A simple movement-based phonics activity for children aged 3–6
“Let’s practise our letters.”
Your child looks at you.
Then suddenly they need water.
They need a snack.
They want to play.
They disappear.
If phonics practice regularly ends with your child losing interest, pushing the worksheet away or saying, “I don’t want to do this,” you can change the way the learning experience begins.
Instead of asking your child to sit still and remember a letter sound, try giving the sound a movement.
Think of each letter as a little door.
The sound opens the door, and the movement gives the child something to do with it.
That is the idea behind this simple EducateAble phonics activity.
Watch the activity first
Before reading through the full explanation, watch the short demonstration here:
In the video, I demonstrate how a few simple letter sounds can become actions that a young child can copy.
You can then use the same idea with other letters.
Why turn phonics into movement?
Early literacy involves more than recognising what a letter looks like.
Children are learning to connect a printed symbol with its name and sound. Research with preschool children has found that explicit instruction in letter names and sounds can support alphabet learning, with letter sounds often presenting more difficulty than letter names.
Movement can give children another pathway into this learning.
Research on embodied learning has specifically explored activities where children pair movements with letter sounds. In a study involving 5–6-year-olds, children who learnt letter-sound correspondences with whole-body or hand movements showed improvements in letter-sound knowledge compared with children who learnt without movement.
This does not mean that movement magically teaches reading.
It means that movement can be a useful supporting layer around phonics instruction.
For a child who finds sitting with a worksheet difficult, that extra layer can make the learning experience more active.
Try this: See it → Say it → Move it
You only need:
- A piece of paper
- A pen or marker
- A little space to move
Start with three letters rather than presenting the entire alphabet.
For example:
A → /a/ → Apple
Write A.
Say the sound:
“/a/”
Then say:
“Apple!”
Pretend to take a bite from an apple.
Invite your child to copy you.
B → /b/ → Bounce
Write B.
Say:
“/b/”
Then:
“Bounce!”
Bounce your hands up and down.
Your child copies the movement.
C → /k/ → Clap
Write C.
Say:
“/k/”
Then:
“Clap!”
Clap twice.
Again, let your child copy.
The sequence stays simple:
See the letter → hear the sound → make the movement.
Why the movement matters
Imagine trying to remember three pieces of information.
A letter.
A sound.
An action.
Instead of encountering the letter as a flat symbol on a page, the child now has something they can see, hear and physically experience.
Research into movement-enriched literacy learning has explored exactly this kind of letter-sound coupling. Studies have found promising effects on letter-sound knowledge, although the evidence does not mean that movement alone teaches reading or replaces direct literacy instruction.
That distinction matters.
This activity is best used as a playful reinforcement activity alongside appropriate phonics teaching.
Turn the alphabet into a little story
You can extend the activity beyond A, B and C.
Give each sound an action that is easy for your child to understand.
For example:
D → /d/ → drum
Tap an imaginary drum.
F → /f/ → fly
Move your arms like wings.
H → /h/ → hop
Hop once.
J → /j/ → jump
Jump.
M → /m/ → munch
Pretend to eat.
S → /s/ → snake
Move your hand like a snake.
T → /t/ → tap
Tap your fingers.
W → /w/ → wave
Wave.
You do not need to cover all 26 letters in one sitting.
Choose a few.
Repeat them.
Then introduce another small group when your child is ready.
Let your child invent the actions
This is where you can bring in an expressive arts approach.
After your child becomes familiar with the activity, ask:
“What movement could go with this sound?”
There is no need for the action to look exactly like yours.
If your child chooses a different movement for S, let them create their own snake.
If they want to draw the letter instead of moving their whole body, let them draw it.
If they want to make a sound effect, include that too.
The activity can become a small creative exploration rather than a test with a correct performance.
What if my child does not want to join?
Do not turn the activity into a battle.
You can model the action yourself.
For example:
“I’m going to be a snake. S says /s/!”
Then move your hand like a snake.
Your child may join you after watching.
If they do not, you can stop and try again another time.
The short duration is part of the appeal.
You can practise three sounds in a minute or two rather than expecting a young child to complete a long worksheet.
Keep the sounds clear
There is an important phonics point here.
When practising phonics, focus on the sound the letter represents, rather than only saying the letter name.
For example:
A → /a/
B → /b/
C → /k/
The exact sound examples you use should match the phonics approach your child’s school is using.
English also contains letters with more than one sound, so a simple A–Z activity should be treated as an introduction rather than a complete phonics programme.
Research on preschool literacy instruction supports explicit attention to letter-sound relationships, particularly when children are developing early alphabet knowledge.
Who is this activity for?
This activity is particularly suitable for children around 3–6 years old who are beginning to develop letter and sound awareness.
It may be useful for a child who:
- enjoys movement
- finds traditional worksheets tiring
- likes copying actions
- responds well to playful learning
- is beginning to learn letter sounds
It can also be adapted for children who need more repetition or a different sensory route into learning.
For children with significant literacy difficulties, use this as an additional playful activity rather than relying on it as their only phonics instruction.
You do not need expensive materials
The activity can be done with paper and a marker.
If you would like additional materials at home, consider choosing resources that allow your child to see, touch, trace or manipulate letters.
Useful resources to look for on Amazon
Phonics or alphabet flashcards
Choose cards with clear letters and simple pictures so your child can practise identifying the letter and connecting it with a sound.
Reusable alphabet tracing cards
These can extend the activity from movement into mark-making.
Washable markers
Useful for creating large letters, drawing movement symbols or letting children create their own letter-action cards.
Beginning-sound picture cards
These can help you move from individual sounds towards identifying the beginning sound in simple words.
Alphabet magnetic letters
These can be used later for arranging letters and beginning to build simple words.
A simple way to use this at home
You could make this a two-minute phonics play routine.
Choose a few letters.
Write them down.
Say each sound.
Add an action.
Let your child copy.
Then stop while the activity is still enjoyable.
The next time, revisit the same letters before introducing new ones.
This gives your child repeated exposure without requiring a long formal lesson.
Turn learning into an experience
A young child does not always need more worksheets.
They may need a different entry point.
A letter can become a movement.
A sound can become a gesture.
A blank sheet of paper can become a little stage for learning.
That is where expressive arts approaches can complement early learning. The child is still working with the learning objective, while the route into it becomes more active and creative.
And if your child loves the activity, let them become the teacher.
Ask:
“Can you show me what B does?”
Then follow their movement.
Ready to try it?
Watch the EducateAble YouTube Short and try the activity with your child:
Then choose three letters and create your own sound-and-movement combinations.
You do not need to make the session perfect.
Start with what your child enjoys and build from there.
Follow EducateAble
For more practical ideas combining child counselling, expressive arts and playful learning, follow EducateAble on YouTube and explore the other activities on this website.
If this post could help another parent, share it with them.
EducateAble 
Leave a comment