Many children learn to read through the introduction of phonetics (the sounds of letters). Along with phonetic understanding, a child’s first steps into literacy begins with understanding vowels to form and read words. As your child starts their reading journey, it is a good idea to introduce these concepts in a fun and engaging way. First of all, I recommend the use of Nacho Libro Inicial de Lectura. With this excellent tool, I will be sharing activities that you can do at home with your child. I will describe the activity in detail and give a list of suggested materials to prepare. The goal of teaching is that children do not feel that learning is a chore. On the contrary, children can learn at an early age that learning can be fun!

• Write a vowel on the bottom of 5 cups, then prepare images that correspond to each vowel. (Nacho Libro Inicial de Lectura is a great resource. Use the target words found on page 3; araña, elefante, iglú, ojo, uva). 
• Before the activity, have your child touch their throat as they pronounce each vowel so that they can distinguish between different sounds. In doing this exercise, you can also ask your child to pay attention to how the shape of their mouth changes with each vowel. Then, ask your child to place each cup with the image it corresponds to (The A cup with araña, E cup with elefante). 
• The first time your child does this activity, help them match the images with the correct vowels. However, the second time, have them move the cups as fast as possible, posing it as a fun challenge! 

This activity introduces vowel identification which is a fundamental skill children should develop as they begin their literacy journey. Finally, the main objective of this activity is for children to recognize each vowel and then be able to read and write them.

By incorporating constant practice and mixing learning with play, your child will be on their way to becoming good readers! 

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