Letter Sounds Worksheet: Color the Letter That Begins the Word!
This worksheet strengthens phonemic awareness in children ages 4-5 by asking them to isolate the very first sound of a picture's name and match it to its printed letter. Identifying beginning sounds is one of the strongest early predictors of reading success, since it teaches children that spoken words are made of individual sounds that map onto letters. The coloring component adds a motivating, low-pressure way to record each answer.
Curriculum
How to use this worksheet
Point to the first picture and say its name slowly and clearly together, stretching out the very first sound, like 'ssss-un' for sun. Ask your child which letter makes that beginning sound and find it among the choices on the page. Have your child color in the correct letter using a crayon or colored pencil, working through each picture one at a time. Once finished, go back through the page and have your child say each word and its matching letter sound aloud again.
Materials needed
- Pencil
- Crayons or colored pencils
Extension activities
- •Have the child draw their own pictures and write the beginning letter.
- •Find other objects in the room that start with the same letter sounds.
- •Play 'I Spy' using only the beginning sound of an object, like 'I spy something that starts with buh.'
- •Sort small toys or household objects into piles by their beginning sound.
- •Make up a silly sentence where every word starts with the same letter sound.
Tips for parents and teachers
Focus on the sound the letter makes, not its name — 'buh' for B rather than 'bee,' since sound awareness is what supports reading. Some letters, like vowels or soft consonants, are harder to isolate than others, so slow down and exaggerate those sounds extra. Celebrate their efforts and correct gently by re-saying the word properly rather than pointing out the error directly.
Written by
Hemsweta Jain · Teacher Cheena
MBA and Early Childhood Educator, teaching since 2014 · Founder of RaisoActive, Mumbai
Every RaisoActive worksheet is designed and checked by the founder before publishing.
Published · Last reviewed
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