Blending Sounds into Words: Early Reading Practice Made Simple – Week 11
What Are Blending and Segmenting in Phonics?
- Blending = Hearing individual spoken sounds and putting them together to make a word
➡️ You say: /d/ /o/ /g/ → They say: “dog!” - Segmenting = Breaking a word into separate spoken sounds
➡️ You say: “dog” → They say: /d/ /o/ /g/
Practising these helps your child understand that words are made of separate sounds — which is the first step to matching those sounds with letters in Phase 2.
- What Are Blending and Segmenting in Phonics?
- Why They Matter for Early Reading
- 5 Simple Blending & Segmenting Games to Try at Home
- Free Blending Activity Worksheet
- Greetings from Grace
- Week 12’s Preview
- FAQs
Intro
If your child can hear the sounds /c/ /a/ /t/ and figure out it says cat — they’re well on their way to reading.
This week we’re exploring the final part of Phase 1 phonics: Oral blending and segmenting.
It sounds a bit technical, but it’s simply about hearing the sounds in words and either:
- Blending them together to understand the word (great for reading)
- Segmenting a word into its individual sounds (great for spelling)
These skills don’t involve letters yet — it’s all done through listening and speaking. And the best part? You can practise them any time, anywhere.
Why They Matter for Early Reading
Blending and segmenting:
- Teach children that words are made of sounds
- Prepare them for decoding written words in Reception
- Build listening and memory skills
- Turn reading into a process they can understand instead of guesswork
Robot Voices, Muddy Grass, and the Joy of Blending Sounds
Helloooooooo. It’s Grace. 👋
Your sometimes long-winded phonics friend.
(Yes, I heard that laugh when I said “sometimes.” Fair.)
This week, I want to invite you to do something simple, but surprisingly powerful:
Try to remember what it felt like to be a child.
I know. For some of us, that feels like a very distant memory—somewhere between learning times tables and dial-up internet. 😅
Because now it’s all bills and laundry and packed lunches and wondering when we became people who get excited about nice tea towels.
But Let Me Tell You a Story (You knew it was coming)
One rainy morning, I was walking my son to school.
It wasn’t chucking it down, just that light, misty kind of drizzle that your coat can almost handle on its own.
Now, the path to the school had a narrow walkway… and a much wider, very muddy, very puddly, grassy bank running alongside it.
And what did I notice?
Most of the children were walking on the grass.
Slipping, jumping, sliding, splashing. Completely unfazed by the mud.
And the adults?
We were squashed onto that narrow, awkward little path.
Dodging each other. Twisting our shoulders like we were in a polite obstacle course.
Doing everything we could not to step on the grass.
Even me.
And as I held my son’s hand, making sure he stayed on that narrow walkway… I had a moment.
At What Age Does Having Fun Change from Must-Have to Optional?
Because here’s the thing: those children didn’t see mud.
They saw possibility.
We adults? We saw mess.
And it made me think… at what age do we switch to doing things the “tidy” way—when so often the fun, the connection, the learning, is happening just a few steps to the side?
Which brings me (finally, I know) to one of the two important parts of this week’s phonics focus:
Oral Blending – AKA: Time to Talk Like a Robot
Yes, really.
This week, we’re working on oral blending—which simply means helping your child hear separate sounds and push them together into a whole word.
Like this:
You say: “c-a-t”
They say: “cat!”
And one of the easiest, silliest, most effective ways to practise?
Use a robot voice.
Say the sounds slowly, clearly, with a bit of fun—and encourage your child to blend them together like they’re decoding a secret message.
It’s playful, it’s effective, and yes—it sounds a bit silly.
(Which means your child will probably love it.)
And Here’s the Link to the Muddy Grass
Robot voices might feel a bit outside your comfort zone.
It might not come naturally.
You might feel a bit ridiculous doing it.
But do it anyway.
Let’s blend some sounds, say some words, and use our very best robot voices.
5 Simple Blending & Segmenting Games to Try at Home
1. Robot Talk (Blending Game)
Say a word like a robot, stretching out each sound:
🤖 “Can you get your /c/ /oa/ /t/?”
Ask your child to blend the sounds together and follow the instruction.
🟣 Try this: Use it during your normal routines — “Brush your /t/ /ee/ /th/!”
2. Toy Talk (Segmenting Game)
Let your child’s favourite toy speak in robot talk — and ask your child to figure out what they want:
🧸 “I want a /d/ /o/ /l/ /l/!”
They bring a doll — success!
🟣 Why it works: Kids love taking direction from their toys, not just grown-ups.
3. Word Treasure Hunt
Hide a few small objects around the room and give blending clues:
🗣️ “Find the /p/ /e/ /n/!”
🗣️ “Can you spot the /h/ /a/ /t/?”
🟣 Top tip: Use real items to keep it meaningful and hands-on.
4. Clap the Sounds
Say a word and clap once for each sound:
- “Sun” → 3 claps: /s/ /u/ /n/
- “Fish” → 3 claps: /f/ /i/ /sh/
Then switch roles — your child says a word and you clap the sounds.
🟣 Great for: Segmenting practice with a fun, active twist.
5. Silly Snack Shop
Set up a pretend snack shop. Speak all the snack names in sound talk:
🗣️ “Would you like a /c/ /a/ /k/ /e/ or a /b/ /i/ /s/ /k/ /i/ /t/?”
🟣 Fun idea: Let your child take over the shop and give you the sound clues!
Download Our Free Blend and Find Oral Blending Activity worksheets
Want a quick way to support this essential phonics skill?
📥 Download our Blend and Find Activity Worksheets
👉 [Click here to download the free worksheets]
This activity is perfect for ages 3–5 and fits easily into daily life.
Coming Up Next Week…
Next week, we’ll share a fresh set of Phase 1 recap games you can use anytime — perfect for reinforcing skills through play while keeping things light and fun.
🟡 Read next: Week 12 – The Best of Phase 1: Easy Recap Games to Keep Skills Strong
FAQs
What is blending in phonics?
Blending is when children push separate sounds together to read a word. For example: /c/ /a/ /t/ = cat.
What is segmenting in phonics?
Segmenting is the reverse — breaking a whole word into its individual sounds, which helps with spelling.
What age should my child learn blending and segmenting?
Most children start practising blending and segmenting in Nursery and early Reception (ages 3–5).
How can I practise blending at home?
Use everyday routines: “Find your /sh/ /oe/ /s/” or “Get your /b/ /oo/ /k/.” Games like Robot Talk make it fun.
Why is blending important before reading?
Blending helps children understand how sounds map to words, so they can decode new words rather than guessing.
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