Short and Long Vowel Sounds Worksheet for Preschoolers
This worksheet builds phonemic awareness by having children listen for whether a picture's name contains a short vowel sound (like the 'a' in 'cat') or a long vowel sound (like the 'a' in 'cake') and sort accordingly. For four- to six-year-olds, distinguishing short and long vowels is one of the more subtle early phonics skills, since it requires listening closely to a sound rather than just recognizing a letter shape.
Part of the pack
Month 2: Learning & Development | Ages 5-6Curriculum
How to use this worksheet
Cut out the pictures at the bottom of the page together. Hold up the first picture and say its name slowly, stretching out the vowel sound so your child can hear whether it's short or long. Ask them to decide which category the word belongs in, then glue the picture into the correct column — 'short vowel' or 'long vowel.' Continue through each picture, saying the word aloud before sorting it every time.
Materials needed
- Scissors
- Glue
- Pencil
Extension activities
- •Have your child write the word underneath each glued picture to connect the sound to its spelling.
- •Have your child draw their own pictures representing a short vowel word and a long vowel word.
- •Play a listening game where you say pairs of words, like 'cap' and 'cape,' and ask which has the long sound.
- •Sort household objects by their short or long vowel sound in their names.
- •Read a short book together and pause to identify a few long and short vowel words as you go.
Tips for parents and teachers
Encourage the child to say the words aloud slowly to help them hear the vowel sounds clearly, since this distinction is heard more than seen. Provide assistance as needed, but encourage independent listening and sorting whenever possible, since this auditory skill takes repeated practice to develop.
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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