Top Three Shows For Learning Beginning Phonics

Since my little bear doesn't go to preschool, I'm always trying to give him as much of an education at home as I can. However, I also have housework to do and I'm working on continuing my own college education. So sometimes I just don't have the time (or the patience) to sit down and do a hands on lesson with him. 

While there are some programs that I allow him to watch that have very little educational value, there are a handful of shows that I favor because I have found them to have SIGNIFICANT educational value. I can do what I need to do and still feel like he's learning (an added bonus is that these shows are also not irritating to me). 

So, I am going to share with  you my top 3 shows that teach beginning phonics skills. (In case you're unfamiliar with the concept, phonics are basically the sounds that letters make so children learn to sound out words.)

1. WordWorld

WordWorld is a show on PBS Kids where everything, including the characters are  made up of the letters that spell the word they are.
For example: the character 'Bear' is made out of the letters B-E-A-R.

This is excellent for children because they can 'read' the word without realizing it, after repeatedly seeing BEAR make up the the animal it is, the hope is that when the child sees the word printed they will know what that word says
The same concept is applied to everything on the show. When something is needed they find the letters and 'build a word'. If a pie is needed they gather the letters P-I-E and smoosh them together and it turns into an actual pie

An added bonus with this show is that its actually slightly amusing for parents too, there have been may times when listening to it and I find myself laughing at something that has happened. 
Unfortunately, this show is no longer being aired (at least where I live). BUT, I actually found a set of 3 DVDs at SAMs Club for $20. TOTALLY WORTH IT.
The kids website for WordWorld through PBS Kids is still up and it's excellent for learning letters as well. You can find it HERE

2. Wallykazam!

This new show on Nickelodeon is just plain adorable.
The description found on their website reads:

Wallykazam! is about the power of words. In addition to Wally and his pet dragon Norville, the words are the stars of the show. As they come to life and transform the world around Wally, the magic words are often the catalysts of the action and comedy in the series. As Wally tries to find the right word to move the story forward, preschool viewers are thinking along with him - increasing their phonemic awareness and vocabulary while fostering a love of words and a curiosity about reading.

Again this show teaches phonic sounds in a fun interactive way. Wally uses his 'magic stick' to find words and give them the power to work.
In one instance, Wally and his pet dragon were falling and needed something to soften the fall but it had to start with the sound the letter T makes so they ended up landing in a pile of taffy. Another example is when Gina Giant's doll 'Running Rhonda'. To get the doll to run, he uses his magic stick to create the word and all sorts of mayhem ensues.

This is another one that actually makes me laugh from time to time and has some cute songs every now and then. They also have a good website with games and videos for computer savvy kids. I'll link it HERE

3. Scout & Friends: Phonics Farm

Created by LeapFrog, this isn't actually a show on TV but is a DVD available to buy or download. I was lucky enough to find it at the local library around here. My favorite thing about this is that, while it teaches the same phonics skills as the previous two shows, it also includes vowels. It teaches the sounds that vowels can make and uses fun songs that will stick with kids even after the movie is over.

Letter G Week!

Letter G Week!

G week was Great! There were so many fun things to make and do!
I introduced G week with the usual tracing the letter G worksheet.
Then I gave him a green window paint marker I had found at the dollar store and let him paint the back sliding door. I emphasized that Green starts with G and so does Glass.

Then we started with our projects!

A Gold Glitter G

Then we painted and colored the letter G Green

And other construction paper crafts throughout the week

We made our letter G book

We also did something a little different this week because there were just so many great ideas for the letter G

Green Glowing activities in the bathtub!

We made a Guitar!

We also found a Glowing Green lizard that Grew when you put it in water and we made green rice krispies as a snack one day and had grapes another day!

Letter F Week!

Letter F Week!

This week we learned about the letter F and had a lot of Fun with it! (see what i did there? ;)

I introduced the letter F with a print out from Twisty Noodle

This week I actually had this idea of reprinting all the previous letters, putting them in page protectors and putting them all in a binder and giving it to my son with a crayon or dry erase marker. I liked to keep it in the car along with an additional binder full of pictures to color that start with the letter of the week.

I let him make a feathered F

Then we made cupcakes. 

I know cupcakes don't start with F but just see where I went with it here, it'll make sense!

 I led him in counting the cupcake liners while he was putting them in.

See? It made sense!

While we were waiting for them to cook he also used the cupcake tin liners for a letter F activity

Of course we did other paper crafts throughout the week

And our handprint activity!

 We did a cut and paste activity from School Sparks

He had a Fantastic lunch!

It was a Fabulous week!