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.