning sounds. Well, phonemic awareness is the name of the game. It is a core skill that children need to master before learning to read and write (and even readers and writers need to review this skill at times). Beginning sounds activities like this are perfect for jump-starting that skill.
On top of phonemic awareness, the Easter beginning sounds game is also good for teaching some other early literacy concepts. Below, I’ve listed some of them:
- Pictures or symbols can be used to represent spoken words.
- Words are made up of individual sounds.
- Each sound in a spoken word is represented by a letter or group of letters (when using alphabet manipulatives with the activity).
So, even though this activity is super simple, it’s also a great resource to use to help the kids learn some very significant early literacy skills. I’m sure you can cover even more preschool concepts if you get creative with the beginning sounds cards in the classroom!
Printable and Online Beginning Sounds Games
Looking for more ways to teach the concept of initial sounds? Preschool Teacher 101 has you covered! We’ve got a bundle that includes four interactive, self-checking games that help kids practice beginning sounds. All four of the games can be used as Google Slides or on Seesaw. Click on the image below to get your own:
This bundle is also available on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Done-For-You Easter Resources for Preschoolers
And of course we have some fully-developed products you can use this Easter, too! Let me tell you, these will save you a ton of planning time! Click on each image below to get your own:
Be sure to sign up for The Pack from Preschool Teacher 101’s waiting list! You’ll be the first to find out when our membership is open next.
Free Printable Easter Beginning Sounds Picture Cards
This free printable is available to members of Fun-A-Day’s free email community. If you’re a member, fill out the form below and the download links will be sent to your inbox. If you’re not a member, you can join us by entering your information in the form. Then you’ll receive the initial sounds Easter printable as a welcome gift!
You can also open the form in a new tab if you need to.
Thank you!
You’re welcome, Stacy! I hope the beginning sounds printable is a fun addition to your Easter plans!