Silly Sound Games: Try Alliteration Play for Early Reading Skills – Week 9

Intro

If your child thinks silly sausages sizzle on Saturdays is the funniest thing ever — you’re on to something.

This kind of playful language is called alliteration, and it’s not just entertaining — it’s a powerful part of early phonics.

In Phase 1 phonics, Aspect 5 focuses on helping children notice when words start with the same sound. That early skill forms the basis for hearing individual sounds in words later — which is crucial when it comes to blending and segmenting in reading.

• What is Alliteration in Phonics?
• Why Alliteration Matters for Early Reading
• Greetings from Grace
• 5 Easy Alliteration Games to Play at Home
• Free Phonics Activity Worksheet
• Week 10’s Preview
• FAQs

So Limber up.
Do a few shoulder rolls.
Maybe some exaggerated stretches for good measure.

Because this week? We’re doing a little bit of sound gymnastics.

Yes, we’re looking at Alliteration. Something that’s fun, silly, and surprisingly brilliant for phonics!

Do You Remember That Word?

If you’re anything like me, it might’ve been a ‘little’ while since you heard it, but I’m sure it’s all coming back to you now.

You know… like:

“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”

Or the slightly less stressful:

“Silly snakes slither silently.”

That first one is a blast from the past, right?

What Is Alliteration in Phonics?

Why It Matters for Phonics

Playing around with the same starting sound helps children with things like:

• Tuning into individual sounds
• Hearing sound patterns more clearly
• Getting more confident with pronunciation
• And… it usually gets a giggle (which never hurts)

Plus, when you turn it into a game—throw in some silly actions or let your child make up their own version—it suddenly becomes one of those “learning in disguise” moments.

But Don’t Worry—You’re Not on Your Own

Hiya! Grace here. 👋

This week, I’m being extra helpful (I mean, I hope I’m helpful every week… but especially this one 😄).

Instead of leaving you to make up alliteration tongue twisters on your own, I’ve created a ready-to-go list you can use with your child. No prep. No stress. Just a lot of fun.

Alliteration Tongue Twisters

S Sound

• Silly snakes slither silently
• Seven slippery seals slid slowly

B Sound

• Big brown bears bounce balloons
• Benny baked big blueberry buns

F Sound

• Five full frogs found flies
• Funny fish flap fast

D Sound

• Daring dogs dig deep
• Daisy the dog danced daily

C/K Sound

• Clever cats catch crunchy crackers
• Colin the kangaroo kicked cups

M Sound

• Munching monkeys make music
• Molly made muddy messes

P Sound

• Peter’s pink pig painted pumpkins
• Purple parrots peck popcorn

H Sound

• Happy horses hop high
• Henry hid his huge hat

Action Alliteration (AKA: Move and Say)

Tip: Say the phrase and do the action together. Big voices, big movements. Even better—see if your child wants to make up their own.

Animals & Actions

• Jumping jellyfish
• Dancing dinosaur
• Spinning spider
• Galloping goat
• Sliding snail
• Rolling rabbit
• Flying fish
• Bouncing bear
• Hopping hippo
• Twisting tiger

Everyday Objects in Motion

• Wiggling watermelon
• Marching marbles
• Flying feathers
• Stomping socks
• Crawling crayons
• Leaping lemons
• Swinging spoons
• Nodding noodles
• Tapping toes
• Zipping zippers

That’s a whole heap of fun and phonics all rolled into one.

Use them at home, on the school run, while waiting in a queue, or when you just need to redirect the energy before someone scales the sofa.

Also this week, we’re sharing five fun alliteration games you can try at home — using everyday objects, toys, and your own imagination.

5 Easy Alliteration Games to Play at Home

1. Sound Picnic

Grab a toy basket or play food set. Pick a sound (like /b/) and find items that start with that sound:
🧺 “We’re only packing b foods today! What could we bring? Banana? Bread? Biscuit?”

🟣 Top tip: Let your child pick the sound and “host” the picnic for a toy friend.

2. Name the Toys

Line up a few soft toys or action figures and give them alliterative names together:
🧸 Silly Sam, Bouncing Ben, Tiny Tilly, Jumpy Joe

🟣 Why it helps: It makes sound play personal and memorable — and children love naming things!

3. Silly Sentence Challenge

Take turns making up silly sentences where all the words start with the same sound:
🗣️ “Fizzy frogs flap five fluffy flags!”

🟣 Variation: Use your child’s name — “Lucy loves lemon lollies!”

4. Sound Sorting Baskets

Label two boxes or trays with sounds (e.g. /t/ and /m/). Find toys or items that start with those sounds and sort them:
🚗 Train → /t/
🐵 Monkey → /m/

🟣 Try this: Use just the pure sound (e.g. /m/, not “muh”) to keep it phonics-friendly.

5. Sound Walk With a Twist

Go on a walk (indoor or outdoor) and look for things that start with a sound you choose:
👀 “Let’s spot things that start with /s/… sock, stairs, slide!”

🟣 Bonus challenge: Try to think of one new /s/ word in every room!

Download Our Free Move Like Me! Alliteration Activity Worksheets

Want quick, printable resources for sound play?

📥 Download our free Move Like Me! Alliteration Activity Worksheets

👉 [Click here to download]

Ideal for rainy days, quiet time, or when you need five minutes of focused fun.

Coming Up Next Week…

Next week, we’ll explore voice sounds — those fun and funky vocal effects children love to make (think weee, buzz, moo). It’s a surprisingly powerful way to support phonological awareness and expressive language.

🟡 Read next: [Week 10 – Fun with Voice Sounds: Explore Phase 1 Phonics Through Playful Speaking]

FAQs

What is an example of alliteration for children?
Examples include “Silly snakes slither silently” or “Big brown bears bounce balloons”. These playful phrases help children hear beginning sounds.

How do you teach alliteration in phonics?
Start with games like naming toys with the same sound, sorting items into sound baskets, or making up silly alliterative sentences together.

Why is alliteration important in phonics?
It trains children to notice the first sound in words, which is key for later blending and segmenting skills needed for reading.

What age should children start learning alliteration?
Most children begin exploring alliteration naturally between ages 3–5, during Phase 1 phonics in Nursery and Reception.

How can I practice alliteration at home?
Everyday conversations, toy names, rhyming books, and silly songs are all fantastic ways to practise.

If this post made phonics feel a little easier to understand… Subscribe to our weekly blog series to get phonics activity ideas sent straight to your inbox.

If you found this post helpful, send it to a friend with a 3-5 year old.