📖 Reading & talking · Ages 6–7 · about 2 weeks

More Ways to Write Vowel Sounds

Goal: Read ay, ea and two readings of ow in familiar words, noticing rhyming endings.

For parents: A familiar sound can have different spellings. Revisit ai in rain, ee in see and oa in boat before adding ay in day, ea in eat and ow in snow. Contrast snow with cow. These examples do not cover every reading of these letters. Use your family's accent.

Do together

  1. A new spelling for an ending

    You need: Paper and a pencil

    Write rain and day. Read together, pointing to ai and ay. Listen for the shared vowel sound. Add say, blend it and compare day with say: their endings rhyme. Let your child say a short phrase using one of the words.

  2. Meet ea in eat

    You need: Paper and a pencil

    Write see and eat. Help your child read them, linking ee and ea to the vowel sound heard here. Add seat and blend it. Say eat and seat together, then draw a seat. Explain that these two words have rhyming endings.

  3. Two ways to read ow

    You need: Paper and a pencil

    Write snow and cow, underlining ow. Read each naturally and explain snow if unfamiliar. Try both readings when needed, then check the meaning. Add grow beside snow. Read this rhyming pair, then contrast cow: the same letters can represent a different vowel sound.

Talk about it

  • Which letters write the vowel sound in day?
  • Why do eat and seat rhyme?
  • Does ow sound the same in snow and cow?

Words to use

  • rain
  • day
  • say
  • see
  • eat
  • seat
  • snow
  • cow

Play

  • Sound Hunt
    Phonics
  • Rhyme Time
    Rhyming
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