Rhyming, syllables and first sounds phonics worksheets
Aligned with Common Core RF.K.2
Printable kindergarten phonemic awareness and sound play worksheets: rhyme match, which one rhymes, clap the syllables, and same first sound, with a sound play chart.
The worksheets
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Sound Play Chart
Rhyming pairs, words to clap, and words that start with the same sound, all with pictures.
Rhyme Match
Draw a line between pictures that rhyme, like frog and log or cat and hat.
Which One Rhymes?
Look at a picture, then circle the one of three that rhymes with it.
Clap It Out
Pictures with one, two or three syllables, like dog, mon-key and el-e-phant, with drums to color.
Same First Sound
Rows of pictures where kids circle the ones that start like the first picture.
Color by Rhyme
A hidden picture made of rhyming words. Each picture in the key, like cat or sun, has its own color. Includes an answer key.
Print the whole packet
One copy of every sheet above, in order. Tap + for more copies (up to 10).
For the parent or teacher
What it is
Before kids read, they learn to hear the sounds inside words. They notice words that rhyme, clap the parts (syllables) of a word, and listen for the first sound. This is all done out loud, so no reading is needed yet. Hearing rhymes, syllables and first sounds is the first step in phonics, before letters come in.
What comes next
Letter names and sounds.
How to teach it
- Say the picture names out loud every time. The sounds are the point.
- Play rhyme games in the car, like "What rhymes with cat?"
- Clap or tap a drum for each part of your child's name.
- Stretch the first sound, like "ssssun," so it's easy to hear.
Common mistakes
- Picking words that start the same instead of words that end the same for rhymes.
- Clapping each letter instead of each part of the word.
- Naming the letter instead of the sound, like "ess" instead of /s/.